Signing With Babies Chat, with Sarah Bingham of WeeHands ( www.weehands.com ) 9/30/04 Thu Sep 30 21:14:38 2004:WeeHands [1/] Msg:have we chatted before? how old is your wee one? Thu Sep 30 21:14:58 2004:Shannon [1/] Msg:I haven't chatted on baby signing before. My DD will be 18 months on Monday Thu Sep 30 21:15:55 2004:WeeHands [1/] Msg:happy birthday to DD! my DD is 23 months old - adorable toddlers! Thu Sep 30 21:16:21 2004:Shannon [1/] Msg:Want another one? LOL, mine is going through the terrible 2's a little early. Thu Sep 30 21:16:47 2004:carol [0/] Msg:i lost the baby signing book from sarah but was amazed to find the alphabet and much more on the internet. what are you chatting about? my daughter 7 mos is cranky and won't fall asleep without breast (all nite long these days). making me a bit crazy. Thu Sep 30 21:17:55 2004:carol [0/] Msg:well guess i'm in here alone! when i talk about sarah i mean the wonderful baby sign language teacher in toronto. Thu Sep 30 21:18:06 2004:Shannon [1/] Msg:Where are you from? Thu Sep 30 21:18:08 2004:WeeHands [1/] Msg:oh no! what's going on? Thu Sep 30 21:18:16 2004:WeeHands [1/] Msg:I'm just east of Toronto Thu Sep 30 21:18:37 2004:WeeHands [1/] Msg:i have a 4 year old and a 23 month old. started signing with both at 6 months. Thu Sep 30 21:18:44 2004:Shannon [1/] Msg:Oh, she is teething, getting 6 teeth right now, and she is having a rough time with them. It is making her very crabby and clingy Thu Sep 30 21:19:00 2004:WeeHands [1/] Msg:ouch, ouch, ouch! Thu Sep 30 21:19:20 2004:Shannon [1/] Msg:I started signing with DD I think almost from birth. I didn't know much, but I have learned some, and made up a little bit of others. Thu Sep 30 21:19:26 2004:WeeHands [1/] Msg:lots of cuddles and lots of sleep for both of you! Thu Sep 30 21:19:34 2004:Shannon [1/] Msg:THANKS!!!! Thu Sep 30 21:20:19 2004:WeeHands [1/] Msg:just think of ALL you learned in the past 18 months! we should have baby PhDs! Thu Sep 30 21:20:31 2004:Shannon [1/] Msg:I completely agree! Thu Sep 30 21:20:44 2004:WeeHands [1/] Msg:is DD signing back? Thu Sep 30 21:20:53 2004:Shannon [1/] Msg:Oh yes, she signs all the time. Thu Sep 30 21:20:55 2004:Shannon [1/] Msg:Hi Carol Thu Sep 30 21:20:57 2004:WeeHands [1/] Msg:hi carol! Thu Sep 30 21:21:06 2004:WeeHands [1/] Msg:Yeah for your signing DD! Thu Sep 30 21:21:07 2004:carol [1/] Msg:hi Thu Sep 30 21:21:34 2004:Shannon [1/] Msg:I think she is signing about 20 words the right way, and maybe 10 in our own little made up way. Thu Sep 30 21:21:39 2004:WeeHands [1/] Msg:Hi Carol, it's Sara from Toronto (4 year old DS and 23 month old DD)! Welcome! Thu Sep 30 21:22:05 2004:carol [1/] Msg:hi, i'll just follow, i'm just starting w/ my 7 mos old. Thu Sep 30 21:22:14 2004:WeeHands [1/] Msg:That's 30 signs plus whatever verbal words she has - awesome! What a great mom she has! Thu Sep 30 21:22:32 2004:WeeHands [1/] Msg:Why did you both start signing with your baby? Thu Sep 30 21:22:59 2004:Shannon [1/] Msg:I started signing because I wanted to be able to understand her, and help her to get her needs met. Thu Sep 30 21:23:28 2004:carol [1/] Msg:any way to enhance communication & spend time with baby sounds good, also because i heard cbc documentary on usefulness for babies/parents Thu Sep 30 21:24:04 2004:Shannon [1/] Msg:DD's Dr thinks that it is horrible for me to be signing with her. I don't understand why someone would be against it. Thu Sep 30 21:24:39 2004:carol [1/] Msg:any idea sara why people are against it? naivite? Thu Sep 30 21:24:55 2004:WeeHands [1/] Msg:oh, i just think i would have missed so much if i hadn't signed with my baby. . . Thu Sep 30 21:25:08 2004:WeeHands [1/] Msg:i think it is just not knowing about it. Thu Sep 30 21:25:20 2004:Shannon [1/] Msg:My Dr says that it will delay her speach. But she signs and says the word at the same time. Thu Sep 30 21:25:31 2004:Shannon [1/] Msg:Carol, I'm Shannon, DD is 18months old. Thu Sep 30 21:25:56 2004:WeeHands [1/] Msg:think of the feeling you would have if your wee one was in school and you were rushing to get to their first concert, you rush into the gymnasium to find that the concert is over - how would you feel? Thu Sep 30 21:26:24 2004:Shannon [1/] Msg:That would be terrible!! Thu Sep 30 21:26:32 2004:carol [1/] Msg:Hi Shannon, veronica is 7 mos. so far no resistance from others, but we're just starting. kids learn more than one language at a time, so why not signing? Thu Sep 30 21:27:06 2004:WeeHands [1/] Msg:cuz you missed it right - and there's no getting back their first concert, no matter what great things you do after. Thu Sep 30 21:27:20 2004:Shannon [1/] Msg:Exactly. I am teaching signing with English and Spanish (for the words that I know) Thu Sep 30 21:28:02 2004:carol [1/] Msg:sara are you making an analogy with the concert or did you really miss it? Thu Sep 30 21:28:03 2004:Shannon [1/] Msg:Sara - I know what you mean. No matter what you do, you will never get it back. Thu Sep 30 21:28:14 2004:WeeHands [1/] Msg:i can't imagine what i would have missed out on if my wee ones hadn't been able to sign and tell me about their world :( Thu Sep 30 21:28:43 2004:carol [1/] Msg:i see what you are saying. gotta go to bed and going to signing class tomorrow am with sara! Thu Sep 30 21:28:59 2004:WeeHands [1/] Msg:no i didn't miss a concert ha! it's an analogy - you only get one chance at this time of their little lives and they have so much to share - we don't want to miss it! Thu Sep 30 21:29:21 2004:WeeHands [1/] Msg:see you tomorrow morning carol! hee hee! Thu Sep 30 21:29:26 2004:Shannon [1/] Msg:I get great joy in knowing that I can communicate with my daughter. It is so exciting to watch her learn Thu Sep 30 21:29:44 2004:Shannon [1/] Msg:No fair, I want to come to signing class. :( Thu Sep 30 21:30:01 2004:carol [1/] Msg:good that you're doing the signing tho' with DD. nice talking! Thu Sep 30 21:30:02 2004:WeeHands [1/] Msg:okay, get dd to the airport and come to toronto! Thu Sep 30 21:30:28 2004:Shannon [1/] Msg:Want to lend me the money? LOL Thu Sep 30 21:30:50 2004:WeeHands [1/] Msg:shannon, i've got lots of great link on our website www.weehands.com  - some great online dictionaries Thu Sep 30 21:31:02 2004:WeeHands [1/] Msg:we need someone in the chat with lots of airmiles! Thu Sep 30 21:31:17 2004:WeeHands [1/] Msg:are their classes in your area? Thu Sep 30 21:31:18 2004:Shannon [1/] Msg:Great thanks. Thu Sep 30 21:31:43 2004:Shannon [1/] Msg:You know, I haven't really looked. I know that where I use to live their were, but now I just moved out into the country, there is NOTHING here. Thu Sep 30 21:32:43 2004:WeeHands [1/] Msg:what's your area code? Thu Sep 30 21:32:57 2004:Shannon [1/] Msg:815 is area code. Thu Sep 30 21:35:07 2004:WeeHands [1/] Msg:The closest presenters I know of are in the area codes 309 Thu Sep 30 21:35:14 2004:WeeHands [1/] Msg:847 Thu Sep 30 21:35:22 2004:WeeHands [1/] Msg:and 708 Thu Sep 30 21:35:28 2004:WeeHands [1/] Msg:near you at all? Thu Sep 30 21:35:37 2004:Shannon [1/] Msg:708 is where I use to live, not too far Thu Sep 30 21:36:22 2004:WeeHands [1/] Msg:Susan Rizzo is the presenter and her website is: www.simply-signing.com Thu Sep 30 21:36:51 2004:Shannon [1/] Msg:Wow, I use to work with a woman names Susan Rizzo, that would be really weird if it was the same person. Thu Sep 30 21:37:03 2004:WeeHands [1/] Msg:That's weird! Thu Sep 30 21:37:50 2004:Shannon [1/] Msg:I am actually going to see her tomorrow. That would be really weird if it was her. Thu Sep 30 21:38:12 2004:WeeHands [1/] Msg:She has incredible background - she has a picture on her site as well. Thu Sep 30 21:38:23 2004:WeeHands [1/] Msg:Way to weird! Thu Sep 30 21:38:47 2004:Shannon [1/] Msg:I was just looking at the site. It's not her, but it is still very weird. Thu Sep 30 21:38:50 2004:WeeHands [1/] Msg:She may be able to put you in touch with other signing families in the area - e.g., signing playgroups! Thu Sep 30 21:39:02 2004:Shannon [1/] Msg:Got to go, baby woke up. Thanks for chatting.