[wombatclay]

Heyla!

Hoping for BTDT advice! We are using standard ASL with dd and hope for her to eventually be bilingual in ASL and spoken English. So we're using a lot of signs, and trying to use the properly and consistently during the day.

However, how to you sign while carrying a toddler or holding their hand? For example, I'll be walking with dd and carrying on a conversation about the things we see...flowers, trees, leaves blowing in the wind (or litter in the wind!

), and so on. But if I'm holding her hand or carrying her then I can't really do the signs that require two hands. And she can't sign either! She'll pull her hand out of mine to sign, but that's not a good situation.

DD is more communicative with sign at this point and has probably 20-30 spoken words but 50-60 signs so it's especially frustrating for her to be unable to sign while we're out and about.

How do other mamas deal with this? Thanks!

 

[akkimmie]

At that age, we used toddler ease sign. I guess that't what I would call it. Basically we improvised the signs to use only one hand or use ds's hand and mine to sign. Plus we made up a lot of signs until we could use the correct sign. I guess I looked at it like their talking they make up words and we as parents know what they are saying. Hope that helps

 

[teresajo]

I leave my dominant hand free and any sign that would normally require the non dominant hand, I just do without. Depending on the sign and situation though, you could use your child (if holding her) as a replacement for you non dominant hand. The specific signs you mentioned I would see no problems in signing one handed. She will understand. Just be sure to use the correct sign when you are able to have both hand available. One thing my son really enjoys at bedtime is when we discuss what we did during the day. I talk and sign. (ie "Do you remember what we ate for breakfast? ) If you did something like this with your daughter, then you would be able to reinforce all your signs used that day and do it correctly. As far as her frustration with needing two hands to sign, the only thing I can suggest is maybe stopping to sit a bit during your walk for the purpose of discussing and signing what you are observing. Let her know before hand that it is important for her to hold her hand and that you will be stopping during your walk to talk/sign.

Teresa Jo

 

[awnja]

Yeah, I just do half the sign and say it at the same time. She gets it. She's used one hand to say a LOT of things, especially before she was verbal, and I always understood her. I don't introduce NEW signs while my hands aren't free, but I will improvise familiar ones. She understands me when I talk with my toothbrush in my mouth if she's already quite familiar with the sentence I'm saying. "Ow be vere ih uh mih-ut!" (I'll be there in a minute.) I think of it that way.

 

[Lou]

Yes, I only use the free hand to sign when the other hand is otherwise occupied. It's no problem. I'm fluent in ASL, though!

But, yes, we definitely do end up with more lag time, time where we need to stop at moments and focus on the conversation. This is especially more important for my 4 yo dd: when she signs, she likes to stop walking. I respect that need... as language comes more easily and naturally for her, and her capacity for multi-tasking develops, then she will be able to carry on a conversation in ASL while walking, driving, whatever.

And yes, we do end up with both hands free more often than not, since we like to sign while we walk. I believe that each child adapts to the family she finds herself in- ours is a Deaf, ASL using family- and so my child holds the knowledge that she needs to stay close to mom and yet be hands free to sign. Does this make sense?

 

[LEAW]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lou I respect that need... as language comes more easily and naturally for her, and her capacity for multi-tasking develops, then she will be able to carry on a conversation in ASL while walking, driving, whatever.

Oooh ASL while driving... when I was still teaching I had an assistant who was Deaf and a student who was deaf/blind, and the assistant drove us to lunch once, and took her hands off the wheel and looked at me to say something... I about lost it!

Now I do sign when I drive, but only one handed, and I always ask my friend to wait until I've stopped to sign back because I'm really not comfortable watching her while I drive!

Back to OP, yes, one hand is good, if you can sling her you can have hands free and she will too, though with an up/down toddler that can be more difficult. My dd signs a TON of things, but none of them are quite exactly right yet, as her fine motor skills and spatial awareness develop, so will the signs, and in the meantime I can understand them (shoes, squirrel, hippo, and tent all look the same right now). Kids adapt quickly and reinforcing it when you have a chance and can stop is great, or taking a few moments to step away from the sidewalk so you can let go of hands works well too, just might make your trip longer.

 

[wombatclay]

Thanks mamas!

Since DH and I are learning ASL just a few steps ahead of dd, I think I was letting some of my "adult learning new language" stress spill over into modeling the language for dd. The image of talking with a toothbrush in my mouth is just what I need to remember! My aunt and SIL are interpreters, and they are very laid back and relaxed about adapting signs or taking "short cuts"...while I'm still trying to remember what goes where and in what order, so I'm getting hung up a bit on "doing it right" all the time.

Add the fact that DH uses French with dd (he is fluent, I am not!) and I've got language learning coming out my ears! I'll be honest...if I had to choose between French and ASL I'd go with ASL. I'm finding it to be much easier to learn and far more enjoyable to use. Not to mention my brother and SIL can no longer hold "secret" conversations across the room!

Thanks again for the fresh breath of relaxation!