Monday, July 2, 2012
When Washing a Car is More than Just Getting it Clean
Suggest to a teenager that he or she should wash Mom’s car and you can just imagine the reply, with pursed lips, eye-rolling, and heavy-hearted harrumphing. Suggest the same to a toddler—as I did the other day while babysitting my twin grandchildren—and the result is excited compliance. The contrast is enough to make one wonder why something that is so clearly unwanted work at one age is such a delight at another. The former is too complex for a simple blog entry, so let’s focus on the latter.
The reason lies in the fact that (a) the human ability to imitate is deeply ingrained and (b) meeting challenges at any age brings a sense of well-being. Let’s address them in order. Even 1-day-old human babies are capable of imitating simple facial gestures they see Mom or Dad make—like sticking out one’s tongue or pursing one’s lips. This ability is astonishing given that babies this young have never even seen their own tongues or lips! How do they do it? Neuroscientists have discovered over the last decade that we are all born with a type of cell in the brain called a “mirror neuron,” a cell whose job it is to both register what we see others do and then mirror those actions. Voila! Imitation!
And what a handy tool imitation is. From the very earliest years, children learn tons and tons of important skills by engaging the ability to imitate---including how to feed themselves, use signs to communicate, learn words, sing songs, put on their own clothes, throw balls—and on and on and on.
What about “b,” the satisfaction of a job well-done. Again, this is something humans are born with. Even very young babies work hard to reach goals—whether it’s successfully getting spoon to mouth, communicating with signs or words, singing songs, getting dressed, or throwing a ball. In other words, the ability to imitate and the desire to meet a challenge work in tandem to help each of us develop the skills we need to survive in complex human culture.
This brings us back to why washing Mom’s car was so exciting to my twin toddler grandchildren, Nate and Olivia. Quite simply, they were reveling in the opportunity to imitate something they’d seen grown-ups do and in the fact that doing so provided them with a sense of being a bit more grown up themselves. They had a “job” to do and doing it was satisfying!
Now, if only we could get our teenagers to feel the same way…..
Happy Signing (and don’t forget to visit us on Facebook)!
Linda
Linda Acredolo, Ph.D.
Professor Emeritus, UC Davis
and
Co-Founder, The Baby Signs® Program
Monday, February 6, 2012
Some “Nos” are Better than Others
This week I’m taking a break from talking about signing with babies to discuss another issue that faces every parent of a toddler: Noncompliance with requests. We all know there are nice ways and not so nice ways to say “no.” Well, how we as parents say it to our children turns out to have an important influence on how children learn to say it too.
Let’s look first at children’s behavior. Turns out there are individual differences in how toddlers express their unwillingness to cooperate. The strategies fall into two different categories, unskilled and skilled.
• Unskilled: The toddler gives no reason for noncompliance. He or she may simply ignore the parent’s request, angrily defy it (“No!”), or quietly refuse (“No, I play more.”)
• Skilled: The toddler tries to find some “wiggle room” in the parent’s request through negotiations of some kind. In this case, he or she may try for a compromise (“Just one more?”) or attempt to justify noncompliance (“Not done yet.”)
How do toddlers come to favor one type of strategy over another? As in many other domains of development, they model themselves after what they experience their parents doing. Parents who supply explanations, suggest compromises, and consider the child’s feelings when asking for cooperation tend to have children who favor the skilled strategies—even if they choose not to comply.
And why is it important which strategy—skilled or unskilled—a toddler favors? Not only do the unskilled strategies make for more tension between parent and child, but research shows that children who tend toward unskilled strategies as toddlers continue to do so at age five—thereby running the risk of permanent damage to the parent-child relationship.
Of course, all parents would prefer that their young children always comply with their requests. That’s hardly realistic, however. What this research suggest is that even when toddlers don’t comply, there well maybe something in the “how” of their behavior that is worthy of appreciation.
Happy Signing (and don’t forget to follow us on Facebook)!
Linda
Linda Acredolo, Ph.D.
Co-Founder, the Baby Signs® Program
and
Professor Emeritus, UC Davis
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Baby Signs "Sign of the Week" Video - and FREE Poster
Watch this video with your baby and learn the American Sign Language sign for "Book!"
Download this free Baby Signs poster
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
25 Days of Christmas: Day 16, Get 25% off Signing Flash Cards
Friday, December 11, 2009
25 Days of Christmas: Day 11
BeeBo is the star of the show in this fun package of Baby Signs products that teach important safety, feelings and birthday signs, as well as signs for going outside, to the farm or the zoo. Kit includes:
- BeeBo's Playhouse
- Baby BeeBo Plush Toy
- Sign Along with BeeBo DVD
- BeeBo's Big Birthday Surprise Book
- Music CD and Songbook
Today's Code: MORE25
This code is good through 9 a.m. PST 12/12/2009.
Instructions for using codes
Today's Freebie:
Audio file and Lyrics Poster for "Here at the Zoo,"
a song from the music CD in the MORE Sign, Say & Play Kit shown above.
Monday, December 7, 2009
25 Days of Christmas: Day 7 Snuggle with Baby BeeBo
Monday, December 7
Today's Deal: Save 25% on Baby BeeBo!
Regular Price $19.90, with code just $14.99.
Your baby will love Baby BeeBo, the "baby" version of the Baby Signs character that stars in all the Baby Signs DVDs. This soft and lovable 12" teddy bear makes a great companion for your baby while signing along with a Baby Signs DVD or book, or simply as a cozy friend for cuddling at nap time or bedtime. (Hat not included.)
Today's Code: baby25
This code is good through 9 a.m. PST 12/8/2009.
Instructions for using codes
Today's Freebie:
Watch this video with your baby and learn the sign for LIGHT!
7 Great Signs for the Holidays: LIGHT
Visit us at www.babysigns.com
Friday, December 4, 2009
25 Days of Christmas: 25% off Birthday Book
Every day until December 25th, we'll be posting special Promo Codes for www.BabySigns.com. Get products for $25, save 25% or get $25 off.
December 4th: Get 25% off BeeBo's Big Birthday Surprise board book - regularly $9.99, with code just $7.49.
Today's Code: HAPPY25
Click here for more information - and a FREE Birthday Song download.
PS: Tomorrow's code is for 25% off EVERYTHING (one day only!)
Thursday, December 3, 2009
7 Signs for the Holidays: #3 LOVE
Click here to download a FREE signing poster!
Friday, October 2, 2009
Baby signs "more" to ask her daddy for more . . . of his time!
A Baby Signs Instructor shared this heartwarming story from a mom in her Sign, Say & Play class:
"A. usually sees her Daddy at breakfast, he stops in at lunch, and she sees him again at dinner, but this last week he's had a big project that hasn't allowed him to come in for meals. He came inside for tools, and stopped to quickly kiss A, on his way back out the door- and she began to sign "more" while saying the word "Da-Da." Daddy responded by taking a break for an hour, to spend time with his little girl.
How wonderful that she could let her parents know that she missed her Daddy and wanted him to spend more time with her!"
Thursday, September 10, 2009
How To Raise A Reader
By Kim Ratcliff
Settling into a comfy chair with your child to read a story is one of the best things about being a parent. And if you haven't already made reading a daily habit, you need to start now, since books benefit kids in so many ways. "First of all, reading with your child is a wonderful bonding experience," says Parents advisor Linda Acredolo, PhD, coauthor of Baby Minds. Your kid gets to bask in your undivided attention, which makes storytime truly magical. Reading every single day also helps your child learn to talk, expand her vocabulary, build her imagination, and get prepped for school. Our expert tips will get your child hooked on books for life.
Reading with Babies
You can't start the reading habit too early. At 3 to 6 months, your baby will be more interested in chewing her board books, but by the end of her first year, she'll probably pick out favorites.
What They Learn
When you turn pages with your baby in your arms, she'll associate books with snuggling. "As an infant, she's learning to value books because it means she gets to cuddle with her mom or dad," says Dr. Acredolo. But most important, reading to a young baby ultimately helps her learn to talk. She begins to connect pictures with words. At 9 months, she'll be able to home in on your tone of voice, cadence, and the length of sentences. "Parents help a baby learn language by speaking to her often, with varied vocabulary and about topics she finds interesting," says Parents advisor Kathleen McCartney, PhD, professor of early-childhood development at Harvard Graduate School of Education.
Make Reading Fun
- Go for the right touch (and taste!). Babies learn through their senses, so buy cardboard or cloth books that they can put in their mouth.
- Face it. Infants love looking at pictures of faces, especially those of other babies.
- Be silly. Is there a phone in the story? Say, "Ring, ring. Hello? I'm sorry Olivia can't take your call; she's in a meeting."
- Point out things in the real world. When you're taking a walk, talk about stuff you've read about in books. "See the doggie?" This will help her begin to associate the word "dog" with her picture book and the live creature in front of her.