Moms and dads, are there times you think that parenting would be easier if you didn’t have to make family decisions? Having a partner that is not in agreement with your parenting ideas or discipline approaches is more than just frustrating. It can be a cause of division in even the best of relationships. Furthermore, how you handle your disagreements will have a direct impact on your relationship with your partner and with your children.

It would be great if every couple agreed on everything but that is an unlikely event. One partner may have been raised in a relaxed environment; another may have been raised in a very strict home. What is acceptable by one partner may be appalling to another. It is important to discuss with your partner what your parenting objectives are. Decide what values are important to both of you. You will find that some things are more important to you than to your partner and vice versa. Here are some steps you can do to work towards resolving parenting disagreements.

1. Discuss your parenting objectives. What is important to both of you? Sit down with your partner and decide what values are most important. Also what areas are not as important? 
2. Talk about where your children are developmentally and what they are capable of understanding. Sometimes the reasons for parenting disputes are because one partner thinks that a child is capable of understanding something and the other disagrees. Knowing what your child’s cognitive level is will help you to make better decisions. Do not compare your child to other children. You can use examples based on what they are capable of doing and not doing. For instance, if you ask them to get something out of their toy box, do they understand and go get it? If not expecting your child to be able to understand certain things may be unreasonable. 
3. Find out what both of your parenting strengths and weaknesses are. Many times both parents want the same things for their kids. Compliment your partner on his/her strengths. Don’t just point out your partner’s flaws. 
4. The majority of parenting disagreements are over discipline methods and when it is appropriate to discipline. One parent may think that spanking is the best method and the other may prefer time outs or something else. One of the most effective ways to resolve this issue is to talk about it. Find out the reasons why your partner feels the way he/she does. There are pros and cons to every form of parenting. Talk about why your partner thinks his/her discipline style is the better method. Sometimes talking about it will help you to see each other’s point of view. 
5. If the discussion gets heated, agree to disagree. Fighting about how to parent is only going to make the situation worse. Walk away, take a break and discuss it when you are not angry. 
6. Plan ahead. Discuss problem situations you are having with your children. For instance, if you are having a problem with your child having temper tantrums, discuss how you think this should be handled. If you have a plan in action, it will be easier for both of you to follow each other’s wishes. 
7. Pick your battles. Some things you may never agree on. You don’t have to agree on everything. Find the issues that are most important to you and work on resolving those first. 
8. Do not argue about parenting in front of your children. This is easier said than done. The best way to handle a situation you don’t agree with is not to interrupt but to wait till later and then discuss how you think it could have been handled differently. 
9. Work on role modeling communication. If your children see that you communicate and problem solve together, they will grow up to do the same. Children often repeat patterns of their own parents. Look at your relationship and evaluate how you communicate. Is this the way you would like your children to communicate with their future partner? 
10. Parenting and relationships are a growing process. The more you communicate the better parent/partner you will be. Learn from each other and listen to each other. Build on your parenting strengths and tackle your parenting weaknesses a little at a time. It won’t happen over night but if you continue to discuss things with your partner calmly and positively you will become better parenting partners.

About The Author
Patty Hone is a wife and mommy to three kids. She is also the owner of Justmommies.com. Justmommies is an online community for mommies to make friends and find support. Please visit Justmommies at http://www.justmommies.com. email@justmommies.com

How many times have you seen a pre-verbal child try to communicate? For the numerous years that I worked with babies and toddlers their communicating stage was a constant fascination. As a teacher of children under three years, I often interacted with children, at this stage, who would persist with non-verbal action cues, until I understood exactly what they were trying to tell me.

I have been literally lead around by the hand all over the room or the play yard. In my younger days I took the spiritual approach to the challenge- tuning in my sixth sense to the baby and toddler mind and using my instincts to tune into non-verbal communication. As a more mature adult, I realize that my “sixth sense” tuning fork may have empowered me, but not necessarily the child.

It is only recently that I have learned about the concept of teaching pre-verbal babies and toddlers sign language! What perfect logic, teaching American sign language to children that often use their hands to gesture in an attempt to communicate with less intelligent adults. At the toddler stage children have far more to say then there physical verbal mechanism allow- they are a whole year old, after all.

Toddlers have had numerous months of observing older children and adults communicate through speech and verbal annunciation. They have observed the world around them, vibrant colors and shapes all new and stimulating. They have witnessed the actions of others and their interactions with others. Most of all they have experienced their own drastic changes and relation to the world.

Can you imagine transitioning from flat on your back to quadruped mobility to biped mobility all in under two years. It is only natural that they would have many things to say! Naturally, for a number of reasons, pre-verbal children eagerly take to sign language.

I have discovered the delightful “Baby Signs” a DVD and board book set that teaches pre-verbal children sign language available at my website, work wonders. My friend has been babysitting another friend’s toddler and the transition has been difficult for him. What’s more the other boys in the babysitting co-op are older and have developed speech and annunciation.

In the middle of an afternoon of tears, my friend put the DVD on for the babysitting co-op toddler and he really took to it. He mimicked the signs, a predominate way toddlers learn, and began to use them. He stopped crying and became interested and focused on learning the baby signs.

It is also really for older siblings and friends to learn. Naturally, they can help facilitate the process for the little ones, while at the same time having fun and learning the signs themselves. What a wonderful family experience! It shows that a child can begin to learn the language of signing and continue to develop this skill for years to come.

Best of all the pre-verbal child(ren) are empowered and have their own special way to communicate. It is a wonderful way to transition to the spoken word and it reinforces learning to speak.

About the Author
Candice Silsby has an extensive background in Early Childhood Education and Human Dev elopement. She have six years experience working with young children as a pre-school teacher and caregiver for children under 3. She worked with special ed children for two years. She has eight years experience as a child entertainer and currently has her own business doing puppet shows for children. She is a Discovery Toys Educational Consultant because the toys are educational and developmentally appropriate. These toys meet the high scrutiny of her Developmental Education background. Discovery Toys improve the quality of life for children and families therefore the world.

Teaching sign language to babies has become not just “the thing to do” but rather has come to the forefront of the beginning of us, as parents taking the lead in educating our children from their earliest days. Teaching sign language to your baby is easier than you may think. We teach our babies sign language without even thinking about it. We teach them “bye-bye” by showing them to wave, or to try to tell us what they want by pointing to objects. I’m sure you’ve heard the saying babies minds are like little sponges they take in everything. Learning comes so easy to them. It’s just incredible. You will be amazed at how quickly you can begin to communicate with your baby using signs. This can be fun and easy for the entire family. It’s never too late to start.

We all want to be able to communicate with our babies, grandbabies or siblings as soon as we can beyond the babbling and cooing. It’s nice to be able to know what your baby needs and be able to provide that for them quickly. Start out using signs that will help you learn what your baby wants from you, whether it be food or milk or changed or some other sign that would indicate his/her needs.

Begin with just a sign or two till you all get the hang of it. Use the sign for food when it’s meal time or you are feeding your baby or show them an object and the sign for that particular object so that they can begin to make the connection between the object and the sign for it. Consistency is the key. If they see the sign every time you use the word they will quickly learn that sign. Saying the words out loud also encourages speech development. It’s important for children to hear those words as well as learn the signs. It’s the beginning of their vocabulary contrary to the misconception that babies will not learn to speak if taught sign language. Sing language in my experience has advanced my children’s verbal abilities not hindered it in the least.

Benefits for You & Your Baby
Studies have shown so many benefits to babies who use sign language. They learn to speak earlier, have less frustrations (a benefit for both baby and you) less frustration = less crying, increased vocabulary, a greater interest in books, greater self-esteem, higher IQ points and my personal favorite a closer bond with family members (which I have enjoyed first hand). Sign language will help in the development of your child’s vocabulary and can be a huge benefit to them in the future allowing them to communicate with both hearing and non hearing individuals.

And by the time they are two and into the “terrible twos” which is mainly due to frustrations of not being able to communicate their needs and wants for most kids, being able to communicate thru signs even if they can’t communicate their thoughts fully to you verbally, may help in reducing those frustrations, whining and temper tantrums.

Teaching your baby sign language is an easy, fun and exciting way to begin communicating with your newest little member of the family. Make the most of your time with your little one. Sharing, bonding and learning together as a family.

About the Author:
Nanette Gomez is the owner of http://www.BabyTalk-Learn2Sign.com Your online resource for more information and products to help you and your baby learn to sign.

Sign language has been used for centuries by people who are deaf and mute, but was only recently discovered as a way to communicate with babies before they are able to form words. Babies develop the fine muscles in their hands earlier than they develop the muscles in their mouth, making it possible for them to communicate earlier using their hands. Like anything, it has to be taught however.

There is a lot of controversy surrounding signing with your baby. Some people say that it delays speech development. At the same time others say that it helps encourage babies to use words to get their point across, because they are met with affirmation when they use their hands. In the end signing to your baby can be a lot of work and take a lot of patience on the part of the parents.

Where To Start
If you want to start signing with your baby it is best to start with just one sign and work your way up. Pick a sign that your baby will be able to quickly relate too, like one involving eating to drinking. Repeat this sign every time you go to feed your baby or mention eating to him. He will quickly learn the connection between your words and that sign. Slowly introduce other need-based signs to him that he can connect with everyday occurrences. These signs include one of diaper changing, hot and cold, and bed or sleep.

When you both feel comfortable you can start introducing signs like ‘Mommy’ and ‘Daddy’ as a way to give your baby a way to ask for one or both of you at any given time. When your baby is easily doing these signs, begin introducing other signs to him, but be sure you do not stop doing the signs that he already knows. You will see that he will be able to pick up signing much faster the longer he does it.

Advantages for Baby
The advantages for your baby when taught sign language is huge! It can definitely be a great tool in helping him learn to communicate. The advantages include:

• Your baby being able to communicate with you and his caregivers at an early age.
• Your baby may learn to speak earlier
• Your baby will probably have a better understanding of the human language
• Your baby may have an easier time later in life learning a new language
• Signing with your baby now may give him a higher I.Q. later

Advantages for Mom and Dad
The advantages aren’t just for the baby, but for mom and dad as well. They include:

• Less stressful and frustrating days for the whole family because your baby can communicate with you
• Deeper bond developed between you and your baby
• Higher level of trust from baby because you understand him and can meet his needed quickly
• Satisfaction in knowing that your baby is happy and can communicate with you so you can meet his needs

What To Do Next…
If you are interested in learning baby sign language and using it as a way to communicate with your baby, there are many books on the market like Baby Sign Language Basics by Monta Briant, and Baby Signs by Linda Acredolo, Susan Goodwyn, Douglas Abrams. You can also check out your local baby stores, libraries and newspapers for information on baby sign language classes in your area.