What Age to Start Drinking from a Real Cup

I don't think there is any set rule. I would just give him a cup with a little amount in it. That way if he tips it too far its not a whole lot spilling on him.

We started with our LO at about that age. We bought some plastic juice cups and let him have about 1 T of liquid in the bottom, occasionally. He often ended up with most of it on him or on his highchair tray, but he's doing much better now.

He still mostly drinks from a sippy cup, but we are starting to give him a little bit more to drink from a regular cup (only at meal times, when he is sitting down at the table), about 1/4 cup of water. I also sometimes let him have my "last sips" from my glass if I'm drinking water or milk and the glass I'm drinking from isn't breakable.

Maybe try giving him just enough water to fill up his mouth.. when it's no fun to spill all over himself he might start working on control, and you can give him more. I give my 6 month old little sips of water from a cup during her "solid" meals and she is already learning how to control the 'flow' of water.

I do home childcare and am generally addicted to sippys (the non valve kind). I just clean up so many messes each day, this is one I chose not to over the last dozen years! Bad, I know!

But then I finally found cups I liked. They were from Target...plastic juice cups that came in a 6pk (we either all need the exact same color, or they are color coded so I need specific colors...for many things I have IKEA stuff..silverware, small bowls for snacks, fruit, yogurt, soup/mac and cheese, etc). But these Target cups were very narrow, so I got brave and got all my kids (most were just turned 2) using them with just a splash of milk in the bottom at first.

Now I use the IKEA ones (I do this color matchy thing..it works for me with so many kids!)...they are short, but fatter. I do alot of reminding "TWO hands!" and still only put about an inch of liquid in them at a shot even for my 2 and 3 year olds...but I start them about 16-18 mos with out lids...let them try, then when they look frustrated or start dumping on purpose or pitching the cup...I give them the sippy to get the milk they need.

My daughter's daycare required the children to use real cups at mealtime at 14-16 months old. They all were able to.

I let mine drink from my cup since they were about 9 months old! I just held it for them. Let him practice drinking from open cups with just a tiny bit of drink in the bottom, until he gets a hang of how quickly to tip it, then gradually add more liquid. It sounds like he could be dumping the cup out on purpose to play with it.

My friend started letting her kids drink from a cup at the age of 9 months or so. By the time they were a year old, they were pros. I, however, was not that brave.

I started letting my oldest drink from a cup at about 2 years old. With my second, he was about a year. I put a little bit of water in a cup (1/2 inch or so) and let them go for it. I knew that they would get wet, but I also knew that it was just water, so it was okay. When they were able to drink successfully, I praised them (and was probably a bit over the top!). When they spilled, I said, "Oh, you spilled. Do you want to try again, or are you all done?" If they were game, I put more water in their cup.

The way I see it, it was a way to get them to drink water, practice, and do it in a rather non-sticky way. (Always a bonus!) Now they are cup-drinking pros, and I'll probably start my 2-month-old on a cup as soon as she expresses any interest at all!

My son was pretty good at it by 18 months, and I let him drink from a cup when he first started asking for it. Yes there were messes, but he only got water in the cup until he could handle it without spilling. The only way to learn is to try it, just put a small amount it and let him go at it (we would have two cups, one for him, and one that was the refill cup). Once he can do a small amount, give him more.

Our WIC facility really pushes to have the sippy cups gone by the time they hit 2 yrs.

I alos introduced real cups early. By 18 mos our daycare did no longer use sippies and my duaghter had long mastered the open cup.
The trick for you an him is to give him a small (the smalles paper dixie cups work great) cup with only a tiny amount of water. Have a nice aborbent bib on him and just let him practice.
A bit of practice is all it takes and all you need to do it to minimize the mess. It will take only a few weeks - it's amazing how fast they learn at this age.
Good luck!

Hi S.S.,

I don't have any better advice on cup training than what you've gotten so far, but I do want to add this:

DO NOT, DO NOT, DO NOT allow your son to share your cup (or any other eating/drinking utensils for that matter. We are entering into flu and other respiratory infectious disease season (actually, it's all year round, depending on the virus). Sharing eating and drinking utensils, bites of food, licks from ice cream cones, etc., as well as kissing on the lips is a great way to spread many types of viral illnesses that are carried in mucous, saliva, or through aersolization. (And of course, wash your hands frequently, and sneeze or cough into your shoulder, not your hand to help prevent spread of known or unknown infection.)

Also, young children are the primary carriers of Cytomegalovirus (CMV). It is not dangerous for them, or for healthy adults, but infection can have catastrophic effects on a developing fetus if you're pregnant, or on anyone who is immune suppressed (such as with a primary immune deficiency, HIV+, undergoing chemotherapy, posttransplant patient). Sharing eating/drinking utensils, food, and lip kissing are the primary ways that CMV is transmitted. This is NOT a rare disease, and is actually the primary cause of birth defects in the US, especially severe ones, now that most people are vaccinated against Rubella (German Measles). A child born with CMV syndrome will have progressive disease throughout it's life. Unfortunately, most pediatricians and obstetricians are still under-informed about the risks to pregnant women, although there is now a budding public health initiative for improved patient and physician education.

BTW, my kids (now 21 and 17, as hard as that is for me to believe sometimes!) were very happy to use sippy cups until they were--well actually, they still like them (as do I!). They make great travel cups and you're less likely to damage electronics with a nearby spill. This makes me wonder, though, if you could use a small travel cup with a small aperture to help with skill development. I've gotten 6 oz cups at places like Right Aid, Pavilions, Henry's etc. that look like regular cups, but just have a small, close-able slit for drinking from. If you use a similar type of cup for yourself, your toddler will feel that he's drinking the same way grown ups do. Also, I would keep a lot of easy-change T shirts on hand! :-D