Introduction
When I first started losing hearing in my left ear, I didn’t know how deeply it would ripple through my life. I thought I’d just “adjust.” But parenting while partially deaf is a different kind of challenge, one that changed how I communicate, how I listen, and how I teach love without always using words.
This is the story of why I started teaching my kids ASL (American Sign Language), and why I believe every family—deaf, hearing, or somewhere in between can benefit from learning it too.
Why I Needed a New Language
I have about 95% hearing loss in my left ear. Most days, it’s not “obvious” to anyone but me. But it affects everything from understanding directions in loud rooms to hearing my kids when they’re behind me. I’ve smiled and nodded more times than I care to admit, not because I understood, but because I didn’t want to make anyone uncomfortable.
That mindset changes when you’re raising kids. You don’t want to miss a word they say… and you want them to never feel missed.
ASL Gave Us a Bridge
ASL became more than a tool—it became our shared language.
- When the house is noisy, I can still “hear” them.
- When they want to express something without yelling, they can sign.
- When I’m tired, overstimulated, or simply need quiet—we can still connect.
Even my youngest picked up signs quickly. It became a game, a superpower, a secret code in the middle of a loud world.
Teaching ASL as a Family Practice
I didn’t turn into a certified ASL instructor overnight. I started small:
- One sign a day. (“Please,” “Thank you,” “More,” “Help.”)
- Practice at the dinner table: simple things like “milk,” “done,” or “I love you.”
- Began taking online courses from a local college to expand my vocabulary.
Sometimes they taught me new signs they’d learned from books or online. It wasn’t always perfect, but it was consistent, and it became ours.
What It Taught My Kids
It taught them empathy.
It showed them how to communicate with someone who sees the world differently.
It made them aware that not everyone hears, not everyone speaks, and that communication is more than just sound.
They learned to look at people when they speak. They picked up on nonverbal cues. And they learned that love isn’t always loud; it can be shown with hands, with eyes, with presence.
Why It Matters (Even If You’re Not Deaf)
ASL is a language of inclusion. Teaching it to your children, whether you need it or not, builds awareness, kindness, and patience.
It opens up a world where fewer people are left out. And that matters.
For me, it helped reclaim control in a space where I often felt helpless. For my kids, it gave them confidence and compassion.
And for all of us, it built something that doesn’t depend on sound:
Connection.
Final Thoughts
You don’t need a diagnosis to learn ASL. You don’t need to be fluent to start. You just need to care enough to try.
For families like mine, where partial hearing loss can sometimes feel like isolation, ASL becomes a lifeline.
And sometimes… it becomes the warmest “I love you” you’ll ever see.
