How to Sign "Parents" in American Sign Language (ASL)

In ASL, "parents" combines the signs for "mother" and "father." Make a "5" handshape, tap your thumb on your chin for mother, and then move it to your forehead for father in one smooth motion. These two quick movements come together to create the word "parents." The sign shows how people used to think about moms and dads, with mothers being caring and fathers being the decision-makers. People use this sign a lot when talking about families, at school, or in formal settings. Sometimes people spell out P-A-R-E-N-T-S instead, but most ASL users prefer the regular sign.