Advice for a hearing parent?

[shel90]

I don't understand why there needs to be a "voice off" time. Why can't you sign and use your voice? She's so young at this point that no one can gauge what's she's hearing so I would sign and talk and treat her just like any other child. She may use ASL as a primary language but I don't get why you'd need to have rules against using your voice. I went to school at Northern Essex in my state that had a high number of deaf students and I noticed when many deaf adults were talking to their parents - many (parents) that could hear - they used their voice too, both parents and students.

BTW, if you live near a school for the Deaf, they may offer to teach families ASL for free. I know the Beverly School of the Deaf in my state does. Best of luck to you.

Because ASL and English are different. Can't use both at the same time. Would mess up both languages.

 

[Lukin]

Funny, fingerspelling was very beneficial to me. I knew how to spell words instantly as if it was an intuition.

Until... Years ago, my best friend's death and my ex fiancee dumped me because I drank too much after the death (technically suicide, but I refuse to acknowledge that to this day), I had a mental breakdown. I don't blame her, she thought I was too withdrawn and cold.

Because of the breakdown, I lost the ability to fingerspell certain words. Even to the point when I was typing. Had to check dictionary often. This lasted months...

I gradually got better, but to this day I never got to the same level before the incidents.

But anyways, yeah, fingerspelling is definitely a great tool.

In fact, my hearing brother is very proficient in fingerspelling, while lacking signs (at least modern ones, and maybe few slang ones), only mostly common/basic signs. Such is a home sign language lol. Home sweet home.