I have a 3 yr old and 20 mo old. Both still use sippy's. She uses a big girl cup at meals, but during the day, in the car etc. a sippy. When would you recommend "ending" the use of a sippy?
*I also keep a small pile of rags (old beach towls cut into smaller squares)on a lower shelf in the pantry so the kids can clean up their own spills.
All my kids will get a towel and clean up thier own spills even the 17 month old.
Dena,
I get the biggest laugh out of this debate. Here's why. Because I hate cleaning up spilled milk/juice/water... it all is obnoxious. loL! BUT, they have to grow up sometime. I am not one to let anyone under age 4 drink in my car, anytime. Sippy cups just get left behind and stink really bad after a while. But to each their own. I'd suggest around age 4. There are few transitions left to make and transitions are hard for kids. Wait until your oldest seems ready. There is no need, in my opinion, to warrant any extra cleaning! ;)
Enjoy!
V.
I would end the sippy right now for both kids for everything but water. Juice, milk, etc can be drunk at the table with a regular cup (I started teaching my kids to drink from a regular cup at 6 months old and they were pros by a year). It's not healty for kids of any age to have any sugary liquid (including juice!) that they can drink from throughout the day. Too many calories and it's bad for their teeth!
You can keep the sippy for drinking in cars, etc, as long as it's just water. I think my kids used sippys for water until they were around 5. I started taking the valve out early on so that they wouldn't have to suck on it, but it still helped contained the spills.
We ditched the sippy cups when my son turned 2. I leave him a glass of water on the table, and he know that he can drink it in the kitchen anytime he wants. I have never been a fan of having drinks or food outside of the kitchen. I never fill it more than half way to keep accidents on the small side. The car and bed are different we have a sports water bottle or sippy cup (depending on what is available) in those locations with water.
Well for car rides, I suggest keeping a lidded cup for the three year old, maybe even something like a water bottle, when you think she can handle it. But for the almost two year old, she sould be fine for now. I think late four to early five, they should be done and over with the sippy cup.
have you tried a straw cup? even babies can do straws. they don't have to suck so hard with a straw. i suggest the kind where the straw is smooth and comes out of the lid for better cleaning. i have a neighbor whose son has used a water bottle with a screw top since he was 3. my oldest is 6 and still needs to take a drink on most car trips.
We still do something with a lid for our 6yo if it's a trip in the car. Once their old enough to not need a drink everywhere they go, we get rid of the sippy cup. Our 3yo doesn't use one any more except on trips, as well. He has an open cup on the table or in the fridge that he may drink from as he wants.
I stop the sippy cups when we start potty training. I make sure water is always available (so I'm not dehydrating my kids). But I didn't want them taking sippies of water to bed and end up wetting the bed because they were drinking all night long. So when they start potty training I end the sippy cups. :)
Hi Dena - sippy cups are so convenient but yes, I say go ahead and ditch'em. Moving to a straw might make the transition easier (for you that is) :)
First years makes a great reusable but disposable cup with a straw and a tight fitting lid. I can usually find them at Walmart or the grocery store just fine. They are in the baby isle. They arent spill proof but do seal tightly enough that a low level drop or tip does minimal damage.
When my son was younger he also liked a straw sippy that was made by the Baby Einstein people. I think I found them at the grocery store. I liked that they are spill-proof and the straw/valve was easy to remove and get thoroughly clean.
My youngest is in speech therapy. The therapist said that straws are much better for building oral motor skills than sippy cups are. Food for thought.
Hi Dena,
We did a regular cup by the time she was two for mealtimes (milk/juice/water). Then, for car rides, we did a "big girl" water bottle. We also keep her water bottle filled with cold H2O and keep it on the counter or in the fridge, and she ALWAYS has access to it. But, even at 4 1/2, she has her sippy cup of water in her bed. I found that it was easier than risking spilled water on her nice wooden bedside table, or in her bed. That way, she can get a drink anytime in the night, and I know it won't spill. I figure that I'll keep it that way until she thinks she's too grown up for it. (But, with a 15 month old little brother that gets into EVERYTHING, who knows!) Good luck!
Shellie
Dena- I have 6 yr old that still uses a sippy, its not often and usually only at night with water or if she's drinking something thats red and going to stain, I was very very strict with pacifier and bottle, both quit the day she turned one... Most of the time my duaghter uses aregualar cup and or a regular water bottle.. I checked with the dentist and it's not doing any probs to her teeth.. Good luck
my son will be 4 next month and he is on a "big boy" cup at home. He only gets a sippy on car trips and things like that. I think its all about when you feel is right. Kids drink alot when they are young so its hard.
My hubby's aunt is a physical therapist for kids 0-3 with developmental disabilities. She said they recommend stopping sippy cups as early as possible for healthy tooth development. If you are going to use a cup with a lid, use one that has a straw.
