"Seeking Help for My Toddler Transitioning to a Sippee Cup"

Maybe try a new beverage, a "special big kid drink" that he can only drink from a glass. I might try gingerale or a good fruit juice or kool aid type drink that he likes. Only offer this beverage in the big kid cup because it's a big kid drink and 'the instructions on the bottle say that it needs to go in the big kid cup', so there's no way that you can put it in the transitional cup ( a little good cop-bad cop)
he'll get used to it after a while.

Hi D.,

IMO, at almost 2, he should be drinking from a straw sippy cup, and starting a regular cup. I used the 3 oz. (smallest ones) Dixie cups, so when they spill it's not too big a mess to clean up.

HTH,
J.

My daughter had a hard time going from a bottle to a sippy cup. When she was about 16 or 17 months old, I told the pediatrician I was just going to go cold turkey and take the bottle away and he said "why would you do that? She likes the bottle and she's getting milk. If you take the bottle away, she might never drink milk again." So, like you, I tried different sippy cups and would offer them to her throughout the day (usually mid-day as opposed to first thing in the morning or the evening). The one she liked (and which we still buy for our twin sons) is the First Step disposable cups. Just keep trying. And if he's taking a transitional cup (not sure what that even is), let him keep taking it so he's at least getting milk, because you don't want him to never drink milk again.

I have never used a sippy cup with either of my two. They never liked them. Instead we moved right to the sippy cups with straws. They loved them immediately. Hope that helps.

Hi D., I think that at turning 2 years old, he's really past the point of the sippy cup. I would just use a regular cup (with a straw perhaps) for meals and snacks at home, at some spillproof cups if you allow him to have drinks in the car or when you are out somewhere.
Good luck.

OK. What did our parents do...they went straight to glasses. Yes, glasses. If you son is really strong willed, he believes he can do anything (like my son!). Tell him he is right, sippy cups are for babies and he is a big boy and should use a regular glass like everyone else. Yes there will be spills - some of them on purpose, but give him a towel and let him clean it up. There will be broken cups at which point you have him watch and help you (by holding trash can, getting broom, safe stuff) while you clean it up and then get him another real glass. Plastic cups will tip over much easier than glass and after having to clean up his own messes enough times he will get the idea to not spill!

There is a wonderful company called Montessori Services that sells child size juice glasses and even pitchers. You would be absolutely amazed at how much kids LOVE to pour their own drinks and use glasses. It is very liberating for them and a huge confidence builder in a very loving practical way.

Good luck.

Have you tried a straw cup. My 12 mo old loves these. Even more then her sippy. Plus they make these anti-spill now so we leave it around during the day so she can get something to drink when she needs it.

Have you tried the sippee cup that has a straw instead of the sipee nozzle? My daughter never liked sippee cups and went straight to the straw cup after the bottle. The straw cup can be held upright and doesn't have to be tipped to drink from it so it's much less awkward. Also, because she could sip from a straw cup, she can also drink from a regular straw at restaurants (with our help holding straw) and at 2 years can now drink from a regular grown-up cup. We found the straw cups at Target by Nuk brand.

good luck!

By transition cup do you mean the kind that have the stoppers in them so he has to actually suck on it?
If so, I would just quit putting the stopper into it.

The other thing you can try is a sports bottle.

I know you don't want the mess (what mother does?) if he spills and I can't blame you. I'd suggest, if he spills, have him help you to clean it up.

I just did a quick search for you and found these.... http://www.amothersdreams.com/pd_new_nuby_no_spill_12_oz_...

good luck, and remember to be patient with him... he's just learning and he might make a mess a few times before he figures it out. ;)

Straw sippy cups work for me.....My baby made holds in sippy with soft tops by placing her fingers in the lid....Hard top made her frustrated,,,,,

Have you tried a cup without the stopper so he doesn't have to suck on it? Yes it will spill but it works great for meal time when sitting and may help him get used to it. Also, would it be so bad to not switch until he uses a big boy cup? I don't understand the need to change.

Hi D.:

I would say at 2 years old to forget the sippy cups and go straight to a regular cup. Have you tried using straws?

Good Luck!

Have you tried the straw cups? For whatever reason both of my children never did well with sippee cups, but took to the straw cups quite well. My daughter won't drink milk from it, just watered down juice, so I still give her milk once or twice a day in the nubee cup.

~M.

I wouldn't bother with a sippie cup, I mean what's the point? then you just have to teach them how to drink out of a real cup anyway...use a straw or a regular cup...I don't let my kids walk all over the house with drinks anyway....just another habit to break later, Break it now!

Hi D.!

Since your son is almost 2 I would say forget the sippy cup altogether. I would go with a regular cup at home and also teach your son how to use a straw. My son is 2 1/2 and it's been almost a year since we've used sippy cups...unless we're on an airplane or something, and in the car I have a playtex straw cup for him.

Good luck

Dear D., children are strong willed only if they do not have the strong guidance of a parent. You are the adult and the teacher of your child. When your child started to learn his walking did you give him crutches. I use sippy cups for the very old people I work for in a nursing home. God knows how the Zippy cups have found their way into the hands of young mothers. In no way should a child drink from a zippy cup. It will leave him in the infant stage for a longer time. Maybe you want to hinder his development. My children grew up with no sippy cups as well as my generation and the generation before. Children learn through imitation. Drink in his presents as many times as you can from a glass, do not use a straw and do not make it demonstrational, but drink in the most natural way. B.

Well, sounds like your little guy knows you're easy going! That's a great thing in a mom until the little one starts to rule a bit. So watch out for that! But, regarding the cup--you can tell him it broke and is in the garbage and bring him to the store to pick out his own new cup and color (all sippees only. Even throw away the sippees you've bought so he knows he's getting to pick. Or you can wean him and start with--use the one he loves only at breakfast but a big boy's cup at other meals and snacks. And at 2, you can even move to a regular cup with straw and not let him walk around the house with a drink.
If he's ruling now, watch out later!

My daughter never drank out of sippy cups, I think because she had to suck so hard to get the liquid out. I tried the regular cups with the tops with the slits in them and she did much better. A little more messy because they do spill every now and then, but only in drops.

Also another thing to try might be the sippy cups that have straws - they aren't quite as spill-proof as the other ones, but my daughter loves straws. I introduced her to a real straw and then gradually gave her the cups with the straws and she did well with them, though she still did have to suck pretty hard. Only challenge is teaching them they they shouldn't tip it up to get more, which is not logical for them after the bottles.

Good luck!

I am a toddler teacher at an early childhood center(18 months-28 months). I have had the experience of transitioning some of my children that comes into my classroom from bottles to sippy cups especially with milk. They drink water/juice without a problem out of a sippy cup but not milk. It's a security item for them. The way I handle this is that I tell the parents not to bring bottles into the classroom. I tell the parents to fill up sippy cup with milk at home or just bring sippy cup in and I'll fill it up with milk. When it's time for meals I give the child sippy cup with milk. If child says "No milk" I'll tell them "I'm sorry but that's all you have to drink". When they are thirsty they will eventually drink the milk. I'm very consistent and firm with the children and everyday is the same thing. I don't give in on the child such as "Oh Ok here is your bottle". Every other meal the children will get their water/juice so they aren't going the day w/o fluids. It takes time and patience, but at the end it's rewarding knowing that you have accomplished a goal for your child and for yourself. It's real hard in beginning. This had worked for me in the past. I play games with them during meals if they are having a hard time transitioning. You can say, "can i see you drink your milk from the big boy/girl cup?" you might have to hold cup if he isnt budging. If he takes a sip clap your hands, be excited, and give positive feedback about his first sip of milk in sippy cup. If that doesnt work then try pretending or even taking a sip to show him that its ok to drink his milk in the sippy cup. In the past the kids have responded by saying; "no my cup" "my milk". Then I'll say "Ok then let me see you drink your milk." There is also this sippy cup that one of my parent finally used to get her daughter to drink milk out of after trying every sippy cup that there is out there. It's a tall clear sippy cup with a soft rectangular spout. The rim of the cover is a hard plastic that comes in all sorts of colors. She is doing great drinking her milk and it's been about a month now that she is off the bottle. She has been in my classroom since 18 months and she almost 20 months now. Consistency is the key.. Don't give up. hope this suggestion helps.
K.