Signing with your babies and Kiddos?

[signingmommyfor3]

I was just wondering if there was any moms here that have signed with their kids and babies or plan to. I myself am an interpreter and both my parents are Deaf so it was and is a necessity in our house. But out of the three, only 1 has retained and wants to continue signing. Our oldest and youngest understand that grandma and papa can't hear and they can't talk to them and we try to continue to teach them but they absolutely will refuse to sign. Whereas, DS #2 loves signing and always is trying to figure the signs on his own before relying on me or asking me how to say what he want to say. I think it is because he has speech problems and he feels comfortable showing what he means than getting frustrated with "hearing" people who can't understand what he is saying. Just wanted to get some opinions as well as I am here for questions too because ASL, signing in general, and the Deaf community is my life (aside from my family).

[Abifasc]

I signed the most important signs with my oldest...he knew about 10 and was really proud of using them. My 2nd son flat out refuses to sign. He has created his own sign for his paci and for "more" but that's it (he's 1). I'll try again with the next baby...I like using them.

[nuthinbutpink]

I think that's an awesome skill!

[NCBeachyGrl]

My cousin, who is the same age as me, is deaf and we grew up side by side. We made up a lot of our sign language when we were younger, but then I picked up on ASL once she fully learned it herself and could teach me. I signed with DS1 and he picked up on it fast. DS2, for some reason I never got into it with him. For DS3, I have started trying to teach him signs for more and all done.

I think it is great!

[signingmommyfor3]

I understand after the first and second you start to feel like you don't have time time to focus on it. I think it's frustrating that DS1 and DS3 don't want to and it is an important part of our lives. My parents are with us several times a week. I know my mother told me I went through that phase when I finally started to talk, at the age of 4, I would refuse to sign sometimes and closed my eyes when they would sign to me. Like mother like sons I guess :Z

[Rosie85]

I try to sign with my kiddos when they are babies. They have all known the basics like more, all done etc. My older kids have stopped as we didn't enforce them keeping it but my oldest did do it until the age of 3 1/2 since he couldn't talk before then as he had very delayed speech. I think it is a wonderful skill and if I knew more about it myself and were more vigilant I am sure my kiddos would be too.

[dreamingofwin]

I too am an interpreter but BSL. I started teaching my son at 8 months. It helped a lot he could communicate his needs early on add ill do it again with our 2nd x

[signingmommyfor3]

That's great to find another interpreter. I know my ASL and English, I used to know german sign as well. I am hoping the kids are as adept at language as I am. It would just be nice for them to be able to communicate witheir grandparents.

[atomic sagebrush]

I wish I would have done it with my daughter - by the time my littler boys seemed like they were picking it up, they were talking so I kinda let it fall by the wayside. she seems like she probably could have caught onto it sooner and she gets frustrated by not being able to communicate sometimes.

[signingmommyfor3]

It's never too late to start with them. Sometimes it is easier to start when you see they are frustrated with trying to communicate to you. DS#2 is 6yrs and has issues with his speech and get frustrated when we can't understand him and there is no communication, that's why I think he is the only one who continues to learn because he is understood better that way.