Mia Jones has been speaking to her parents since she was 8 months old, long before she ever said a word. Instead of her mouth, Mia uses to hands to chatter away with her deaf parents.

Now Mia is 6 and teaching her little brother how to communicate with his hands. Though both children can speak their parents are deaf, making sign language important for communication. They can chat with friends then switch to signs for their parents, making them little bilingual experts. And they are not the only ones.

Many parents, both deaf and hearing, have found the benefits of teaching sign language to young children. Before they are able to correctly vocalize words, many older infants can use their hands to communicate with their parents. Programs such as Baby Signs and Signing Time have flourished as sign language becomes more and more popular.

Mia’s parents say they are teaching their children how to live in two cultures, one that is deaf and one that is not. They want their children to see that deafness is not a hindrance, but just another aspect of normal.

Mrs. Jones says, “some deaf parents rely on their children, but I am totally against that, I would never take Mia to the doctor with me and ask her to interpret, it would be totally unfair.” – Summer, Staff Writer

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Last week’s giveaway was a an opportunity for four (4) readers to win The Sabuda & Reinhart Pop-Up Baby Sign book is based on American Sign Language with one lucky person winning an additional Babies R Us Gift card.

Each page of this great book features a pop up child, demonstrating 17 different signs. I like that signs you don’t normally find like mommy, daddy, bath and quiet are included, while my son loves that each description is accompanied by a pull tab to show you better how your hands should be.

Congratulations to our Grand Prize winner Alexia. She will get a copy of Baby Signs Pop-Up Book and a $50 Babies ‘R Us Gift Card.

Congratulations to our Four (4) First Prize winners Heather, Carol, Kristie. They will each get a copy of Baby Signs Pop-Up Book

Thank you to those who blogged:

• ceeceeblogger
• wutgivz
• Chief Family Officer
• winwithjinxy

Before my son learned how to speak, we taught him baby signs so that he could still communicate with us.

We started off with a few easy ones like ‘more’ and ‘all done’ and then expanded to play, eat, please and thank you.

The Sabuda & Reinhart Pop-Up Baby Sign book is based on American Sign Language.

From early morning wake–up to eating, to playtime and bedtime, Baby Signs will teach baby and parent their first fifteen signs to communicate with each other.

Each page features a pop up child, demonstrating 17 different signs. I like that signs you don’t normally find like mommy, daddy, bath and quiet are included in this book, while my son loves that each description is accompanied by a pull tab to show you better how your hands should be.

One (1) Grand Prize winner will get a copy of Baby Signs Pop-Up Book and a $50 Babies ‘R Us Gift Card.

Four (4) First Prize winners will get a copy of Baby Signs Pop-Up Book

Giveaway closed.  Winners to be announced shortly

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• Current Giveaway: Send Your Sweetie a Lollipop Bouquet and Support Lollipop Theater Network (GIVEAWAY)