40 of 42 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A "must read" for new parents (and grandparents, too!), April 22, 2006
This review is from: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Baby Sign Language (Mass Market Paperback)
My daughter had talked about using Baby Sign Language to communicate with her infant son, who is now eight months old. She has had mild success, much to my surprise, but yesterday she invited me to stop by and observe the results she has achieved with her son after buying this new book, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Baby Sign Language" just two weeks ago.
She said that it was the best written book on the subject that she has seen. After perusing it myself, I could not agree more. Ms. Ryan has done a masterful job of presenting the subject in an easy-to-understand manner. Her infusion of humor in some places actually helps to lighten the instructional efforts. The illustrations are A+.
The proof was in the performance. My young grandson, who was just gurgles, smiles and wimpers a few weeks ago is now a full-fledged "signer", albeit in the early stages.
Grandparents, parents of new babies, parents-to-be, do your heir a favor and buy this book. It seems to me that the path from infancy to the "terrible twos" will be a happier path for readers who employ these easy-to-handle ideas.
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19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Everything you need to know!, July 16, 2007
This review is from: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Baby Sign Language (Mass Market Paperback)
My best friend was signing with her son when my daughter was born, so I had already done some research and decided to sign with my daughter, but I just couldn't seem to find the time to read Joseph Garcia's Sign with Your Baby, which from what I can tell is the original & best book about the subject.
So I bought this book when my daughter was about 5 months old. It's wonderful. Short, a quick and easy read, but with all the basic information need about why you want to sign with your baby, how baby signing originated, and how to get started. My husband even read it -- and really, he never manages to read anything.
We started signing with our daughter at about 6 months. The only thing we didn't really do like the book instructed was that we started with 3 signs (more, all done, nurse).
Our daughter was an early talker, and she said her first word at about 8.5 months. She had 5 words before she signed "all done" at 10 months. From there she learned spoken words and signs simultaneously, one after the other.
She became sign a good talker so early we almost gave up on signing, but in hindsight, I'm so glad we didn't. Signing has been a wonderful way for her to express words that were too long or complicated for her to say, and a great to supplement her spoken language. She really got into signing around 13 months. Now, at 18 months, she speaks more than 100 words and still regularly uses about 15 signs. I know she really, really wants something if she's speaking the word and signing it, too. And she loves to sit and look at her signing board books and signing flash cards!
All in all, a big thumbs up for this book. It was the only reference we used to get started. You can always read the Garcia book later (I did).
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12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Simple and Convincing, November 3, 2006
This review is from: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Baby Sign Language (Mass Market Paperback)
I love this book because it makes baby sign language SO simple. She clearly explains the reasons to do it and de-bunks myths as well. Some of the other books are overwhelming...this one breaks it down to the key signs and the best order for introducing signs. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to sign with their baby!
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