by Angela Renee

Have you ever been told by someone that you love or by someone of higher authority that words don’t hurt? Have you been told that as long as you are not being hit, that it is ok to be abused?

Well think again because “ABUSE” is abuse whether it is done physical, emotional or both and it affects women’s health just the same because both can leave lifetime scars that will and can hurt you in both your personal and professional life. The old myth has always been, if you are being physically abused to get out while those who were being emotionally abused were seemed to be told nothing! Is it a fact that words don’t hurt?

If that holds true, then does it only become physical abuse when a bruised body part becomes obvious to others? Well, what about an emotional abused person? Does it only become emotional abuse when you have started to believe what you’re told?

Really there is no difference in how emotional and physical abuse affects the mind, body and spirit. Take these thoughts into consideration for a minute or two. A woman who is said to be going through physical abuse also goes through emotional abuse with every kick or hit that’s encountered. Ask them what were they feeling?

Most would tell you that person may or not used words but they surely felt hatred by the person who abused them. Now let’s go through the same process for the women who’s said to be going through emotional abuse. She too experiences physical abuse with every spoken word that strikes and attacks her mind, body and spirit.

Copyright 2004 – 2005 Worlds Best Mothers Guide

About The Author
Hi, my name is Angela Renee a wife, a mother of three and an infopreneur that works to support all mothers especially those with newborns and pre-teens with every single aspect of their life as a woman, as a partner in a relationship, as a mother and so much more at www.worlds-best-mothers-guide.com.

Your baby is learning from his first seconds out of the womb. He can hear your words, and starts relating them to things in his life. Within a few months he will start putting sounds together, trying to make words of his own, ask for things, or just talk to you.

In the beginning and for at least the first year, most of what your baby “says” will not be understandable. There will be a lot of goo goo’s and ga ga’s coming from your baby’s mouth. Eventually though you will start to understand more of what your baby says, even if others don’t.

Around six months you may hear your first “real” world. You may be listening in over your baby monitor, or hear your baby in the backseat of your car when you hear your baby say, “Dada”. You can proudly tell your baby’s father that his first word was ‘daddy’. For mom’s this works out well because anytime your baby say’s “Dada”, you can pass him off to dad and say, “Here he wants you!” while you go and get work done, or dinner made.

Other early words your baby will probably say include “Ma Ma” and “Ba Ba”. Hearing “Ma Ma” for the first time will likely melt your heart. It will be like music to your ears as you know your baby recognizes you and is happy you are around. “Ba Ba” can mean any number of things to your baby. In most cases it either means ‘ball’ or ‘bottle’ if your baby is ever fed from a bottle.

When your baby starts talking to you, be sure to talk back to him. Even if you are not sure what he is saying, responding positively to his “words” will encourage him to speak more often, and will help increase his vocabulary.

Many times your child will create words that relate to an object and only you and immediate family will know what he is saying. When this happens, sometimes the word will stick for that particular item. My son got a stuffed bunny when he was six months old that he slept with. Almost immediately he tried to say “bunny”, however he was not able to form the word correctly. Instead it came out “Me Me”. To this day my son and the whole family still refer to his “bunny” as “Me Me”.

Praise and encouragement go a long way for everyone no matter how old you are. To a tiny baby, who is learning things for the first time, praise and encouragement when they speak will help them want to talk to you, and want to learn more.

By Nanette Gomez

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.

Communicating with your baby at times may seem to be an impossible feat. Your baby can not speak in words to tell you what he wants, and often ends up frustrated and crying because you do not understand what he is asking for quick enough. A baby’s attention span is so short that an instant to you may seem like an eternity to them. Many parents wonder if there is a better way of communicating with their baby, and some turn to baby sign language.

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.