From Ho Siew Chui, mommy to An Qi, 17 months
An Qi is 17 months now. She can't talk yet but is saying certain words. For some words that she says, she signs too. She also signs for words that she can't say yet like ice-cream, thank you, please, butterfly, good, moon, bye bye etc. Her favorites (which she signs all the time) are hat, clock, dog, duck, bird, sleep, book, cow.
Was signing helpful? I think it's just amazing and I am spreading the word to all my friends.
Like other babies, An Qi is quite observant and she always wants to tell us what she sees. She will sign to us. We went shopping ages ago and prior to that, I taught her the sign for clock (I made it up). We went past a shop and An Qi who was sitting in her stroller, glanced back to me and signed clock. I looked and saw the shop that was selling clocks and watches. It was such a surprise! Even now, whenever she sees a clock, she will make sure we know.
Through signing, she's communicating to us her needs, her thoughts and her preferences. It shows that she understands what we say and that's really important to us.
How signing played a part in her verbal development? For now, since she mispronounces certain words, signing helps us to understand what she says. We get to correct her by repeating the word she says. She's doing the movements and signs to some of the children songs although she can't sing yet. It's her way of enjoying the music.
