Baby Signing

Call me naive, but I didn't expect to have to deal with these kinds of things for at least 6 more months, if not a year.  It's called the terrible TWO'S, right?  She's only ONE! Now, don't get me wrong, she's not terrible.  She has simply found her voice (and a loud one it can be), found her opinion, and desires her independence, when it comes to certain things.  But, because of these things, she's started throwing tantrums ALREADY! Throwing-your-head-back-without-concern-for-what-you'll-hit-your-head-on-and-screaming-at-the-top-of-your-lungs tantrums.  Someone please tell me that it's normal for 1-year-olds.  Somehow, it would make me feel better if I was just under the wrong impression, as opposed to having a kid who likes to everything early, including driving me insane!

Let's back up.

The real problem is that Sam knows what she wants but can't ask for it.  So instead she yells and screams until we can figure out what she wants.  Which has led her to the understanding that if she yells and screams, eventually she'll get what she wants.  Not my idea of great parenting.

This scream-fest has been especially true during meal times.  If we are spoon feeding her, she screams if we aren't fast enough at getting it in her mouth.  If she is feeding herself, she screams for more even if she has some in her mouth and both hands.  I swear, my hearing is being affected.

So I finally figured out a plan of action: baby signing.  I hadn't originally thought I would do that with my babies for a couple reasons.  One, it seemed like such a fad and if you didn't do it, you were a bad parent or something.  No band-wagon jumping for me.  Two, I knew a couple of kids whose speech was delayed and those kids had also been taught to sign.  To me, they didn't feel the need to use their voice because they could sign the simple words.

I had to reconsider my past opinions because I've developed a mantra as a new mom: Do what works for you and your family, until it doesn't anymore.  And this sure wasn't working for me anymore.

We started Sunday with one sign: "please" We'd show it to her and say the word, but every time we try to show her how to do it, she'd freak out (stupid independence thing).  I knew she wouldn't get it the first time, or first day, so any time she did a quieter version of yelling, we'd give her what she wanted.  Baby steps for the baby! She threw a couple tantrums but we stuck to it.

It's now Friday and though it's certainly not perfect, we have seen a NUMBER of great changes!

1) She can actually do the sign.
2) She won't freak out (usually) if we do the sign with her hand.
3) She will occasionally do the sign without provocation.
4) There has been less yelling!

It's harder to teach her in more uncontrolled settings, often because I really don't know what she wants so even saying please won't necessarily get it for her and sometimes she really can't have what she wants, but it's a work in progress.

Other things waiting to be worked on: other signs like "more," "water," "thank you," etc. But I think the thing I'm trying to work on most right now is helping her learn to play by herself (so much for independence).  She won't let me do anything without screaming at me.  Cleaning? Nope.  Blog posts? Nope.  Relaxing?  Double nope.  Any suggestions on that front?