Baby Signs® by Bryn

Mmmmm cheese. My kids love cheese and they eat it all the time. Everything from mac n cheese, string cheese, grilled cheese, ham and cheese, the list goes on. If I make something my daughter doesn't like, she usually requests it to be smothered in cheese in hopes it will mask all other flavors. This is not my favorite tactic, but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do to get those veggies into those growing bodies.

When I was a kid, I thought there were only 2 kinds of cheese: Velveeta and Swiss. Thankfully, I have grown up and have been introduced to a plethora of delicious cheeses. I couldn't tell you what my favorite is but I have come across my most favorite grilled cheese sandwich. I call it the Grown Up version of grilled cheese. This recipe is courtesy of chef, Greg Reynor, from the restaurant Cafe Muse.


Café Muse's Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Ingredients

* 1 slice Havarti cheese
* 1 slice mozzarella cheese
* 1 slice Danish fontina cheese
* 1/2 Tbsp. butter , softened (for best results, use high-quality butter)
* Honey from a squeeze bear bottle
* 1 tsp. fresh basil , chopped
* 2 slices tomato
* 2 slices bread (organic multigrain bread works best)
* Sauté pan large enough for 2 slices of bread

Directions
Butter bread on one side with melted butter. Place in pan, butter side down, over medium-low heat. Place mozzarella on one half of the bread and fontina and Havarti on the other. Cook until golden on bottom and cheese begins to melt. Place tomato on mozzarella side and honey on fotina/Havarti side. Place under broiler for a few minutes to heat up tomato. Sprinkle basil and assemble sandwich and enjoy.

As much as I hate to admit it, it's that time of year - cold and flu season. We all do our best to stay healthy but sometimes the germs get the best of us.

Download the poster this week and feel free to share it with your child's preschool, daycare, nursery, or play gym.

In the meantime, here are some tips on staying healthy this season:

Keep the germs Away.

Many stores will supply antibacterial cart wipes this time of year, if not year round. Don't be shy about using them. I would rather look like a germaphobe as I scrub down my cart than get sick.

Wash your hand often, especially if you go to play places where the kids have touched most of the surfaces. Avoid touching your face after shaking hands with someone until you can go wash your hands.

Don't share food or utensils. My kids will see me eating something and ask if they can have a bite. That is one way germs can spread through the family. They may not show signs of sickness right then but they could be in the incubation period.

Speaking of foods, Eat Immune Boosting Foods

Parents and caregivers often request the sign for wait. Using the "wait" sign when your child makes a request gives him a visual clue that you have heard him and will soon meet his needs. Whether or not they're patient enough to wait....that's another story.



You can help teach your child patience and self control without using controlling words like "stop" or "don't" all the time. My upcoming Under the Sea class on Nov 11th will help you learn how to teach your children self control through fun games and activities. Checkout my class schedule page if you would like to learn more. Please contact me @ bryn.chandler@babysignsprogram.com to register.

Sharing is not exactly the easiest concept to teach young children. I'd say about 99.99% of the time if I hear one of my children crying and I inquire as to why it's because the other one isn't sharing.

It's not that they're being selfish - they're just acting their age. Sharing is a skill they'll develop over several years. In the meantime, struggles over toys will be common. It's no fun to watch your child grab a toy and shout "Mine!" But if he's playing with other toddlers, he/she won't be the only one doing it.

Help your child learn to share by being an example yourself. Offer him a bite of your meal or a chance to assist in the fun of decorating a cake. As you do, use the word and the sign for "share" to describe your behavior. ("I'm eating a really good sandwich, and I'd love to share it with you. Would you like some?") When your toddler attempts to share, praise his efforts. Little by little, he'll drink in the positive reinforcement and feel good about repeating those actions that seem to make you so happy. Before long, he'll start sharing because it comes naturally.

Happy Signing!

Whether in nature or seasonal decorations, spiders are all around this time of year. Some children may express curiosity and others fear. Giving children the sign for Spider will provide them a way to "talk" to you about what they see.

Me? I hate spiders, even fake ones. I tell my husband he's in charge of killing the spiders. Call me wimpy or sexist but they really creep me out. I tried to look up something cool about spiders for this post but even reading about them made my skin crawl. So there you have it: the sign of the week. Enjoy, if you can stand looking at it...I can't. :)

This is a great orchard in South Glastonbury. I went to it last year with my family. They have a bakery where you can treat yourself to all sorts of farm baked goods as well. And, of course, there's lots of apples. So come learn a few signs and pick some apples. I'd love to see you there.

Date
October 8th @ 10:30

Location
Belltown Hill Orchards
483 Matson Hill Raod
South Glastonbury, CT 06073

The rain date for this activity will be October 9th.

The sign for FROG is helpful for letting your baby "talk" about toys at bath time and pictures in books during story time. Look for opportunities this week to use this new sign.

A couple of days ago, I found a frog (actually it was a toad) in my watering can. My husband plopped him out onto our water table and the kids loved looking at him and watching him hop all around.

Have a good week and enjoy the beautiful fall weather!

Just a reminder that I'm hosting another playgroup at the Kiddy Korner Toy Store in Ellington. Monday Sept 20th @ 10:00. We will be learning some more signs for fall and playing games. Come join us if you can!

I love the part in Finding Nemo when Marlin tells Dori that he promised Nemo nothing would ever happen to him. Dori, in a short moment of brilliance, says, "That's a funny thing to promise. Well, you can't never let anything happen to him. Then, nothing would ever happen to him. (Marlin stares at her.) Not much fun for little Harpo." We as parents find ourselves not wanting anything to happen to our kids but of course things will happen because life is full of ups and downs, bumps and bruises, twists and turns-these will all give us experience and knowledge. But we can do our best to keep our children safe from real harm or accident.

So today I'm going to focus a little on car seat safety. According to the Center of Disease Control and Prevention website, motor vehicle injuries are the leading cause of death among children in the U.S. Many of these deaths are preventable if the child is placed in a proper car seat. Meaning one that fits your child's size, is correctly installed, fits well in your vehicle, and is used properly every time you drive.

• There's a really nifty website, www.carseatdata.org, that lets you search for the best car seat for your type of car. You put in the make, model, and year and it will tell you which one will fit the best and which side of the car it fits best as well.
• Another thing you can do is get your car seat checked to see that it is properly installed. A study by the Department of Transportation found that 72% of cars had car seats and booster seats that were being misused in a way that would have increased the child's risk of injury or death in an accident. Connecticut, as well as many other states, have car seat safety inspection stations. To find a station nearest you go to: www.cruisinwithkids.com and find your state from the drop down menu.
• Be weary of buying used car seats. If your getting a used car seat make sure that you know the seat's history. Don't use ones with cracks or missing parts. Don't use them if they've ever been in a moderate or severe car accident. Check the label and manufacturer number and call or look up the manufacturer to see how long it recommends using the seat. If the label or manufacturer number are missing don't use the seat. It's better to err on the side of caution in that case.

• Wear YOUR seat belt.
  
• Don't chat or text on your cell phone while driving even if your kids aren't in the car.
  
• DON'T DRIVE DRUNK! One out of four occupant deaths among children ages 0 to 14 years involved a drinking driver. More than two-thirds of these fatally injured children were RIDING with a drinking driver. The fact that those kids were in the car WITH the drunk driver floors me. So please be responsible and offer to be the sober driver and find the sober driver when you need it.
  

One of the things I wanted to do this summer was to go to Magic Wings Butterfly Conservatory up in Deerfield, MA. We finally did it the weekend before Labor day. It was great! The kids had a blast chasing the butterflies and looking at the various other animals they had there. I tried my best to get a good picture but those butterflies would hardly stand still. Maybe they're just camera shy or it's a running joke they pull on the tourists. Because they would land on my kids for a second and take off as I fumbled with my camera to take a picture. As a result, I've got lots of pictures of rocks or flowers to show people and say "Hey! A butterfly perched on that for a second."

So what's the difference between a butterfly and a moth? In general, moths are nocturnal and butterflies can be seen in the day time. Also, when butterflies are perched they tend to rest with their wings "closed" while moths will leave their wings spread out to their sides. Of course there are some species of moths and butterflies that make exceptions to these rules but, hey, nobody's perfect ;)

I hope you all had a good weekend and had a chance to get out and enjoy the beautiful weather. My family and I did. We got to go pick raspberries and the kids loved it. This harvest time of the year is so fun. My kids have enjoyed picking cherry tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and all sorts of veggies from our garden. I thought I'd share the sign for carrot this week. It's one of the easier vegetable ASL signs and also one that actually has a sign. Many vegetables, like broccoli, don't have their own sign and are just finger-spelled.

Enjoy learning the sign for carrot this week and this little tidbit of info on carrots:

If carrots are eaten raw, only 3% of the b-carotene (vitamin A) is released during digestion. If you pulp the carrots, cook them, AND add oil then 39% of the b-carotene will be released. So cooked carrots (while being my least favorite form) are healthier for you than raw.

Potty Training is something no parent really looks forward to and they usually have no idea how it's going to go until they start. I'm secretly jealous of those who tell me stories of how their child potty trained themselves in one day and never had an accident. I don't know what kind of personality or gene trait that child has but MY children don't have it. There are a lot of methods and ideas out there on potty training your child. Because every child is different, some of those ideas work great while others fall flat on their face. That's the big secret of potty training is finding the right motivation-whatever it is that makes the potty fun.

I've come up with a few creative potty training ideas to help parents for when the stickers and M&M's don't work. I'd love to hear your creative ideas and what worked/didn't work for you.

Potty Races
This one could work with just one child or if you're potty training multiples. You can use little potty seats or the big potty, whichever you like. The idea is that it's a race. Pick your starting point and say "On your marks, get set....GO!" And you both go running to the potty to see who gets there first and sits on it. Then go back to start and do it again. You can have a "prize" for whoever gets there first but the child might just enjoy the race. This should help your child be more familiar with the potty in a fun and creative way, while also teaching him/her how to get there quickly and sit.

Water Play
Another thing you can do is go to the dollar store and buy some really cheap toys, like bath toys, cups, and boats. Put them in a basket or decorative box and when your child sits on the potty, let them pick a brand new toy. Place the toy in a small tub of water and let them play with it. You can set the tub on a small step stool, if they're on a little potty, or on a tv tray if they're on the big potty. The idea is that the splashing and water sounds (especially if they're playing with toy cups and scooping up the water and pouring it back in) will help them go pee. Many times the sound or touch of water will instinctively trigger the need to go pee. Keep a towel close by if you try this one as water might go other places than back in the tub.



Dolls that Wet
You could buy a doll that wets or, in my opinion, use a doll you already have and sneak in the pee and poop. Basically the idea is the doll drinks their bottle and then they pee on the potty. Make sure your child sees the doll drink and have them take them to the potty to go pee. The child will hopefully catch on to the idea, especially if you give them a drink and remind them of the doll, then take them to the potty and tell them to do what the doll did. As your child potty trains the doll, then the routine will be reinforced in their mind.
If you have a hollow plastic doll, then you can always poke a hole in its bottom and mouth and try the same thing.

Hide and Seek Potty
This only works for little potty chairs. Hide the potty chair somewhere in the house and have your child find it. You can tape some sort of small reward to the chair for finding it. Then have them sit on it. This should hopefully help them become more comfortable with the potty and learn how to "seek it out" when the time is right.



While on the Potty...
If you stay with your child, which I would suggest in order to keep them there, while they sit on the potty play games with them or sing songs. You could have a felt board or chart with different songs to sing and the child can pick the song. You could even have symbols for the songs, like a cut out of a bus for "Wheels on the Bus," and put them in a basket and let them pick them out and hold the symbol while you sing. You can play peek-a-boo, I spy, or give them a toy they only get to have while on the potty.

Ride the Potty Train
Another unique motivator, is the Baby Signs Potty Training Kit. The kit comes with reward stickers, a book for the parents, a board book about going potty for your child, a DVD and a train whistle. The DVD is great because it shows the potty routine, as well as potty time signs. The catchy songs and signs can be a great tool to helping you child get on the potty. Of course, when your child sits on the potty they get to blow the train whistle - CHOO! CHOO!
I've written other posts about the kit so I won't spend too much time here.
If you'd like to purchase the kit click here.

Mmmm...Ice Cream. I love ice cream. It's the perfect summer treat. It evokes memories of sticky fingers and happy sticky faces. I would eat it every day if it didn't stick to my hips ;) Enjoy learning the sign for ice cream this week (hopefully while enjoying some ice cream). Click on the image to see a larger poster.

Here is a scoop of ice cream trivia:
Americans consume 15 quarts of ice cream per person per year.
According to the International Ice Cream Association, vanilla is the most popular flavor of ice cream.

What's your favorite flavor?

I get asked this question a lot by parents and it's understandable. The reasoning seems to be they don't want to start "too late" or "too early." The fact is that there is no perfect time to start signing with your baby. (That probably doesn't sound very helpful at all, does it?) Let me highlight some different stages that you can start signing with your baby and the advantages and disadvantages of each stage.

Birth to 8 Months
Many parents start signing with their baby from birth. This is a great way to expose your baby to both signs and words from the very beginning of their development. This approach will take patience, however, as you baby is unlikely to sign back to you until he/she is a bit older (almost 12 months). They will understand the signs you use but developmentally they will be unable to produce them themselves.

8 to 12 Months
Many parents wait until their babies are 8 to 12 months old to begin signing with their baby. The advantage of starting at this age is that you're more likely to see your baby start using the signs and communicating with you. If you prefer more immediate results, then starting during this age may be ideal.

12 + Months
Many parents are surprised when I tell them that it's perfectly fine to start signing with their baby at this age. Many assume that 12 to 18 months is "too late." "Aren't they talking by then?" they ask. Yes, but most only have about 2 or 3 words. Even at this "later stage" many babies don't have all the words to express their thoughts and feelings. Many times the few words they do have sound the same. The advantage of starting at this age is that they are more likely to pick up the signs quickly, sometimes after a few days. Babies at this age will not use signs as long as those who started earlier. They are closer to the age of gaining more vocabulary and as the words come easier the signs will start to drop off.

All babies want to communicate and many do not have the words to do so. Don't worry about starting too early or too late, just start! Remember that repetition is key. The more you use the signs and incorporate them in your daily life, the better your chances are for success.

Happy Signing!

This weeks sign is duck. I love ducklings they're so cute, fuzzy, and have the sweetest quack that sounds more like a peep.

A fun thing to do in the summer is go to a pond or lake and feed the ducks. A word of caution when feeding ducks, please don't feed them bread. Bread, crackers, chips, popcorn, etc aren't very healthy for ducks. In fact, bread is the equivalent to junk food for the birds, and too much bread can lead to excessive weight and malnutrition as well as many other problems. If the bread is stale and moldy, it can cause aspergillosis, a fatal lung infection that can decimate entire duck and waterfowl flocks.


Here are some alternative, healthy foods you can feed those cute ducks next time you're out:

• grapes, cut in half


• Cracked corn, barley, oats, birdseed or other grains


• Frozen peas that have been defrosted


• Or duck feed pellets from a farm supply store

Have a good week!

My family and I went camping last week. One of the mornings my 2 yr old woke up especially early and so I took him out of the tent so as not to wake up the others. After taking him on a short walk, we headed back to our tent. When we got back there was a beutiful deer outside our tent - a doe to be precise. My 2 yr old looked and exclaimed "GIRAFFE!"

Interesting Facts about the giraffe: It is distantly related to the deer :) Male giraffes can grow up to 18 feet tall and weigh 2,600 lbs. It's the tallest land animal on the planet.

Enjoy learning the sign for giraffe this week, click on the image to see a larger poster.

Being a first time parent you have many questions, worries, concerns, and a sense of excitement about this new adventure you’ve just embarked on. You get home from the hospital and think “What now? What do I do with this little infant?” During those early months, I would find myself staring at my newborn while holding her. I would often wonder what she was thinking about. Eventually your baby starts to make cooing sounds and babbling. You get so excited; you might even find yourself babbling back or setting up the video camera to catch every sound and movement for hours (or maybe that was just me).

It’s fun and cute for a while but slowly that begins to change. You can tell that your child’s babbling words mean something to her but you don’t know what. Soon you find your child is getting frustrated at being unable to communicate their wants, needs, and feelings and they often resort to tantrums or tears. You begin asking “what’s wrong?” You go through your mini checklist of possible problems. Peek in the diaper; nope doesn’t need changed. “Are you hungry? Tired? Sick?” You eventually pick one and try that one…Perhaps she’s tired, let’s put her down for a nap…Sometimes you’ve guessed right and other times you don’t. You find yourself getting frustrated and wishing you could know what they want and looking forward to the day when they can finally tell you.

Unfortunately, that day takes quite some time. Most babies can comprehend words at a very early age but are unable to produce them until about 12 months. Even then, it’s very limited to just a few simple words and sometimes they aren’t very clear. The good news is that parents and babies CAN communicate together by using simple signs. Just as crawling bridges the gap between immobility and walking, baby sign language often bridges the gap between word comprehension and word production. For example, my son would say “bah, bah” and it stood for many things. Sometimes it meant ball, bottle, banana, book, etc. Because he knew baby sign language, I was able to understand what it was he was talking about. The tears and frustration was avoided and I didn’t have to bring out my “mini checklist” of possible causes for the outburst.

The Baby Signs® Program has been a huge help for me in raising my babies and toddlers. There’s a lot of excellent research on the benefits of using baby sign language but my favorite benefit is that it strengthens the parent/infant bond. Communication is key in any relationship and if you are able to foster it at such a young age your bond is that much stronger. I love being invited into my baby’s world as they “tell” me what they see, hear, or feel through simple gestures or signs. I am able to share in their delight as they discover new things. I can see the confidence in their eyes when they realize that “mommy understands” me.

Due to the high heat and humidity I've decided to cancel the "My Outside Adventure" class for July 15th. There is still room for the class on the 29th and hopefully the weather will be a bit more pleasant. Please email me if you'd like to register for that class @ bryn.chandler@babysignsprogram.com Sorry for any inconvenience. Thank you all!

Congratulations to Kathy for winning the Baby Signs Potty Training Kit! You'll love it and the kids will too! Have fun on the potty train!

FATHER'S DAY TRIBUTE! Learn the sign DAD with your baby this week.


Watch the Sign of the Week video for Dad

To Celebrate, I'm giving away a Baby Signs® Potty Training Kit!

Yes, seriously, it's National Potty Training Awareness month. I know what you're thinking, what in the world do I need to be made aware of? I'm very well aware that I am in the process of (or need to) potty train my child. Well here are some Myths and Facts about potty training you may or may not know:

Myth: It's easier and healthier to potty train your baby if you wait until they're ready (about age 2 or 3)

Fact: The truth is, potty training a baby under the age of 24 months is actually easier than potty training an older child. Why? Because as children get older, they want to make more and more decisions on their own. This natural progression towards independence is healthy, but it also often sets the stage for a battle of wills when it comes to potty training.

Fact: Babies will potty train at the age parents expect them to train. Historical and cross-cultural practices clearly demonstrate that babies can train as early as 5 months. Training a baby that young is indeed possible, but very time-intensive. Because of the time commitment required, this approach is not practical for most parents. The Baby Signs® Potty Training Program, however, provides a compelling alternative to very early or very late potty training. By helping babies learn simple potty-time signs, the Baby Signs® Potty Training Program makes it easy for parents to both begin and end the whole enterprise before age 2.





Baby Signs Potty Training Kit Includes:

• A Parent’s Guide to Potty Training Made Easy with the Baby Signs® Program – This straightforward parent guide from trusted child development experts will help you confidently lead your baby to potty success.
• All Aboard the Potty Train DVD – With its catchy tunes, delightful animation and Baby Signs® Kids, this exciting DVD will teach your baby five potty-time signs and reinforce each step of the potty routine.
• All Aboard the Potty Train Lift-the-Flap Book – Your baby will love discovering the potty-time signs hidden under each flap in this fun and interactive board book featuring the DiaperDoodles™.
• Job Well Done! Stickers – These colorful reward stickers feature fun images and positive messages such as “Good Job!”, “I’m on the Potty Train!”
• All Aboard the Potty Train Conductor’s Whistle – Whether to signal it’s time to go potty or to “sound the trumpet of success,” this fun-to-blow whistle will put a smile on your baby’s face when it’s potty time.

As I said, in celebration of this month's potty training theme I've decided to run a drawing for a Baby Signs Potty Training Kit, which retails at $39.95, for all those who sign up for one of my Potty Training Classes this month. Check my class schedule page for dates, times, and other important information.

After signing up for a class, here are some things you can do to earn extra entries in the drawing (you must sign up for a class first or these don't count):

• 1 Extra Entry - Follow me on Facebook (if you already do, please email me and you get an extra entry!)
• 1 Extra Entry - Follow me on Twitter (email me your twitter name)
• 1 Extra Entry - Tweet about the giveaway (post the direct url in comments)
• 1 Extra Entry - Post a comment explaining why you hope to win the Potty Training Kit.
• 1 Extra Entry - Write a post on your blog about the give away and link back to my blog. (post the url in comments)

The giveaway will run through till midnight June 24th with the winner being announced Fri. June 25th. Winner will be chosen using Random.org and will be notified via email. Winner will have 48 hrs to contact me before another winner is chosen.

Good luck!

Check out the schedule for my Summer Classes - Including my Potty Training Workshops in June! Click on my Class Schedule Page to view all the details. Don't forget to pre-register!

I get asked this question a lot. Unfortunately there's no exact date as to when your baby will start signing because there are so many factors that play in. It's fine to start modeling signs the day your baby is born. However, most parents prefer to start signing closer to the time their baby is ready to sign back.
Here are a few questions you can ask yourself to see if your baby is ready to sign:

• Is your baby beginning to point to things?
• Is your baby bringing toys or objects to you and looking for a response?
• Is your baby beginning to wave "bye-bye"?
• Is your baby beginning to shake his/her head for "no" or "yes"?
• Is your baby beginning to take an interest in picture books?
• Even though your baby knows some words, are there still important things your baby would like to talk about but can't?

Do more than 2 apply to your baby? If so, it's likely that he is ready to sign.

How soon your baby starts signing back to you depends not only on developmental readiness, but also on: How often you demonstrate the signs you want to teach and How interested your baby is in communication.

Being consistent will help your baby learn faster. Sometimes, even when parents are consistent, babies just won't start signing until they are good and ready! Just as with crawling, walking, or teething, every baby has his or her own unique developmental timetable, and it's important to respect that.

Remember that the point of using the Baby Signs® Program is to enhance the fun of communicating with your child, not to add stress to your life. So if your baby isnt' signing back just yet, go with the flow and stick with it. I guarantee that the proud smile on your baby's face after he's made his first sign will be worth the wait.

®

Before disposable diapers were invented, 95% of all children in the US were fully potty trained by 18 months.

Children are naturally more cooperative before the age of 2. They like to imitate parents and siblings. And they haven't discovered the word "no."

National Geographic: Impact of Diapers on the Environment
Introduction to the Baby Signs Potty Training Program
The Baby Signs Potty Training Program on THE DOCTORS

My 12 month old just signed potty for the first time today while watching the Potty Train dvd. He actually asks for the dvd by bringing me his whistle and then dances and watches intently for the entire thing. Thanks for the encouraging tools!

My 10 month old just signed potty while watching her dvd too! And she really loves the whistle. She gets to play with the whistle when she goes potty. She thinks it's really funny so it's a good positive reinforcement for going potty.

Sign, Say, and Play classes start Friday April 30th

• Location: Kiddy Korner Toy Store 100 West Rd Ellington, CT
• Time: 3:30 pm
• Session Runs from April 30th through June 11th (no class Memorial Day Weekend)
• Cost $10/class or $7.50/class if you register for all 6 classes
• I'm extending my Bring a Friend for this class as well. Bring a friend and if they sign up for all 6 classes you both get an extra $15 off the total price of the classes!

To Register please email bryn.chandler@babysignsprogram.com

$5 Registration fee is due before class. This fee counts toward the total cost, it's not an additional cost.

Approximately 10 years ago, the American Academy of Pediatrics launched a “Back to
Sleep” campaign in an effort to reduce the number of infant deaths due to Sudden
Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Now, a decade later, the incidence of SIDS in the
USA has declined by approximately 50%. That’s the good news!

However, as is often the case, along with good news comes some bad news. In this
case, it involves the negative effects that have sometimes resulted from babies
spending too much time on their backs, including sleeping on their backs, but also due
to the amount of time spent in baby equipment, such as car seats, strollers, bounce
chairs and swings.

One significant negative consequence of the “Back to Sleep” campaign is what is
referred to as “misshapen head” (or in medical terminology, Plegiocephaly), a condition
that is characterized by a flattening of the back of the head. In addition, when
babies spend too much time on their backs, it can result in a tightening of the muscles
on one side of the neck, a condition known as Positional Torticollis.

In addition to these medical conditions, pediatricians worry that not enough tummy
time can result in significant motor delays, such as in rolling over, sitting up and even
crawling and walking. And believe it or not, motor delays such as these can actually
impact brain development. Lack of tummy time can also impede the development of
strong necks and arms and affect the development of balance and coordination.

To avoid these negative consequences, pediatricians encourage parents to put their
babies on their tummies (supervised, of course) for short periods several times a day.
Parents are advised to begin tummy time within their baby’s first week. While awake,
parents should place their baby on her tummy 2 to 3 times each day, beginning with
about 3 to 5 minutes and increasing the time as she gets older.

However, babies do not like to be on their tummies and cry and fuss when put in this
position. Parents, out of frustration, often give up and end up relying more and more
on baby equipment like swings and bounce chairs. The problem for parents is that,
while they are told that tummy time is necessary, they aren’t told how to make it
enjoyable (or at least tolerable) for their babies.

That’s just what Rumble Tumble Tummy Time™ is designed to do!
Email bryn.chandler@babysignsprogram.com to request a class.

Free Shipping on all orders at BabySigns.com with coupon code: "babysigns416"
Valid Friday April 16th through Sunday April 18th
Follow this link! Happy Shopping!
Shop BabySigns.com and start communicating with your baby today!

Reccommended Items:
Baby Signs Complete Starter Kit
Baby Signs Potty Training Kit
Complete DVD set with FREE plush tote.
Buy 1 Get 1 FREE DVD Fun Pack Offer. (Limited Time)
Baby Signs Board Book Offer

I am opening up a second class time for the Sign, Say and Play classes. Check out the Class Schedule for more details.

When my oldest daughter was about 18 months old I started asking my friends and family about potty training and when I should start and how do I know if she's ready. I got all sorts of conflicting answers. Some were surprised she was not potty trained yet, while others said wait until she's 3 or 4. So I decided to wait until she was 2 1/2 years old. It was the worst experience ever. There was a lot of mess, a lot of temper tantrums and battles of will, and more. It was not easy. It was difficult. I assumed that potty training was just that way. It can never be any way else: it's just horrible by nature.

Then I had another baby, a boy. When he was about 14 months old or so, I stumbled upon the Baby Signs® program and incidentally, the Baby Signs® Potty Training program. It talked about a revolutionary new way to potty train before age 2. I decided to give it a shot and bought the potty training kit. I started training my son at 17 months old. I figured it wouldn't make potty training any worse, at the very least it might help a bit. But I wasn't sure if he could really potty train before age 2. I was amazed. Potty training was actually FUN! It was fun for me and my boy. It was so much EASIER with the Baby Signs Potty Training kit. I read the book that came with the kit and learned so many things that I didn't know and didn't understand the first time around with my daughter. The book was written by child development experts Drs. Linda Acredolo and Susan Goodwyn with Ann Supanklang, M.Ed. It gives wonderful advice on the entire potty training process and answers many parents frequently asked questions. I often wish I had had this book and this kit when I was potty training my daughter. Since I can't go back in time, I hope to help others become more informed on the benefits of potty training so they don't repeat my mistakes from my first potty training experience. I also hope to share in the fun and ease I got to enjoy the second time around using the Baby Signs® Potty Training Kit with my son.



Top reasons to Potty Train Before Age 2:

• Avoid a battle of wills
• Avoid an ingrained habit of going potty in a diaper
• Avoid "crash course" potty training to meet preschool deadlines
• Avoid health problems such as urinary tract infections and chronic constipation
• Helps the environment by reducing the amount of diapers going in landfills each year
• Saves money
  

Sign, Say and Play Classes
March Classes:
Date: Saturdays March 6 through April 10th--6 class series
Time: 10:00 am
Location: Music Maker's Academy
517 Hartford Rd
Manchester, CT
Spaces still Open! Call Paula Penna @ (860) 646-3096 or email paulap@musicmakersacademy.com

April Classes:
Date: Thursdays April 1st through May 6th
Time: 10:15 am
Location: Kiddy Korner Toy Store
100 West Rd
Ellington, CT
Limited Space Available. Register today by calling (860) 597-1926 or email bryn.chandler@babysignsprogram.com

Potty Training Class
March Classes
Date: Thurs March 25th
Time: 3:30 pm
Location: Kiddy Korner Toy Store
100 West Rd
Ellington, CT

Rumble Tumble Tummy Time
Coming Soon!

Under the Sea
Coming Soon!

Parent Workshops
Coming Soon!

Watch a video of of the sign for "Bird"