Advise on How to Get My Son to Drink from a Reguar Cup?

You might try letting him pick out a new Big Boy cup on his own. Maybe he has a certain Disney character that he likes that might help make that transition! Good luck!

A.,

I guess the spilling thing will resolve itself in time, but as for his resistance, here is what worked for us: when our son turned 3 (we weren't ready to tackle it before then), we told him that if he wanted a sippy cup, he could have one with water in it. If he wanted anything else, he would have to have it in a "big boy cup." He threw the biggest fits at first, but he eventually got used to the idea.

Good luck,
K.

My daughter is 2 and she does the same tongue thing with a regular cup as you son. My son is 3 and he is just learning to use a regular cup w/o spilling it everywhere. I wouldn't sweat it, just give him a little more time and I think the transition will be a lot easier for you.

My children both had no problems giving up the bottle or binky either, so I think instead of the cup transition being a security issue it's more a developmental one. I just don't think my daughter understands the concept of "spilling" yet :)

Good luck!

I understand your dentist wants him off of a cup with a lid but if it is not a sippy cup i don't see why it would make a difference. It shouldn't hurt his teeth. They have the new sipster cups. It is a cup with a lid but it poors out of a hole (kind of like gas station cappuchino lids), that way he would still be drinking out of a it like you would a cup with out a lid but it would have a lid. I think it would be a good transitioning tool.

Try the little cups that have lids/straws...that is what I use for my son....They are cheap also..

Hi A.,

My advice according to my experience with my girls, I switch first to a plastic cup with a yoghurt lid with a hole for a staw, so...first wa sthe straw and then remove the lid. At least that way there were no spills or little.
Anyway, now is the time to do it, it's hot! Give him a cup with water, that won't mess and he can try as many times as he wants.
Later on try giving him something he really likes like chocolate or strawbery milk.
The staw was the best for my girls, they immediately knew what to do. And they did like them too! Bright colors and wiggle ones.
Otherwise, keep trying with water and give him a cup that he really likes so he'll try harder.
Best of luck!
Mariana Abadie
www.MyKidsFirst.com

I know you probably don't want to hear this but the trick is to only give them about one sip's worth in the cup at dinner only and let him explore! First of all, if you give them any more than just a sip, they can't manage it. Also, make it something special, that you don't give him very often but that won't stain (apple juice, chocolate milk). After all, it's only a sip! And then once he gets the sip down, you can give him another sip, then another, etc. I have a 2 year old girl who gave up the binky and bottle on her own as well. We were using cups with straws until about 3 months ago. This is how I started out and it works! I still only give her about 3 sips worth in the cup itself, and only at dinner (never out at a restaraunt). Good luck!

Hi A.,

My doctor had suggested trying it while in the bathtub until my daughter got good at it. That away she was learning how to do it without making the big messes for me. It seemed to work for us. She now does fine with a regular cup. We have our spills every now and then but nothing big.

Hope this helps.
L.

My son just turned 2 last month and doesn't drink out of a regular cup all the time, but I started teaching him in the bathtub a few months ago. He holds the cup and I keep my hand loosely on it so he doesn't tip it up too much and spill it everywhere. He gets a little mad about my hand being there sometimes because he is SOOO independant and doesn't need mom anymore, but he deals with it. :) If you are having problems getting your son to WANT the regular cup, make a game of it. Kids love games. Sometimes that is the only way to get my son to do stuff...if he thinks its a game. Also make sure he sees you and your husband drink out of a regular cup a lot. My son likes to do anything that my husband and I do. Otherwise, he's 2 and kids do things in their own time. Just keep introducing it and eventually he will want to do it.

TRY, TRY, TRY AGAIN! We are having the same trouble transitioning our little one from bottle to sippy cup. But, let them explore, and have fun...don't worry about the mess.

Good Luck!

If he's putting his tongue in the cup without a lid, then he just doesn't have the hang of it yet. Two years old is still young. Try the tupperware cups with the sippy lids for now, since you don't have to "suck" to get the liquid. I never used the spillproof cups with my kids when they were little, always used the tupperware, it gets them used to tipping up a cup, and the liquid comes out the sippy lid...all without trying too hard. Once in a while, try without a lid, and if the tongue goes in....wait a little longer. Two years old is still young, and they don't have all the coordination that your dentist might be wanting right now.

Hope this helps! Just give him more time.
S.

Hi A.,
I just wanted to say that it will take you a few months if not this next year to get him to the point if him not turning the cup upside down and spilling everything all over. I can only say that you might want to stay with this until he turns 3 and then it will be easier to get him to drink out of a regular cup. This is just my opinion though. W.

When I got my daughter to drink from a regular cup (around 18 to 22 months) I just got rid of the sippies. Ofcourse she wasn't really attached to the sippy very much. But that is probably what I would do. He might be upset for a couple of days, but out of necessity, he would have to learn how to drink from a regular cup. Now, having said this, every child is different and if your son is EXTREMELY attached to the sippy and it would cause him an enormous amount of stress than I wouldn't do it that way, only you know your son best. Good Luck, that's what worked for me and my kiddo.