Email This Post

More Heart Melting Sweetness From the BoyChild

October 3rd, 2007 · 4 Comments · The BoyChild

The BoyChild absolutely *LOVES* public television. Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, It’s a Big Big World, Sesame Street, if it’s on, he’s there. Learning and soaking it in even when it appears he’s not paying attention at all.

The other day I came home from work and he was moving and wiggling his fingers and telling me it meant something. I wasn’t initially clear whether he was just playing, or if he’d seen American Signing on one of his shows. We talked about the alphabet, I have very rudimentary sign language skills, and I showed him the letters of the alphabet.

After thinking about it, I suspected he’d been watching Signing Time on PBS. But, it doesn’t look like it’s available in my area. When he was a baby, I thought briefly about trying to teach him to sign. I’d read the articles that said it helps babies learn to communicate their needs and wants and makes them less frustrated and better learners. But it was one of those things I never followed up on during those early months of no sleep, two kids and two full time jobs. And then he began to talk at about 10 months and it seemed like he was going to be able to express himself o.k. and that moment passed.

I wonder now, when he’s unable to express himself except by hitting or kicking or screaming if something like this would help him. When he can’t control himself and is trapped in the vortex which seems to be his brain when he’s having a reaction of some kind. If being able to sign would help him express himself better without hitting, or running away, or some other inappropriate behavior. I wonder too whether he is too old and whether things would have been different if I’d been a better mother, a more devoted one, one who taught her 10 month old to sign.

Then the BoyChild made the sign for I (little finger up, the rest of his fingers down) up close to the middle of his chest, then he took his balled up fist and rubbed in the middle of his chest in a small circle and finally he pointed at me with his index finger.

Having done all that, he beamed and said, “do you know what I said?” And when I said I didn’t, he let out an exasperated sigh and said , “It means ‘I Love You!'”

And while I’m not entirely sure that that really is the sign for I love you, it will always mean that to me.

Tags:

4 responses so far ↓

  • 1 Cynthia // Oct 3, 2007 at 11:32 am

    what a sweet pea…..

  • 2 Leandra // Oct 4, 2007 at 6:42 am

    I think that IS the sign for I love you. Not sure.

    I did teach both of mine a little sign language, really just the words for “please” and “more” and “all done.” Punkin is two and she still uses the sign for “more.”

    It might be worth a shot teaching him some signs. It might be a physical way he can express what he’s trying to say or what he’s feeling. There are some pretty good books out there.

  • 3 Sue B // Oct 8, 2007 at 4:11 pm

    pulled my heartstrings, you did, girl! we used minimal signing when my son, who’s downs syndrome, was having issues communicating as a toddler. one “shorthand” we’ve used for ILoveYou is to hold up the little and pointing fingers, while extending the thumb out perpendicular to them … can you envision the I (little finger), L (pointing and thumb) and Y (little and pointing fingers)? so, I’m thinking the little finger IS the letter I?!

    wishing you well …

    – Sue B

  • 4 Goldberry // Oct 8, 2007 at 9:05 pm

    I teach a little sign to both my daughters (5 and 2). They think its great that they can talk with their hands. We sign “I love you” (the shorthand version mentioned before) every night. I can tell them to “stop” from a distance without interrupting an adult conversation. They can ask for a drink or a snack when I’m on the phone. It really has helped communication, even though they can speak.

Leave a Comment