Do you have (or nanny for) a pre-verbal child? Are you frustrated by trying to figure out what she wants when she grunts, "EH!!!!" or babbles, "mamamama"? Is she talking about Mommy? Does she want some milk? More of something? How are you supposed to know?

Signing with a hearing toddler can help reduce the frustration felt on both sides, and it actually helps the child's verbal abilities develop, too. You may be amazed at how much your toddler can communicate to you even before she can speak!

How do you start? First you'll need to learn some sign language yourself. You can shell out big bucks on books, dvds, kits or classes, but it's really not necessary. You can easily (and for free!) make up your own signs or use American Sign Language (ASL).