Right time to start teaching discipline

1. Be comfortable and start slowly

• When you start talking sign language with your baby, say one sign at a time.
• It is recommended to start with about five words and you can increase the number of words as the baby starts to respond to these words.
• Sign language can be a slow process depending on the age of your baby.
• It generally varies from child to child and cannot be fixed at an exact age or stage.

2. Be patient

• Every parent is capable of teaching sign language to their baby.
• Lack of patience is a major problem for some parents.
• The sign language process is not an overnight process but is a relatively slow process that varies from child to child.
• Don't get discouraged or held back. Your baby is learning from you and will learn that, when the time is right, you know they understand through sign language.
• This learning process gives your baby precious opportunities to communicate, so be patient and take advantage of sign language.

3. Maintain consistency

• Once you have identified the first five words, keep on using them regularly with your baby.
• For example, if you have selected the sign word 'milk' and introduced it to your baby while you are feeding, be sure to continue this every time you feed your baby.
• The main thing is to incorporate the word sign into your daily life.
• Every time you use the word 'milk', develop an automatic response to it and say the word out loud.
• Repetition is the key to success.

4. Hold Yourself at Baby's Level

• When you interact with your baby, it is important to keep you on their level.
• Keep your facial expressions and gestures within your baby's field of vision. This ensures that your baby is hearing the word cues properly.
• If you use sign language from some angle, what your baby will see may be very different from what you are trying to create.

5. Use baby sign language with context

• When babies are learning sign language, it is important to make sure the words match the current situation or feeling of the particular moment.
• It is futile to attempt any such sign language in front of your baby when that specific sign is representing something that has happened before.
• For example, if you go for a walk with your baby and see a dog there, at the next day's walk, introduce the baby to the sign word 'dog' and say 'Yesterday we saw the dog in the park' Remember' is meaningless. It is recommended to use the prompt as much as possible and mark the current situations to make the baby aware of it.
• For example, when you read a dog story, see a dog on television, or point at your pet, use the word 'dog' as a hint.

6. Always use signs and spoken words together

• Make sure that whenever you point to a word, you also pronounce the word with it.
• This enables your child to establish a connection between the two faster.

7. Use Inductive Signals

• When choosing your opening words, it is important that you combine the words 'practical' and 'motivational'.
• When sign language is in full swing in your home environment, the words 'practical' underline words that make life easier for you and your baby.
• These words are very general and include food, drink, change, pain, sleep, etc.
• It is important to balance these words with words that are motivating or interesting to your baby.
• Words that are 'motivational' can include teddy bears, balls, games, etc. These are some of the special things your baby has shown interest in.

8. Educate family members and caregivers

• It is important that the signs you are using with your baby are familiar to those who are in regular contact with your baby. This will ensure consistency.
• The more your baby sees the signs, the sooner he will start to recognize them.
• Child care facilities are slowly starting to use sign language in their daily care, so be sure to keep the person concerned about the types of signs you use with your baby.

9. Use appropriate expressions with each sign

• This becomes especially important when your baby is feeling or sensitized by the process of learning.
• Sign language is a very visual language and members of the deaf community use their faces as part of the sign language process.
• When expressing a feeling, allow it to be clearly depicted on your face.
• The feeling of happiness can be expressed with a loud smile when the words of happiness are indicated.
• The feeling of fear can be demonstrated by a wrinkled brow or by looking at a surprised look.
• Some words do not require facial expression or some words do not require facial expression.
• Putting expressions on their faces can be a bit awkward at first for sign language beginners.
• Stand in front of a mirror to practice and see if you can understand from the expression on your face what you are trying to indicate.
• Remember that you are better off over-expressing your signals with your face rather than minimizing them.

10. Encourage Your Baby's Effort

• When your baby starts to read the sign, he probably won't be 100% correct initially.
• However, it is important to praise them for the effort they have made and to repeat the words correctly.
• If the child shows you that he needs something, give him that thing, even if the indication is not quite right.
• He will begin to feel that the sign language is working.

11. Have fun!

• Sign language is a beautiful visual language and there is no need to worry about it.
• If using sign language gets you upset, your baby will notice it, so don't panic.
• Using sign language should be fun for you and your baby, not as a boring task but as a part of daily life.
• Relax, have fun and enjoy the beautiful language that benefits you and your baby.