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Baby Sign Language
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Why do babies cry? Finding the answers can make motherhood a lot easier. And some moms are learning a secret to better communication—so they won’t have to guess what their infants are thinking. Kim Reimland reports. |
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SCRIPT:
(Locator: Whitesboro, NY)
When babies are too young to “say” what they want and need…
(Baby signing) “Yeah, there’s your milk.”
…they can still let their parents know—with sign language.
Teresa Jones, Mother: “When I first heard about it, I thought ‘This is
silly.’”
Nancy Jayne teaches sign language to infants and preschoolers, and their
parents at Trinity United Methodist Church in Whitesboro, New York.
Nancy Jayne: “Hot. Hot.”
Even parents who were skeptical at first become believers.
Teresa Jones, Mother: “I was so amazed how she learned the signs and I
was able to communicate with her. She was able to communicate with me.
It was one of the best decisions I made as a parent.”
Jayne started the class as a ministry of the church two years ago, after
teaching sign language to her grandsons—finding they could use their
hands before they could talk.
Nancy Jayne, Sign Language Teacher: “Besides being a cute little bundle
of joy with these beautiful eyes, you’ve got a mind behind there. And
the mind can tell you what they want, they need.”
Jayne works with children as young as six months. Some learn more than a
hundred words.
Nancy Jayne: “Let’s do ‘eat.’”
She also teaches American Sign Language to preschoolers at the church.
Nancy Jayne, Sign Language Teacher: “I’ve had a lot of phone calls from
parents with deaf children. They say, ‘What a lonely
life.’ So I’m hoping if these babies keep going and the parents keep
going, at least they’ll have a few signs that they can sign with them.”
The Rev. Marilyn Baissa, Trinity United Methodist Church:
“It is, indeed, an unusual ministry. But it’s one that we think really
benefits families.”
Some studies suggest babies who learn sign language do better in school
and have higher IQ’s. But for these moms, just learning what their
babies want is worth the effort.
Heather Frank, Mother: “If they can look at me and I can know what they
want, it’s kind of like there’s an understanding between us.”
TAG:
Sign language is also used to help communicate with
children who have Down Syndrome and other developmental delays.
For more information about the program, contact
Trinity United Methodist Church at 315-736-7233.