A WeeHands Idea

WeeHands has submitted an idea to the Aviva Community Fund, a competition that could result in positive change in our communities. If our idea receives enough votes, it will have a chance at sharing in $500,000 to bring our WeeHands children's sign language DVD idea to life. We would really appreciate your help in pushing our idea to the finals.

Please vote for the WeeHands children's sign language DVD idea at www.avivacommunityfund.org. Thanks in advance!

Nice Words for WeeHands Classes!

Our wonderful Guelph WeeHands Instructor, Tracy, just received this email from a local mom she's been in touch with.  This mom took a WeeHands class in Whitby before moving to Kitchener. I love that the WeeHands class you take in one city is the same WeeHands class that you can take in another!

I took my daughter to WeeHands classes out in Whitby when she was born and WeeHands helped me teach our youngest. I'm a huge advocate of baby sign. It's just magical to see these little guys pick it up. I just can't believe EVERYONE doesn't sign with their babies. Karolina

Thank you, Tracy and Karolina, for sharing! We love sharing your signing stories!

Want to See Your Signing Stories Published?

I'm passing along this for everyone....see the query below. Please send responses to: Vallotto@msu.edu

--------

Hello Parents of Signing Children,

I'm writing an article on what parents, teachers, and scientists learn from using signs with young children. This article is going to be published in the Infant Mental Health Journal sometime next year. I want to get hear from parents on their perspectives on infant signing – particularly what they learn from or about their children by signing with them.

If you are interested in telling me about what you have learned through infant signing, and don't mind me using it an article, please email me your responses to the following 5 questions by November 15th.
You can reply to this post, or email me at Vallotto@msu.edu

1. What is your child's first name?
2. How old is your child?
3. What have you learned by signing with your child?
4. What is your first name?
5. If I use a quote from your answer to question 3 in the article, would you like me to use yours' and your child's real first names, or to change your names? I will not use any last names.

Thank you for your time!

~Claire

Claire Vallotton, PhD
Assistant Professor of Early Child Development and Education
Michigan State University

My Own Signing Story

Like many parents who sign with their baby, my initial motivation for teaching my son American Sign Language (ASL) vocabulary was to give him a way to express his wants and needs before he was able to speak. Joshua started signing at 9 months of age, and by the time he was 18 months old, he could use at least 80 words, a combination of spoken words and signs. He was able to communicate his needs and wants. He could request a cookie by signing COOKIE. He could ask for more fruit cocktail by signing FRUIT. He could even ask to have the family minivan cooled down in the middle of a heat wave by pointing to the dashboard and signing COLD WIND -- a better phrase, really, than air conditioner! Joshua''s ability to make clear requests using signs delighted my husband and me.

What truly impressed us, though, was Joshua''s ability to comment on his world and share his experiences with us. I have a clear memory of one cloudy, chilly, windy, miserable spring day when I took Joshua for a walk and he was able to sign about the weather. We were walking along the streets in a new housing development -- no houses up, but the streets were paved with nothing to block the wind. It was cold! I just wanted to get our walk over with and go home. What brought me back to the moment was when Joshua pulled on my jacket and signed WIND. A few seconds later, he signed CLOUD. He was marveling at the weather -- not simply making a request, but sharing a moment with me. I could tell from his face that it was a remarkable experience for him as well.

I am often asked why I started signing with my children. Before having children, I worked with the Toronto Preschool Speech and Language Services. Alongside speech-language pathologists and other professionals, I worked with children with Down syndrome, autism, and other developmental delays. These children had difficulty communicating, and we used sign language and pictures to help facilitate their language development. Our therapy included helping parents learn to use sign language and pictures with their children.

Because of my work, I knew the benefits of using ASL with children who are non-verbal or beginning communicators. Together, we learned to sign songs and nursery rhymes. After years of working with this population, I could not sing "Itsy Bitsy Spider" or "Row, Row Your Boat" without signing them.

Because of my work experience, I knew I wanted to sign with my own children. I recognized that if they had an alternative way to communicate before speech developed, I would know what they were thinking, they would present fewer challenging behaviors, and we would just plain have fun. When my son signed FISH at 9 months, I was thrilled. My husband laughed at me and said, "Sara, why are you so excited? You''ve been teaching others to do this for years!" Quite simply, it is thrilling to see your own children communicate clearly at such an early age.

I am still amazed at what my children have been able to share with us and continue to share with us. At home, we still sign (including fingerspelling) and continue to learn more signs and more ways to use them. Because of this, on a cold January afternoon, I was able to knock on my patio window and sign, NO, STOP! SHOVEL DOWN to my children as they were trying to bury our dog in the snow.

An excerpt with permission from Robert Rose Publishing from The Baby Signing Book by Sara Bingham, copyright 2007.  To learn more about the author and WeeHands visit www.weehands.com

Welcome to the WeeHands Team!

A big welcome to the following instructors who are joining our team this month!

• Daniella Grant, teaching in Durham Region and East Toronto 
• Karen Dulyunan, teaching in the Houston area 
• Trisha Shikahama, teaching in Japan (!) 
• Roz Jutras, back to teaching in Saskatoon
• Ingrid Yearley, soon to be teaching out of Brampton, Ontario
• Jessie Quinn, soon to be teaching out of Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario

Welcome everyone! WeeHands Instructors, all with a background in ASL, are speech language pathologists, communicative disorders assistants, early childhood educators, therapists and more!

More Humbling Words

I received this touching message today about The Baby Signing Book and am just so humbled:

"I HAVE TO THANK YOU...I LOVE YOUR BOOK...our son is hearing impaired and has only had his hearing aids for a year...his hearing also fluctuates b/c he has Pendreds Syndrome (direct relation to hearing loss) Your book helped out start our signing-to be able to communicate with him when his hearing drops off for periods of time....Thank you so much!" Kennedy K-T

My response, "Kennedy, thank you so much for your message. It just warms my heart and brings tears to my eyes. Thank you, thank you for sharing. Your family is one of the reasons I do what I do and are planning for so much more."

I love what we're able to do through WeeHands!

Parents Choices for Children’s Communication

Are you the parent or guardian of an infant or toddler? The Parent-Child Communication Group at Michigan State University wants to learn about parents’ choices for their children’s communication.

We are looking for parents or guardians of children who are 3 years old or younger.

We invite you to complete a survey about...

• Different ways that parents and children communicate
• Parents’ choices that influence children’s language and communication
• Information sources that affect parents’ decisions for their children

If you decide to participate…

• The survey takes approximately 15-30 minutes to complete.
• It can be completed in your home or on the internet.
• The first 300 parents to complete the survey will have a chance to win one of three $50 gift certificates for their participation.
• Participating in this study is voluntary.
• Everything you tell us will be kept confidential.

You can access the survey from this link: 
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=WB1WYzJQE9EIlHMtthY1EA_3d_3d

Or, you can email Kalli at p3c.msu@gmail.com p3c.msu@gmail.com>  or call Claire at (517) 884-0521 to request a link to the survey on line 
or paper copy of the survey.

Kind Words for WeeHands

Kind words for a wonderful WeeHands Instructor, Denise DesRoches, from one of her class participants!

"I just thought I would check in and let you know that my daughter is now 13 months and very active. She is saying many words and signs MILK, COOKIE, BATH, FINISHED, PLEASE and SLEEP.

I am so very proud of her and I love that she is able to communicate with signs. It is true that it reduces the frustration that can occur when babies are trying to communicate. I have now seen this first hand. On a few occasions she has signed "cookie" to people that do not know ASL and I have explained to them what she is asking for and they were obviously impressed. I love sharing ASL with others.

Thank you so much for all the work you do. We could not have asked for a better teacher. Know that our learning has not stopped when WeeHands classes ended. My husband and I plan on continuing to sign with our daughter, we all love it. "

Congratulations Denise!

Toronto Breastfeeding Challenge 2009

by Mabel Joy, WeeHands Instructor

I haven't really introduced myself or even added much to this blog since I've started it. However, until I get all organized with everything, I just wanted to let some of you know that I will be at the Toronto Breastfeeding Challenge 2009.

For more information:

http://www.toronto.ca/health/breastfeeding/index.htm

Breastfeeding is not as easy a process as most new mommies believe. It's a new kind of dance that takes a lot of hard work and effort to finally feel comfortable with. I just watched the "Ghost Whisperer" and at the end of the episode, Jennifer Love-Hewitt's character's baby latches on 5 minutes after being born as if it's the most natural thing to occur. Please!!! That is not how it works! It's such a myth.

I signed with my second son, "Kai", 2 weeks after he was born. "Milk" was the very first sign I introduced to him. I found that breastfeeding and signing "milk" at the same time was the easiest way for me to introduce ASL to him. Once we mastered the art of breastfeeding, these times were relaxing and calm and probably the best time for us to bond. He would look into my eyes, look at my hands, and touch my hands to feel the movement of "milk". Not only would I sign "milk" to him consistently, but I would say it every time I signed it so that he could be more relaxed with the sound of my voice and get used to the vocabulary of the sign.

Approximately, four months later, I knew that "Kai" understood the sign. If he was hungry, he would cry every single time I signed it or even when others would sign it. It was this strange little cry/laugh that would occur when he really, really wanted something. Very cute!

WeeHands Farm Fun Mama Mingles

“There are no hands so small that they cannot make a difference in the world." - Author Unknown. How profound is that!

September 10 2009 from 10:00 - 11:00 am at your local children's bookstore!

We are so incredibly fortunate to be partnering with Sara Bingam the founder of Weehands and the author of The Baby Signing Book for some of our upcoming Mama Mingles. Other certified WeeHands Instructors will be leading WeeHands @ the Farm Events in thier communities

WeeHands is the world's leading children's sign language and language development program for babies, toddlers and preschool children. Their classes teach parents how to use American Sign Language vocabulary with their babies, no made up signs here! They also have a strong focus on language development and provide parents with activities that help them teach their babies ASL vocabulary and include language development strategies. Join us and WeeHand Instructors this month as they teach colour and animal signs using games, a song and a story book.

Keep your eyes open over the next couple of days for events coming to your area!

Plus, just for signing up online not only will you receive a FREE Cineplex Stars & Strollers movie pass and a sample of Huggies Soft Skin Wipes at the event, you also have a chance to win a $50 Starbucks Gift Card!

Watch for more events to be posted this week

Sign up now for the Toronto event on Sept.10th!

Event Details

Cost:

Only $20.00 for Wee Welcome Members! Each mom will go home with a unique Swag Bag and a chance to win a $50 Starbucks Gift Card, just for coming!