Sippy Cup - Why Stop?

Tooth decay is the number one reason. The other reasons are how the tongue is used with the sippy cup can delay certain parts of speech. Plus the being able to drink out of an open cup is a milestone that they should reach by three. However, there is nothing wrong with a drinking out of a straw cup. It won't hurt the speech, or tooth decay, ask any dentist and they would prefer if kids drank juice out of a straw. I would toss the sippy cup and keep the straw cups.

Good luck!

At our first dentist visit, shortly after the 3rd birthday, he said my son should not be drinking out of a sippy cup - unless it's just water. (tooth decay) I have also heard speech pathologists recommend against continued use of sippy cups. We decided that once he turned 3, he had to drink out of regular cups at the table - It wasn't a very hard transition - we made it a thing like, "What a big boy - you have a glass just like mommy and daddy." and he was proud. I still let him have warm milk in the morning and afternoon out of a sippy cup, while sitting on the couch. He is 3 1/2.

I tell you what. Ask your Dentist and your Pediatrician about it. What I can tell you as a Dental Assistant is the fact that I've seen kids using sippy cups longer than they should, and they have cavities and crooked teeth. Not only that, but there are discipline issues as well. Baby doesn't want to give up the cup, Mommy gives in. Mommy tries later, baby throws a tantrum, Mommy gives in. Baby learns that tantrums get him / her what is wanted AND gets him . her out of what isn't wanted. Teachers, doctors, nurses and Dental Assistants then get to deal with an ill mannered child and a Mommy who coddles and cooes .. then gets tantrum kid out of what he / she doesn't want.

May sound harsh, but it's true. My friend learned this first hand with her daughter. My Brother learned this with his first son. I didn't give in to my son, and it's been a COMPLETELY different situation.

IMHO, sippy cups should be phased out by 2 yrs old. Makes for a healthier and better adjusted child.

If he can drink out of an open cup, it is time to use an open cup. Take him to the store and let him pick out open cups that excite him. Let him know that you are going to make the switch and you can tell him that you are donating them to younger children that need them. You can also begin to use the sippy cups without the tops to get him comfortable with the transition. Start using reusable water bottles for trips i the car and such. It may be a tough transition; change is hard but it is a part of life. Does your son go to school? What does he use there? I would love to hear how it goes.

B.
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Usually sippy cups are considered a problem because of the teeth. Sippy cups can cause teeth to become crooked. With my oldest I didn't worry too much about it. I switched to a cup that didn't require her to suck. It was 90% spill proof, but not entirely. If she tipped the cup the liquid would come out. There was no stopper and no sucking required.
Eventually she I removed the lid, but even to this day (she's 7 now) she still prefers to use a regular straw and I've never stopped her from doing that.
Hope that helps.