Sippy Cups Banned!

My 20-monthold uses a regular cup at meals, and sippy cups when we are out and about. Just fill it gradually so if he spills it is not a big deal. Your 4 1/2 year old will certainly have the fine motor skills to not spill. In addition, my toddler helps clean up spills as well, as strategy that will be even more effective with an older child. For when you are on the road, there are some less baby-ish ones than others.

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Just remove sippy cups from the house entirely. My kids NEVER used sippy cups, just started with the regualar cup right away. I started them using one at 6 months. Sippy cups, like bottles, can cause the teeth to grow in wrong and can contribute to tooth rot, or 'baby-bottle mouth' which starts on the inside edge of the tooth (facing into the mouth) so you don't really even see it for a while. Sippy cups foster the practice of carrying a cup around the house, too.
Like I said, we went straight to a regular cup, and started them around 6 months, so your almost 2-year-old doesn't need a sippy cup either. Make a rule that you (everyone, even adults) drink at the table. The exception may be water, up to you, since it doesn't stain but can still ruin books, electronics, etc.
My in-laws did give us sippy cups. We took out the valve and let kids use them at grandmas. They also work well for going to the store, etc, if your kids really need drinks there (generally they should only need water). Taking out the valve still prevented major spills and removed the sucking action necessary.

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To avoid carpet being spilt one designate a place like the kitchen where he is allowed to drink. Everywhere else is off limits. Don't make exeptions even for water because that means juice will eventually make it's way into a carpeted room.

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My daughter is 2&1/2 and I only let her drink water out of regular cups so that if she spills, who cares - it's only water. I figure that once she gets the hang of that I can let her drink other things out the normal cups.

I started the transition by giving him the big boy cups at meals. Then if he wants a drink, he has to drink at the table with the big boy cup. I stopped letting him take the sippy cup out with us - mostly from a potty issue - I didn't want him having to go to the bathroom all the time!! This worked well for my oldest son (now 6). I tried with my 2nd son who turned 4 in April but he wasn't ready - he kept spilling his cup. I will try again in a month or so.

I use sippy cups for ONLY water. Since you don't want juice or milk sitting around somewhere getting nasty. That way the kids can have water with them all day long so they don't get dehydrated. Anything other than water I give in a regular cup ONLY at the table. And they must be sitting at the table not just standing next to it. Then when my oldest two potty trained, I took the sippy cup away altogether because I didn't want them taking the sippy cup with them to bed, and drinking too much and having accidents...ya. So now they just have a water jug that they can keep in the fridge when they aren't drinking, but anything other than water they get in a cup.

Walmart sells lots of little water bottles with various designs. I allow my kids to take water in a covered container anywhere they want. I would rather teach them to drink lots of water than worry about the proper place to drink it. My three year old has been using a little sports bottle since he was just over one and loves it.

Big boy cups can start being used at the table only and sippy cups every where else. If you give in and allow him to walk around with them, then by all means expect a spill and clean up time. Kay

Adults use cups with lids all the time, so don't feel like your only option is open cups. You can buy cups for kids with built in straws that have covers that flip down over them (to help in case of accidental spills) or I just bought my kids sippy cups that look more like "grown up" cups (similar to travel coffee mugs). My kids also have refillable water bottles with a pop top (pull to open, push to close).

If he can drink from a regular cup just fine then I say give those to him during meals and only when he's in the kitchen/dining area. If you're going to let him drink where there is carpet, in the car, and when you're out and about then just continue with the sippy cups or something similar like I listed above to limit spills.

Go get some of those sports water bottles :) There are ones that have pop up tops or ones that have spill proof tops. Your 2 year old won't have any problem drinking from those either when he wants to drink like brother. You'll save your sanity and your carpet!

My older child is only allowed to drink at the table. That way, if she spills, no big deal. For travel in the car, she has a Sigg sports bottle. Also, we have found these little things called Sprout Spouts that fit on the top of a store bought juice bottle, so they can drink it without spilling. Genius!

Try cups with lids and straws, or the pull-up tops like the water bottles. Those are great for traveling with. My older daughters still use those in their backpacks for school and in the car.
Take care,
B.

use a water bottle to teach him for when you go places. You can also teach him how to use a straw, and you can sit with him while he drinks. Drinking should be done at the table until he's able and responsible enough not to spill every time.

I personally don't see the big deal about getting rid of sippy cups. I highly believe in getting your kids to drink more water, so I have a different colored sippie cup for each kid to drink out of all day long. I hate them being put down to leak somewhere, plus they have to have water by their bedside and this way they can drink it in bed or in the car during errands. When we sit down to eat they get regular cups to have milk or juice, but that's the only time they get something different to drink because kids don't get enough water these days. For my kids under 3, I still give them the regular sippie cups that aren't dripless or the tupperware cups with the lids that you put a straw in are wonderful too.

Best wishes!

They do make cups with lids and straws, and I believe they have some that have covers for the straws as well so you can travel with them and there is less chance of spilling. Hope that helps.

My oldest stopped using a sippy cup when he was two, so you probably could take them away from both boys w/out major problems. Only water is allowed out of the kitchen in our house, but then, we don't really drink much soda or juice at home (sugar!), and it is easy to control where milk is taken.

My son loves to drink from a sippy cup too, but he's not always careful, so I started bringing home cups with lids from the restaurants we go to. I buy straws and he loves it! I also bought him his own little water bottle (Lightning McQueen) so he can take it to the park or when we go shopping.

Both option really helps keep our house and car clean and dry:)

My 5 year old still gets a straw-type sippy cup when we're out and about. He drinks from a regular cup only at the kitchen table, which, thankfully, is on hard floor not carpet! I plan to get my almost 3 year old off of sippy cups and on straw cups only soon.

I would just transfer him to a water bottle or sports bottle for when you are going places. They don't spill as fast as a cup, but they aren't a sippy cup. However, I don't think it is a big deal to use a sippy when you are out and about. As far as at home, just keep the drinks in the kitchen. Honestly as long as they know how to drink from a big cup, I don't think it is a big deal to use a sippy to keep things clean. I am with you I hate to clean up the messes!

Hi S.,

I have an almost 5 year old and a almos 3 year old boys. THe oldest one stopped using his sippy cup a long time ago. The spills are not that bad at all. Just have him drink his water/milk in the kitchen or t the table only. Do not allow it in the family room. When my son does spill, its because he wasn't paying any attention and knocked the cup down with his elbow, or whatever. So keep the cup to the kitchen where it's easier to clean up. About having his little brother having a sippy, just explain that his brother is only 2 years old, and that when he turns 4 he will also start using the big boy cup only. Good Luck!

We do an open cup at the table only, always available, or in the fridge if it's milk. As far as travel, we still do something with a lid, although, it's often just a bottle of water like daddy and I have. He takes care of the lid himself. We haven't had any spills so far, and we've been doing that for a couple of years with our now 5 yo. Our two year old does just fine as well without a sippy cup at the table. He has the same rules with his drink, but he does need help with getting it in and out of the fridge, so I give him a lot of ice water so it's cold, but easily accessible anytime he wants. He actually keeps his on his chair, not the table.

I have always transitioned my kids at around 1-2 yrs. I just get them small plastic cups. The key to your spill sanity is to only pour a little of the drink in at a time. You have to refill for them more but if it spills it will be a smaller cleanup for you. As far as traveling goes, I use cups that have the straw that flips out when you open the cover or a sports bottle. The straw cups sometimes leak a little if not upright but with careful packing you'll be great.

My nieces and nephews all drink from Sigg bottles for kids (so you don't have plastic, all the annoying pieces and they last longer.) They are a perfect size and have a variety of tops to put on based on your preference. You can get them all over the internet, in sporting goods or natural food stores. Good luck!

Maybe I am "bad mommy" but I don'thave any of my kids (3 under the age of 3) with sippy cups out at the store- why would you unless you are there for hours? (IMO)--

however when I take my 2, almost 3 yr old twins somewhere like to the pool to swim, or riding around in the hot car, they do well with either a bottled water that has the push/pull lid, or I will drive through somewhere and get them a kiddie cup size cup of water with a lid and straw.

When at home, I use these little cups (they come in 3 packs for about $3 at WMart)- dd has princess, ds has Mickey-
But they are little plastic cups with lids that are spill proof- though they will drip- with matching straws, and when you lose a straw, regular straws work fine too (a million for a $1 at dollar store-- Even my almost 1 yr old is already drinking out of these, just because they are always laying around filled with water all the time and she gets them, so I don't ever bother getting the baby sippy cups out anymore..

Hope this helps! :)

LOL...S., this one's a relatively easy one. (Thank goodness, we need all the breaks we can get--and, yet, it the simple things that can be turned into Mt Saint Helen's at a moment's notice, huh?!!)

Simply do not allow drinks out of the kitchen(unless you're outside); sippy cup or not! Use regular cups and fill it half way or less.

When traveling get the grown-up version of a sippy cup; a water bottle, poweraid bottle, or sports bottle.

This "transition" really should be a non-issue.

You'll find with most things (and rest assured you'll have to learn and relearn and relearn until you die) that if they aren't an issue for YOU they're just not an issue at all.

For example, I do not like children chewing gum inside my home or car. As soon as they walk in the living room or through the back door they spit their gum out--either in my hand (even the 12 and 13 yr olds) or in the trash, I'm so serious about it I don't even care if my hand is defiled by the slobbery wod, I can wash my hand so much easier than cleaning gum off of furniture, hair, carpet, etc... Every one knows I'm dead serious so they don't even bother to whine or through a fit because I just do NOT care; there isn't a fit that can be thrown to change my mind therefore it's futile to even try, plus I'm happy to go about my day while they're expressing thier displeasure...in their rooms.

Just like playing in a busy street; cry and scream all you want, but you are NOT going to go out there and I'm perfectly happy to hear you whine about it. (because the price of letting them play out there is much higher than the displeasure of the whining)

So with the cup, just draw the line at the kitchen door (do that with food, too) and just get a big kid sports bottle for your older child and refused to be undone or involved with any whining, or arguing.

I made the rule to not buyany new cups at around 18 months of age for y second. So they pretty much fell apart and have been tossed since then. Now mine are 4 and 2 and 3/4 (nearly three). We used first Years (Tupperare has them too) slotted tops and cups. These have no spout and will spill but not right away. Then severl half a glass of water for dinner in littel cups until they start getting it. I'd train both at the same time. Then we have sports botles in the car or stroller if on long adventures or walks. But other then that, they pretty much drink only at meals and snacks. This suits them fine and they can get sips from the bathroom sink at home if needed. I stopped having them drink all day long when potty training my oldest (both trained now). I only use the smaller spill-proof sips in the lunch box now. also we started using a staw Platex waterbottle at about two. so they learned straws instead of sippies. Oh, also could first just take the spout out ofyour sippies. And talk to your boys about what is going on and what will hapen if it spills..teach to clean it up and have towels easily available.

I'm going through the same thing with my 2 kids. They each get to have a sippy cup of milk before bed and when they first wake up in the morning. The rest of the day they get a regular cup that has to stay on the kitchen counter. When we go places, I either bring a juice box or a kids' sports bottle filled with water or juice. There are definitely growing pains involved and I hear complaints all the time. But as long as you stick to your guns they'll come around!
Good luck to you!

Hi,
I know where you're coming from. My mom gave me an insight into this: she hates sippy cups because you always have to find each piece to make it work: the lid, the valve, and the cup. Your little one is standing there whining for a drink while you rummage through the cupboard and drawer to put all the pieces together QUICK!

So my mom was in this process one day of trying to find all the pieces for my daughter's drink, and she said, "I remember the days before sippy cups when you just gave the kid a drink in the kitchen and made them stay there to drink it in case they spilled." Eureka!

I've begun doing this with my daughter (3 years old) and if she's thirsty enough for a drink, she'll stay there and drink it in the kitchen, over the linoleum where it is safe. I purchased some little tiny cups just her size so it's easier for her not to spill, and I no longer have the panicked rummage through the cupboards.

Just an idea. :0)

Hello, I banned all sippy cups from my son when he turned two. I bought him a couple smaller plastic cups to use at home so it was easier for him to control then an adult cup. When we go in public I bring a bottled water. He can drink out of those with out spilling too. He just turned three and we rarely have a spill, maybe once a month or less. Maybe your sons just need more practice with regular cups. Also my son knows he is only allowed to have food or drink in the kitchen or dining room. So when there is a spill it is on hard wood floors. Good Luck!

Only let him have a cup when he sits at the table. When you're out and about, bring a water bottle, or just rely on water fountains.

And your 2-year-old is probably old enough to start weaning from the sippy as well.

My daughter is 5 and I still let her drink out of sippy cups. At meal times while we are sitting at the table she uses a regular cup so I know that she is very capable of drinking like a big girl with her other friends when she starts Kindergarden like she is doing now in Pre-K. She is also very fond of drinking her water out of regular water bottles. OK by me. I do not think that it's a sign of intelligence or lack there of if your children are still drinking out of sippy cups at a later age. I would only be considered if they were not capable of switching over. BTW, both my girls are also very bright. That is the important thing and we are very lucky. I think I am smart to give her a sippy cup when she wants her morning juice in bed since I am not a fan of spills!!!

No worries, Mom. Let your guys use both.

Try a water bottle for him when you are out and about or even at home if he tends to rome. We have a strict rule at our house that no food or drink leaves the kitchen. granted, it doesn't always get followed, but I will hear my kids reminding guests about the rule which is always nice. If I need to clean up a spill, I'd rather it be in the kitchen. Also an idea for home could be a cup with a built in straw and top. I was just at Target yesterday and they have cute ones near all the back-to-school lunch bags/boxes. Maybe use a real cup just for meals for now.

i feel the same way! my son is five now, but if he wants to take the cup out of the kitchen, i still put his drink in a sippy cup. at meals i do give him a regular cup though. when i give him a sippy cup he knows that it's just because i son't want it to get spilled by accident, not because i think he's a baby, so he doesn't mind. he going to school this year, and like you i don't plan to send him with a sippy cup, but he has a water bottle with the top that pops up and he will take that in his lunch bag. he likes having a water bottle becuase it makes him feel like a big kid. sometimes he uses it around the house too, but since i do preschool at my house and have a younger daughter, sippy cups usually just get handed out to all the kids.

My daughter is 5.5 and she still uses a cup with a lid
just so we don't have spills on the carpet and so she can take thme in the car with us. I do have her use cups with no lid at meals at the table. Otherwise, we use the cups that have the straws. They have characters on them like spider-man and princess, so you know when you look at the store. I figured this way they spill less easily(they do still spill), but they are out of a straw and I still drink my drinks out of a straw. We all do when we go to fast food places.

I use a sports bottle for bedtime and going out in public so that my 3 year old can have water. Other than that, his cup has to stay at his spot at the table or the counter. He just has to go to the spot to take a drink if he wants, and there's no mess for me. Easy!

There are a bunch of sports bottles or straw cups all over the place. My favorites are the ones I got from Jamba Juice and they are no spill, but I don't know if they still sell them. We stocked up and bought four when we discovered how great they were. Good luck finding one!

Hi S.!

Tupperware has the best cups that have lids that can use a reg. straw. We used these for a long time because they were to old for a sippy cup but giving them a cup without a lid was an accident waiting to happen. I don't have a tupperware girl but I am sure someone on here either sells it or knows someone. Here is a pic I found of them.

http://order.tupperware.com/pls/htprod_www/tup_show_item....

I believe you can get them with out the pitcher...I did...but it was a long time ago. I bought them probably 6-7 years ago and we still use them without the lids now. (My kids are now 10, 13, 17) I think they would die if I made them put the lid on. LOL

HTH!

J.

My son is 2 1/2 and has been drinking out of a 'regular' cup for about 9 months. My personal thought is that it's not that big of a deal if he spills. So what if there's milk or water on the floor (we drink NO soda or juice). I only put about an inch of liquid in the cup at the beginning, so if he didn't get his mouth on the cup right, or he accidentally knocked it over, then there wasn't much to clean up. Putting a towel over the spill, then standing on the towel for a minute or two gets enough of the liquid out that there is no stench or stain.

When we are out and about he has a sports bottle to drink from, just like mommy, so he doesn't look like a 'little kid' in his eyes.

My philosophy about spills is this "you can always get more milk (or water)". Little things like spills is not something I want my son to feel bad about. When he does spill (which is very rare now days) he knows to go get a rag and clean it up himself. It's a two fold decision. He gets to be a big boy with a regular cup, and he gets to learn responsibility if he accidentally spills. No yelling or anything. Just a simple "whoops, looks like you spilled. I'll get you more milk while you clean up the spill".

Hi! I wondered the same thing as my son just turned four and he has a one-year-old brother. I bought him what I guess would be called a "hiking bottle". I don't know what you call them. I got him a "lunch-box sized"one from Vitamin Cottage. He loves it and takes it everywhere. In reality, I guess even adults use some form of sippy cup when we exercise, etc. This is the same idea. Hope that helps! It solved our problem.

First don't let him near the carpet with a drink. My kids have to sit at the table to drink unless it is water.
When you are out, bring a strawed cup that closes.
I am the worst in worrying about messes, I babysit too and the only one that has spilled around here is the 9 year old I watch, hee hee.
My son just turned four and he has been drinking out of a normal cup for a year now. Teach them to be careful, responsible and he is more then old enough to drink out of a regular cup. I also went and got smaller thick juice glasses for them to drink out of, easier to handle, less likely to break.
If you want to save your carpet, keep him at the table to drink. Kids don't need to walk around with drinks, not even a two year old. I suggest strawed cups too with lids for your two year old, sippies are just as bad on teeth as bottles.

I didn't have any problem with the kids keeping their sippy cups past toddler age. I dread spills and they used them until my youngest son was seven. He's nine now and takes a water bottle with a lid in the car or to the fair. Part of my concern was the car I had two and half years ago was in really good shape. I didn't want spills. I still don't but this car isn't as good. I'm very careful about what I let them have in the car. Now, I have tile floor, so the spills aren't as bad as when we lived in a trailer with all carpet.

My situation was different too because I have a special needs son. He wasn't ready to handle open containers anywhere, except outside, until he was almost ten. I never felt any qualms about having people see my kids with the spill proof cup. It was just easier.

Your kids are close enough in age for the same logic. Unless, your son really fights to have a "grown up" cup, let him have the spill proof cup. It won't hurt him.

The easiest way is start with meal times. My daughter who is 19 months is aready drinking from a cup at dinner. I just fill it a tiny bit and gradually increse the amount as she gets used to what is in her cup. My neighbor actually kind of started her. Then you just tell him that drinks stay in the kitchen and if he needs a drink to ge it from the table and when he has finished to put the cup back on the table. It is just pratice and setting boundries. As far as when you are out and about get cups with straws. They have some fun ones and straw cups are totally age appropriate. He will be able to have a drink and a cover as well. They evn have some straw cups that close off so that when he isn't drinking it won't be leaking. Good Luck.

my kids are about the same age and i had the same worries. we switched to cups with straws. walmart has some really inexpensive ones with tight straws that are still easy for me to take apart and clean. i use the straw cups when we go out in public or when the kids will be walking around the house with them. (i keep straw cups full of water in the fridge so they can drink whenever they need to throughout the day without my help). at the table i allow the kids to have no lids as long as they don't put their hands or anything else inside the cups. the minute they put something inside, i put the lid back on. occasionally my 4 yr old will decide to get a lidless cup and fill it up from the sink himself, but i quickly usher him into the dining room or make sure he stays in the kitchen to finish it where the tile floors are. and sometimes he'll do it all himself in the kitchen, put the cup in the sink, then come tell me he got himself a drink. so he's understanding the idea of keeping the carpet clean and becoming more responsible.

My daughter who is only two 1/2 seems to do fine with a water bottle that has the spout that pops up. There are a lot of great water bottles out there if you just look around. I think I also remember someone mentioning that tupperware had a closable cup that was a good transition from a sippy cup. I'm not positive on that one though.