Yesterday I did it. What I've been wanting to do for a really long time. I took the big kids' sippy cups away. I couldn't stand them any longer. The constant spills on the couches. Yes, sippy cups still spill. Every single kind of them. I had a rule that if they forgot to put their cup away when they were done, then I'd take it away for the rest of the day. Well, I had to do that just about every day. But each new day I'd give them a new chance. I'd remind them when giving them a drink What did they need to do when they were done with their drink? and they'd tell me but they'd still forget when it came time. And then when the next drink came around and it was only in a regular cup, they'd get upset and fuss about it and get no drink at all until the next meal or whatever. SO TIRED OF THAT GAME. And they are more than capable of drinking from a regular cup just fine. And when we're out or in the car, they're more than capable of drinking from a cup with a straw, a water bottle, or a juice box. So I decided. I'm done with the sippy cups.
We went to the Dollar Store yesterday and got some fun new cups, Tinkerbell and Toy Story, the only choice there was. Later at lunch when it was time for drink, I said they needed to trade their sippy cup if they wanted their new cup. I knew they didn't know what they were doing, that the trade was long-term, but I didn't want to mention it or dwell on it because I knew they'd be upset. Next drink time after nap Eli was upset when he asked for his sippy cup and I told him he traded it in. So he didn't get a drink until a little while later when he asked for a drink again and I asked him if he was going to be big about it. And he was. He drank from a regular cup. I don't even know why it's such a big deal really. They'd drink from a regular cup at meal times. But after nap when they want to lounge on the couch with their drink--no more, has to be in the kitchen or dining room. This morning it was another round of fussing about the sippy cup. But oh well. I didn't cave in. They may hate me for a couple days, but they'll get over it. And I will be happier for it.
We went to the Dollar Store yesterday and got some fun new cups, Tinkerbell and Toy Story, the only choice there was. Later at lunch when it was time for drink, I said they needed to trade their sippy cup if they wanted their new cup. I knew they didn't know what they were doing, that the trade was long-term, but I didn't want to mention it or dwell on it because I knew they'd be upset. Next drink time after nap Eli was upset when he asked for his sippy cup and I told him he traded it in. So he didn't get a drink until a little while later when he asked for a drink again and I asked him if he was going to be big about it. And he was. He drank from a regular cup. I don't even know why it's such a big deal really. They'd drink from a regular cup at meal times. But after nap when they want to lounge on the couch with their drink--no more, has to be in the kitchen or dining room. This morning it was another round of fussing about the sippy cup. But oh well. I didn't cave in. They may hate me for a couple days, but they'll get over it. And I will be happier for it.
Sippy cups are a pain in the butt! Even our 2 year old can drink from a cup without a lid, or from a water bottle. I'm hoping to get rid of all of ours too by the time the summer is over!
ReplyDeleteThat's great Sarah! I'm not quite ready to give up Little Man's sippy cup yet, but I've been trying to decide when to do it. He's just at the edge of learning that if he tips a drink with a straw, it will spill. So I hope the end is in sight!
ReplyDeleteWay to go! We just took away the last of Logan's sippy cups (some take 'n toss variety) and he threw some monster fits too! But now, now it is soooo nice not to be dealing with sippys!
ReplyDeleteThey will be fine and after a day or 2 and will forget they even existed. Sippy cups aren't a necessity.
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OK, I didn't realize that sippy cups were that much of a hassle. I'm trying to figure out how we can INTRODUCE a sippy cup to Claire (hoping she can drink from that instead of a bottle since she doesn't really do bottles at all!)... any ideas??
ReplyDeleteHolly, sometimes kids can figure out a straw faster than they do a regular sippy. So you could try that at home sometimes after she watches you use a straw. Then if she gets the hang of it, there are some sippy cups that have a straw for the spout. Eli was a little hard to break from the bottle (he always resists big changes like that) but he ended up finally taking to a straw-type sippy. Those don't spill as much, but they get bitten through quickly if they chew on it. It would be a start though!
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