Sippy Cups, how long is too long???

Minnie - posted on 05/23/2011

water fountain in stores

*shivers*

Jeannette - posted on 05/23/2011

My 18 month old does pretty well out of a normal cup. However, at this point, I only let him have water in a normal cup. He still gets his milk in a sippy cup. On the rare occasions he gets chocolate milk from Wendy's, he drinks fine out of the bottle, but either I or my husband has to hold it. I'm hoping to get him off sippy's by two, as well. If he can use normal cups, why not?

Donna - posted on 05/23/2011

we used sipps untill the time my kids went off to kindergarten lol. They had been capable of using regular cups but the sippy just prevented alot of spills

Lesa - posted on 05/23/2011

My son is seven and still uses a metal sports/ sippy cup when we are hiking and sometimes around the house because he likes it. My daughter is 3 and the same thing. They are both very capable of drinking out of cups but when we are on the move or the soccer field they get their sports cups. Even if they want it in the house I have no problem with it.

Stifler's - posted on 05/22/2011

If you're traveling in a car, sippy cups are a great idea. Mostly I don't give a shit what others do but I want Logan to be able to at least use a normal cup by 2 unaided but we can take the sippy cup in the car and on trips and stuff. He has the take and toss hard plastic lid ones with the 3 holes. I got over pulling the Nuby lids apart and washing them a few weeks ago and he doesn't miss them.

Laura Zoey - posted on 05/22/2011

You know Stephanie, that's a good point. I guess when I think about it this might be why Eric asks to b-feed so much, maybe he's thirsty! He always has more then enough wet diapers, nice and clear color too so hes not dehydrated at all, so....Lol. Ok that's interesting.....

Sneaky - posted on 05/22/2011

If by 'sippy cup' you mean those things that the kids have to suck on to extract liquid from the cup, I think they are stupid - you may as well still be using a bottle.

If you mean 'spill proof' cups, which is a cup with a hard plastic lid with a hole in it (exactly like what I drink my coffee out of in the car) then yes, all my kids (5,3 &1) drink out of them and they are still capable of making plenty of messes thank you (and can drink out of a normal cup too).

I'm really surprised by this 'original intention' statement. So what if sippy cups were not intended for kids to use for years???? I do NOT care how or what anyone else chooses to give their child to drink or eat. I have enough problems of my own without becoming a member of the 'liquid receptacle police'. I can't even imagine why it would be an issue if someone was giving their child a sippy cup at 7 years old - so what??

Mel - posted on 05/22/2011

I agree Laura, I bring my girls a cup when I go out because they get thirsty.

Mel - posted on 05/22/2011

I would say about 2.5 yrs I personally never thought of sippy cups being a problem. Bottle yes, breast feeding yes but I thought sippy cups were ok, but personally I did start using normal cups for my 3 yr old a fair while ago now. My 10 month old uses a sippy cup for her water and a bottle for her daily meds (I dont even know why I still use a bottle for her meds). Neither of my girls had issues geting off a bottle/cup whatever, and I dont think Ill have trouble getting the 10 month old off breast feeding either.

I guess I just try to stick by the guidelines, bottles are supposed to be changed to cup at 6 months but I wasnt sure about a sippy cup

Becky - posted on 05/22/2011

I think if you're bothered by when other people's kids give up sippy cups, then you've got too much time on your hands.
Cole still uses a sippy cup at 3. He is fully capable of using a regular cup, but he likes to have his drinks away from the table, (aside from mealtimes, that is) and we have hardwood floors and I don't want to have to follow him around with a mop all day. If we're going to be out for a while, I stick a sippy for each of them - or sometimes a thermos or cup with a straw for Cole - in the diaper bag. And at night, Cole likes to take a cup of water to bed with him. That one's definitely a sippy! Honestly, I don't even bother noticing what other people's kids are drinking out of, as long as they're not lapping water up off the floor!

Stephanie - posted on 05/22/2011

I carry a drink with me wherever I go bc I am always thirsty so I keep a cup of drink or a water bottle out for both kids so they can drink whenever they feel the need and to promote adequate hydration.

Stephanie - posted on 05/22/2011

Laura- To keep them hydrated while they're actively playing, helps their food to digest and absorb vital nutrients more readily, helps to flush toxins from their body, lots of reasons to encourage drinking throughout the day.

Rosie - posted on 05/22/2011

hmmmm, i think my kids all got rid of their completely by the time they were 3. they were using regular cups at dinner time and stuff, but when we were out and about i needed a cup that was spill proof, so sippy cups were it. i think i finally felt comfortable that they wouldn't spill around that time, and my kids also got sick of having to work so hard to get their precious drinks. water bottles were their fav. cause they were able to get to the drink alot faster, lol.

Laura Zoey - posted on 05/22/2011

Oh and he was using a regular restaurant style straw by 7 months so we never did the sippy style. Actually he could drink well from an open cup around 15 months and that's when I began using the straw cups less. At home he doesn't drink much except at meal times, I never understood why kids carried around cups all day....

Laura Zoey - posted on 05/22/2011

We used straw cups, spill proof ones. And I stopped carrying one in the diaper bag sometime between 18-24 months. He can use a water fountain in stores, and regular cups if we get a drink so I don't need it! At home he's used open cups for a while too, it's just easier to wash the regular cups then the spill proof ones with all their parts. So I guess two years is a decent age to say no more sippy cups. I don't see the need at two years anyways.

Stephanie - posted on 05/22/2011

I don't see what the big deal is as long as the child can actually use a regular cup, too. We use sippy cups, cups with spouts or whatever you want to call them when going out bc it's easier to carry and not spill and when we're playing outside, at the park or going for a walk. At meal times, yes, they use a regular cups bc they're sitting still at the table. But when they're running all over and playing a sippy cup prevents alot of accidents.

Cynthia - posted on 05/22/2011

i agree that sippy cups are for babies. but a cup with a lip is ok for in the car or on carpet.

i hate the ones with straws because you cant clean it very good. but just a regular water bottle is perfect for the car.

Toni - posted on 05/22/2011

My son has been able to drink from a regular cup since before he was one with help but at 19 months he can now drink supervised but unaided from one (with very little spillage) - even though he can do it we still use a sippy cup at all times other than meals (unless we have forgotten his sippy then he uses a cup) because it is just cleaner, especially when we are out. We do upgrade his sippy cups with his age though so he has had a new one with a straw that is suitable for use over 18 months. I don't see the issue after all it is just a cup with a lid to reduce spillage of the drink in it - I use sports bottles when out but am more than capable of using a regular cup :-)

Dana - posted on 05/22/2011

My son never used the plastic nobby sippy cup thing. He's always used the cups with a lid and straw. I prefer them because they're less messy and we can take them on trips. Just like I do with my refillable water thing when we leave the house.

In the end, I really don't care what cup you use, how long you breastfeed, blah, blah,blah... I find it funny that people think their opinion really matters that much.

Jenn - posted on 05/20/2011

I don't see what the big deal is - my kids can drink quite well from a regular cup, and they do at meal times, but when they want their water in between it goes in a sippy cup or one of those cups with the flip straw - otherwise it ends up all over the floor. (I'm talking about my 2 year olds, not my 5 year old.)

Charlie - posted on 05/20/2011

Cooper ( 2 years ) doesnt use them anymore at home although he does use one when we are going out and we need to carry a drink for him in a non spill sippy .

September - posted on 05/20/2011

Our son was off of sippy's by the time he was 1. I think 2 years of age would be pushing it but I would never pass judgment, you do what's best for your family :)

Minnie - posted on 05/20/2011

I imagine that a sippy would be problematic for teeth and jaw development only if the kid was walking around with it constantly all day long, the way some do with bottles and pacifiers. But if the child is just having a sippy with a meal or leaving it on a table and taking a quick swig here and there, just like an adult does, it shouldn't be a problem.

But we DO use regular cups with meals. My girls, just like I do, have a sports water bottle to sip on when we get thirsty. I know I totally forget to drink if I don't have one available. Then I have a headache by bed time and pee all night because I guzzle water then. :)

Krista - posted on 05/20/2011

My son drinks his milk out of a sippy, but he sucks it back so quickly that it's definitely not on his teeth for long!!! And we don't give him juice unless he's sick or constipated, so that's not really an issue. For the most part, he now uses the straw-type sippies. It's kind of cute in the morning when we're on our commute: he's in his car seat, sucking back on some water and reading a book, while I'm sucking back my coffee. (Also in a spill-proof cup! LOL!)

Amanda - posted on 05/20/2011

Sippy cups were done in my home by year and 1/2 and only really used if other young children were around, for the car by 2 years old.

Jenn - posted on 05/20/2011

We transitioned from sippy to the straw type around 2 though I do send a big kid stainless "sippy" sort of cup to school. The traditional sippy should really only be for water, anything else like juice or milk can promote tooth decay over a period of time.

April - posted on 05/20/2011

i did hear that sippy cups are bad for the teeth, just like pacis and bottles? i don't care how old a kid is or an adult is, but me personally? i can't stand sippy cups because i am always losing the top or the bottom. we've got so many mismatched sippies. they just drive me up a wall. my son has been able to drink through a straw since he was 8 months old, so it was a very easy transition to an open cup. anyway, long story short, sippy cups just annoy me. Cups are easier, IMO. I never fill up his cups too much, that way, if he spills, it is not that hard to quickly wipe it up.

Isobel - posted on 05/20/2011

and yes...it was almost always water ;)

Isobel - posted on 05/20/2011

I haven't read anything yet, but I never knew they were to transition from bottle to cup...I always thought they were to protect couches. So, I guess I let my kids use them too long cause then they could carry their drink around with them wherever they wanted.

Lady Heather - posted on 05/20/2011

Indeed Lisa. I have an adult sippy cup too. And the last time I spilled was 5 years ago and I don't think that counts because I had a seizure.

Minnie - posted on 05/20/2011

What is a sippy cup? A cup with a spout?



Ooops....I guess I'm using one right here. It's made of metal, 'Eco-Highway' brand. Perhaps it makes it more grown-up to be made of metal?



Both of my girls could use a regular glass cup by 10 months. But since my 2 1/2 year old thinks it's da bomb to dump water everywhere...yeah. But her 'sippy' is made of metal too.:/



Who cares?

Krista - posted on 05/20/2011

I'm in no panic to get rid of the sippy cups -- it saves me from a ton of cleaning. Once in awhile, my 21-month old will drink out of my cup, just to try it. But he doesn't yet have enough control to only tilt it a little. So if i gave him anything more than a teaspoon of liquid, it would wind up everywhere.

I'm really not worried about it. I had a cup with a built-in straw when I was a kid, and I frigging LOVED it. It's the only thing I would drink out of, right up until I was about 5 or 6. And yet, as an adult, I still manage to drink out of a proper cup. I can even drink out of a martini glass, and those things can be tricky!!!

Teresa - posted on 05/20/2011

Never. Sippy cups are smart. I don't agree w/ a kid walking around all day sucking on juice or milk (out of ANY cup or bottle, actually), but during meals and snacks... or w/ water.... have at it. I even had 'adult sippy cups' to keep from spilling chocolate milk on my couch. ;)

That being said... we don't use sippy cups OFTEN, but I have absolutely no objection to them.

Jenni - posted on 05/20/2011

Meah, I don't see what the big deal is. My kids are 3 and 2. They have a cup for meals. A sippy cup when walking around the house.
Considering we spend a lot of time outside they're pretty handy. Keeps the bugs out. Also great for nature walks and we'll be taking them with us when we take our kids on their first camping trip this summer.
I doubt they'll be carrying them around still when they're 12.
I'm sure I could make the complete switch, no problem... but I just never thought it was a big deal.

Jackie - posted on 05/20/2011

I don't understand what the big deal is. Allison is 2 and I never thought it was even up for debate if she should still have a sippy cup or not. Never even crossed my mind. Most of her sippy cups are the kinds with straws in them because she like them.

Elfrieda - posted on 05/20/2011

I think 3 or 4 is too old, but I don't really have a gut reaction to it the way I do to a 2-year-old with a bottle.
I've been wondering when to try teaching my 17 month old how to drink out of a cup by himself. Not yet, I know that much! He's just figuring out the spoon-into-mouth thing.

Lady Heather - posted on 05/20/2011

My daughter can't even reach the table to get a cup down and has just learned how to climb on a kitchen chair. She can't get off the kitchen chair on her own yet. That table only rule would definitely not work here yet. Ha. I don't like that though because then I would also have to only drink a the table. Boo. I take my water on the couch thanks. And tea? At the table? I don't think I could enjoy it.

Corinne - posted on 05/20/2011

Both my kids went straight from boob to cup, nothing in between. I don't have a problem with them, just didn't see the need and didn't want more clutter in the house (then my health visitor and the local sure start both gave me one so I ended up with the extra clutter anyway!). I have the same rule Chelsey, cups stay on the table and I agree that's a little too old for a sippy.

Joanna - posted on 05/20/2011

I'm sure Paige was capable much earlier, but we got rid of sippy cups shortly after she turned 3. We will take one with for longer car trips, but don't use it much then because she prefers having oneof those mini bottles of water.

I don't think there should be a set age for anything like this. I say go with your gut and do what your child is comfortable with/capable of.

Chelsey - posted on 05/20/2011

Both my girls were off sippy cups by 18 months. Sure sometimes they spill but oh well. The rule in our house is that cups don't leave the table. I have a friend whose kids still have them all the time and they are 7, 6 and 4 which I think is ridiculous.

Mary - posted on 05/20/2011

Molly is 2 1/2. While she can drink from a regular cup, I still have a sippy cup of water that sits on the kitchen table throughout the day, so that she can grab it without needing me to get her a drink. At this age, she is a little too clueless to be trusted with a lidless cup on her own. Yeah, I know it's only water, but that doesn't mean I want puddles or wet spots throughout the house.

Tara - posted on 05/20/2011

Re-posted from the bf thread.
I don't use sippy cups, never have with any of my kids, they went from boob to cup, they could drink from a cup at age 8 months with help, and at that point it was just for the experience of having a cup put to their lips. By the time they started actually replacing some boob feedings with food and a drink it was in a cup.
Boob to cup. nothing in between.
That is my way. I have no issue with kids using them when they are young or out and about.

Good Day! - posted on 05/20/2011

Meh, sippy cups don't bother me. Eliza has had the ability to drink from a real cup since before she was two. When we eat at the table for dinner she gets a real cup. But she still uses the sippy cups during the rest of the day, especially in the car. Unless she steals my water bottle.

Jaime - posted on 05/20/2011

What's the big hate-on for sippy cups? It's a cup...with a lid....GASP!

My son was two in February...he JUST learned how to drink from a straw...I'm not in a hurry to ditch the sippy cups and I see no reason to. Go sippy cups!

Lady Heather - posted on 05/20/2011

Yeah, my just about 2 year old is capable of sipping from a cup, but right now I'm doing everything I can to NOT have to clean. Probably I will keep using them for water (not meals) for quite some time now because with a new baby coming I will be trying to reduce my workload. I have enough to do with all these animals making mess all the time. And I imagine there'd be more than one dog tail or crazy cat run knocking over an ill-placed toddler water glass. No thanks.

Honestly, I don't really see what the big deal is about this crap. Does anyone know an adult who can't drink from a cup? I know I still had a sippy cup for water when I was 3 and I didn't go to school not knowing how to drink from a cup.