Kyle, as an aside, you mentioned one kid can speak about xx words. Consider this. The kid can speak ten times that many words, its just that you can only understand 10% of the words that make it out of the mouth. Basic sign language, even just colors, works amazingly well for you to understand what your kid is ALREADY saying.
When a kid is upset, they can use the part of the brain for gross motor skills much, much more effectively than the verbal part of their brain, plus all the muscles in their throat and mouth.
When an upset, or to prevent an upset kid, colors rule out 90% of things. Most things are not the BLUE thing, and 90% of things are not the whatever-color. If a kid wants something or is trying to tell you about something, and they can sign that "blue" thing, you're way ahead, especially when on adult is faced with two kids, and tired.
Hungry, thirsty,, blue, red, white, hot, cold, eggs, milk, love, all-done, etc, are very powerful words. 20 signs could go so far.
Just google "ASL eggs" and you will get a couple second long video showing how to sign 'egg'. When D was little and hungry in the night, I used to wake up and make her eggs. She's wake up hungry and crying. I'd ask by signing if she was hungry, or she would sign that she was hungry (imagine trying to make your voice work at 3am when you just wake up, and you're not very good at speaking). I'd sign "hungry" then "eggs", and she knew I knew she was hungry, and she knew we were going to one-hand some eggs, while holding her in the other arm. Crying and frustration stopped, and we were off to the kitchen.
Magic, I tell you, Magic.
Lots less frustration.
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