at home with Jo Frost - October 2012 - (Page 91)

| slug| See the signs Baby signing is a brilliant way to help your child communicate what he wants and avoid those frustration-induced tantrums P WorDS: Georgina Maric | PHotograPH: Getty Images Common signs are easy to pick up and will give you and your baby a simple, new way to communicate More Hold your hands open, palms facing towards your body, with one in front of the other. ● Food Put your finger tips to your lips. ● gone Move your hand, palm up, back and forth. ● Hot Bring your hand up to your mouth then pull it away quickly. ● Try These aT home ● communication. Babies are very good arents are finally getting at picking up on these gestures and, wise to the growing in turn, using them to communicate. popularity of using sign Think of a baby pointing or waving language (especially in the ‘bye bye’, or asking to be picked up by past decade or so), but the raising his arms. so, it’s not surprising principal has been around for a lot that babies can learn how to use signs. longer. it’s been used by speech and language therapists with children who have speech impairments and Where do i start? development issues. in fact, it was a As soon as your baby is born, you child development expert, Dr Joseph start communicating. so whenever garcia, who took the idea further you mention a word, make the sign after finding that hearing babies as well – whether it’s for milk, food, of deaf parents easily copied their nappy, and so on – and your baby parents’ signs and used them to will associate the spoken word and communicate. These babies, the signed word from a very he noted, appeared less young age, eventually linking demanding than nonthem together. The sPeech is signing babies because key time for teaching onlY A verY they could express signing is between smAll PArT their thoughts and nine and 18 months of hoW You needs more easily. because that’s when communicATe a baby starts naturally to communicate using Talk to me! sounds and gestures. so how does it work? This can be a very frustrating When you talk, speech is only time, too, as he can’t always get a very small part of what you are his message across quickly enough. communicating – it is the non-verbal That’s when sign can bridge the gap. elements that make up a lot of what You can make up your own signs you are trying to get across. gestures but if you want to take it further and in particular, are a big part of your drink Form a circle with your thumb and forefinger and raise it your lips. ● WHere? Shrug your shoulders, with your palms held out. ● Happy Draw an exaggerated smile over your mouth with your finger, while smiling. meet other parents with babies the same age, you can sign up to a class. You will learn the signs for everyday objects so you can use them at home. The key is repetition: this way your baby becomes familiar with the sign. every time you use a word, show your baby the corresponding sign at the same time, remembering to always use the same sign and emphasising the key word several times as you sign. This way, your baby can clearly see and hear the connection. make it fun so your baby enjoys doing it and wants to learn more words. Before you know it your baby will be talking to you without words – it’s like magic! ✱ www.athomemagazine.co.uk OCTOBER 2012 | 091 http://www.athomemagazine.co.uk

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of at home with Jo Frost - October 2012

EDITOR’S LETTER
JO’S HELLO
WHAT’S NEW IN PARENTING?
OCTOBER OUTINGS
SCRUB A DUB DUB
WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE
NICE WHEELS
FAMOUS MUMS
JO FROST ON THE GO
THE NAUGHTY CORNER
ADULT CLASSES
THE BIG C
YUMMY MUMMY
GET THE LOOK
PUSHY MOTHERS
TOPS ON TREND
MAKE-UP MAGIC
MOTHER WEAR
BABY BUMP BLISS
FIRST-TIME WORRIES
STARTING OUT
ON-THE-MOVE
SIGN UP
MILK TIME
SLEEP EASY
CRY BABY
WHAT’S THAT RASH?
MORE PLEASE
BABY STEPS
JOIN THE GREEN TEAM
COUNTRY COOL
PRE-SCHOOL LEARNING
BUDDING BOOKWORM
AN ITCH TO SCRATCH
‘I’M NOT HUNGRY’
GOING POTTY
BRITAIN’S GOT TALENT
LIVING WITH AUTISM
OPEN WIDE
THE COLD WAR
LET MUMMY KISS IT BETTER
PANIC STATIONS
A CLEAN SWEEP
PROJECT RUNWAY
ORGANISE THIS
TIME FOR BIG SCHOOL
ALL KITTED OUT
WHERE DO BABIES COME FROM?
‘I HATE YOU!’
TWEEN HEALTH
EAT WELL
TRICK OR TREAT
THE GHOST WITH THE MOST
LET’S BAKE
BABY BUDGET
WHAT KIND OF PARENT ARE YOU?
GIVE A CHILD A HOME
FAMILY MEN
GIRL POWER
DAY TRIPPER
GET PACKING
WHY PETS ARE BEST
COMING SOON
STORY CORNER
COUNT TO 10
PEARLS OF WISDOM
QUESTION TIME
KODAK MOMENTS
SURF’S UP
SOUND BITES
STOCKISTS

at home with Jo Frost - October 2012