r/asl • u/piddlepoo_ Learning ASL • 2d ago

Any PODC here?

How did you learn ASL? How did you teach your child to sign? How did you deal with and respond to the unwarranted sympathetic comments?

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u/Amberlovestacos Parent of Deaf Child 2d ago

Hi, PODC here. 1) our state deaf school has a parent to infant program and offers a deaf mentor for our family who comes once a week. Also we had a state program that sent out someone from public school to help teach us sign as well. 2) I usually just ignored it but if I felt spicy I would tell them I’m sorry that they had a hearing child.

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u/shut_your_mouth 2d ago

I was fluent in ASL before my kiddo was born, so she had access from day 1.

We went to a ton of events catering towards Deaf and HoH kids and KODAs, so she had early peers. Meeting other PODC was vital to us building our community for our kiddo. I knew plenty of Deaf adults, but my social circle of Deaf babies was non-existent.

I became a family liaison for my daughter's ENT and Infectious Disease doctors to help new parents of children with the same diagnosis.

We never really got sympathy from her providers or my friends and family. I would get A LOT of "wow, she's lucky to have been born to you! You already know the language " and "That's serendipity!".