When Charlie Moo was 6 months old we started to attend the local Sing and Sign group.  Now I did really enjoy it, but at first nothing happened so it wasn’t a magical experience where after the first day my son could suddenly communicate without the need to cry!! If only and it was quite pricey and I wasn’t really sure what we were achieving.  But I preserved and I’m so glad I did! I taught Daddy Moo the few signs I knew he would find useful, milk, please, and the sentence ‘Where are Daddy’s KEYS’ and gradually Moo joined in too.  Although he had an annoying habit of signing ‘where’ then grunting as if we magically knew what he was looking for!

Not long after the birth of my daughter, I took Charlie who was then 16 months old to a Bouncy Castle event at the local leisure centre. Megan was at home with Daddy and it was a perfect bonding opportunity with Moo. We were bouncing away having a great time when Moo noticed a pile of soft play bits and tunnels he pointed over and said something I didn’t quite understand.  So I asked him to repeat, and still I didn’t understand.  So my gorgeous little man pointed first to the tunnels and signed ‘please’ then to the generator and signed ‘loud’ !

Together the two of us taught Baby Megan signs she would need and she too became a baby signing moo! Even though Charlie is now 3 years old he still, on occasions, will drop signs into conversations. We were at my mums recently and mum hadn’t quite heard what he had said, so he signed it to her! Bless him.  I found and am still finding it is a great tool in easing the frustration which can occur when children are trying to communicate verbally with you and you haven’t a clue what they are saying! At least if they are able to sign to you as well you can avoid any unpleasantries and correct there speech!

Joanne Dewberry
Mum to Charlie 3 and Megan 1
www.charliemoos.co.uk