The Age of Sippy Cups!

Start out with water/milk and only in the kitchen. If they stay on a sippy to long it will mess their teeth up from the sucking action

Hi K.,
I have a 4 yr old son who easily spills stuff too. I either make him sit at the table with his drink, or I have bought some of those "Bug Juice" bottles they have at gas stations that have a sports drink type cap on them, and he loves those. i run them through the dishwasher and they are ready to go again! He is able to take them with him outside and everything, so he stays hydrated without the spills.
Hope that is somewhat helpful,
M.

I stopped the sippy cups when they told me they didn't like them anymore. There are straw cups that have lids that I still use (kids are 9 & 6) in the house. There are disposable ones that I wash and reuse and take with us and there are a couple bigger ones as well. Don't worry about reordering the special straws that fit inside (my son would chew on them and ruin them) - you can just replace with regular straws.

My daughter is 2 1/2 and uses a sippy cup ALL the time. When our son was 3 we let him use the cups with lids but are not spill proof. He could not leave the kitchen with them though. When he was 4 we started letting him use a cup with no lid only at the table in the kitchen. He is now 5 and although he drinks from cups with no lids everywhere he goes, he still has to use a sippy cup when he is in the living room with a drink. Out in public I would not advise it at this age but in our house, I feel that they can still spill at this age!

at four your child should be using a regular cup most of the time. my daughter is five, and has been drinking from a regular cup since 18 months. the best way to start is to get some disposable dixi type cups, and fill just a very small amount of liquid in at a time. just remember that spills happen, and make sure that your little one is sitting at the table. stick with water at first since it does not stain.

I would use a child's regular cup at the table with just a SMALL amount of drink in it. My granddaughter is not allowed to drink anywhere in the house except in the kitchen between meals, and at mealtime she sits at the table with her half-filled (or quarter-filled) cup.

I have two daughters- ages 9 and 12... we use Tupperware Tumblers. They are about 16 ounce cups with matching lids you put a straw in. The are in a variety of colors- even my husband and I use them. I found out about them at a scrapbooking party where the host insisted we all use them- well I saw why when someone overturned their cup on their album and not a drop escaped from the cup. I was amazed! The cups are a little pricey but well worth it!! I beleive they may have smaller cups with the same lids- that are simply amazing! One warning- if you put the lid back on the cup with the straw in (after a refill :)) You may get a drop that shoots out the straw- so just be careful when putting the lid back on. Also- the lid is a very tight fit- so make sure it is totally secure before giving to the little ones. Good luck!!

accidents are going to happen thats how they learn the sippy was gone about age 2 here. try to only fill the cup a little at first that way you dont have as much to clean up lol

My kids both drink out of a cup and we only use a sippy cup occasionally for the car ride. I used straws with my 3 year old and that works best for her.

Mel

Four years old is too old for sippy cups. In NC, it's illegal for day cares to let kids past 2 use them. I think many 2-year-olds keep using sippy cups at home for a short while as they get used to the regular cups they have to use at school. As for you: your child will start kindergarten soon, and will need to drink milk from a carton and other drinks from a regular cup. Go ahead and make the break now from sippy cups so that your child will be comfortable with the regular cup by the start of school. You don't want him to start school (enough changes there) and get laughed at by other kids and have that to deal with too.

I definately agree and teach my kids the proper way to clean up a spill. Even the baby at 18 months can use a paper towel, then I or one of the other kids will follow up with the cleaner and another round of wiping up! We all use cups with lids and straws, but I also limit where drinks can be used. With a toddler around, anything left abandoned or unwatched for even 5 seconds gets investigated immediately for spillability! Don't worry about appearances and use what works for you and makes your life easier! We moms can all use some more of that!

Relax. All kids develop at different paces. Switch to the kid cups with a lid and a straw. They work better for older children.

K.,
Don't worry about putting an age limit on sippy cup use. It's not like using a bottle. Bottles effect the shape of a child's teeth and speech. Sippy cups are simply an aid to avoid messy clean ups. Keep them as long as you need them. I have 4 children who have used all kinds of cups with tops throughout their growing years. Maybe you could stop using the no drip kind at the dinner table, and progress to one that allows some spilling to help show the need of being extra careful with the drinks. If using a sippy in public is unacceptable for what ever reason, try using one of the cups that is more like an athletic drink bottle. (The ones with the top that pulls up and doesn't have handles.) Adults use this type when cycling. My children are almost grown now, and there are still times when they (and my husband and I) need a cup with a top. So... You never really outgrown the need for cups with tops. Relax... It's ok to keep using them for many years to come.
For training on handling open cups you might try the little disposable Dixie cups. They hold very little liquid, and they can be used for practice during playtime. It works in daycares and Vacation Bible Schools, it can work for you too.
Good Luck!
Lora

I would move on to cups with lids for straws. You can get the disposable kind at any store and just put a different straw in each use. Once your daughter gets the hang of keeping the cup upright then start taking the lid off!

I understand your dilemma because my hubby is very particular about the house, it is NOT okay for juice drops to get spilled on the floors, etc, so we have to be careful to keep things neat and clean. That said, our daughter was out of sippy cups by the age of 2 or 3 (she is almost 5 now). Maybe some of these thoughts will help... The only way for your 4 year old to get used to not spilling is practice, so at some point you'll have to deal with some spills. Around age 2-3, we transitioned to using plastic cups that come with lids with holes for straws and putting straws in them, less spilling but she got used to holding the cup upright to drink instead of having to tilt it way back and suck. That took some practice while she would tilt it and it would dribble out onto her through the straw hole until she realized that it didn't work that way (your 4 year old will catch on MUCH faster). For your child, at the table at mealtimes I would give him/her a cup without a lid and hover/watch closely to help. If it tends to get knocked over rather than spilled, put it out of his/her reach and every time he/she wants a drink, you supervise as they do it themselves, helping if you need to. If your child is 4, he/she will probably appreciate being told he/she is ready to be "big" and use a "big" cup but that he/she needs to be careful. My child is 4 and I still don't let her run around the house with an unlidded cup, although she uses them at every meal/snack at the table. If she is going to be playing but needs a drink, we use a juice box or a cup with a lid/straw. I think we got out of the sippy cups early because they were grossing me out, seemed like I could never get the valves clean enough for me, and they were just such a pain. Plus they reminded me of the bottle (just a personal preference, I think). My friend's daughter who is a bit older (just turned 5 at the time) was still using sippy cups at preschool because she drinks milk way more than juice (a good thing!) and got told by another child she was a "baby." not good manners on the part of the other kid, but such things tend to happen at preschool. She's not taking a sippy to school any more, needless to say. Good luck!!

Hey, I'm a 50 yr. old grandma and I still use them in the car! LOL I'd say if the kid(s) don't mind using them, USE them!

I WOULD suggest always having the kids sit at the table to eat/drink so that food/drink messes don't end up EVERYWHERE, but who wants messes even at the table?

After raising 4 kids, I found that telling the kid positive comments like, 'Hold it level' or 'Carry it carefully' instead of saying the negative, 'Don't spill it' or 'You're going to make a mess' works much better. When we concentrate on what to DO instead of what NOT to do, it's just a lot more effective.

Also, using short cups with a wide base are less likely to get knocked over. They sometimes have to use both hands, but that's OK.'

P.S I read some of your responses. They even make LAWS about this??? Geez!

I still use munchkin cups (straw and regular)for our kids and our godchildren who are 10,8,6,3,3,1,1....Too bad , but I am not cleaning more than I already need:)

I agree with all these mom's about using a more adult like cup, ie: the disposable ones with straws. The kids probably poke fun because Avent cups do look a little like the bottle. If you WANT your child to start drinking out of a regular cup, I would start with dixie cups. It is the right size for little hands and just fill it halfway or less. My daughter will be 4 in October and she can drink well from a regular cup, but she still gets sippys when we are in a no mess zone! Good Luck, and remember.. he won't be drinking from a sippy when he goes to college! ;)

My oldest daughter took a sippy to Mother's Day Out until she started her school-age summer class when she was five! I've seen six and seven-year-olds use them!

One thing to check into - First Years makes "disposable" spill-proof cups that can actually be washed and reused many times. They have recently added straw cups in addition to sippy cups, and we thought we'd try them for our almost two-year-old. He is resisting sippies sometimes because he wants to be big like his sisters, but he is nowhere near ready for a cup or straw. These work so well! They are very resistant to spilling unless you turn them upside down or they are very full when turned on their side. It's working as a great training tool to transition our son from sippy to cup.

4 yr old is not to old for sippy cups. Especially if they take it in the car or carry it around the house. If they are at the dinner table use a juice glass and get them used to handling a regular glass. As your child gets older look for some small size sports bottles

Try only using open cups during meal time where the family is all sitting at the table together and only fill the cup about 1/3 or less full. Give her lots of opportunities to practice and eventually she will get the balance down and be able to hold a cup without spilling when she is away from the table. This is what worked with my 3-year old daughter. She was getting so attached to the sippy cup I really had to "wean" her off of it slowly. Occasionally she will ask for one before bed, but she knows now that during meal time she is only getting a regular cup. Good Luck!

Maybe 18? LOL! Hey, adults use sippy cups called travel mugs, right? I dunno. We clean up 3 spills before we leave the house in the morning. Maybe pour a little less at a time? Then when a spill occurs, there won't be as much to clean up. And, if you teach your child to use the wondrous invention of paper towels (possibly the best thing in the universe- I should buy stock in Scott Paper), then you won't have to clean anything! Good luck!

K.,
I think all of the responses so far are varied so I will add my 2 cents. :)

I think the main reason you want to continue using the sippy cups if I understand correctly is because of the possible spills/mess etc...

I was told at the Pedi's when my DD was 2 to stop using them.
WHY? Due to speech and teeth issues.

I switched like many responders to just an open cup with very little in it. Yes, I would have to refill the cup but better than a spill and definitely worth not having speech or teeth issues later.

I also found like many responders the cups with the straw.
We occasionally used those, now those are used when we are on the road per say.

NO matter what K., Remember to do what is best for YOU and YOUR family.

Hi K. r.

I just wanted to say that we as adults use straws and want lids on our drinks often. There is nothing wrong with the sippy cup. When my neices and nephews visit me, and they are ages 8,10, and 11, they use either a sippy cup or covered drink with a straw. You go girl, this is definitely a way of having no accidents or messes.

God bless you!
S. k

I don't think 4 is too old. My oldest son is 5 and I still give him a sippy cup if he's not sitting at the table. My youngest is 2 1/2 and still uses them too. They both know how to drink out of regular cups and they use them at day care and when they are sitting at the table, but if they're drinking around the house or want to take something in the car, they definitely get a sippy cup.

Of course he spills! He's never had an opportunity to learn to balance and use an open cup. Start with a wide-bottomed cup with a handle. Fill it less than half full. Do this at home first so he can have practice without you having to worry about a mess in a restaurant or someone's home. Be positive. Give him a chance.

it seems like she should be able to use a cup by this age. I started my don around 2. He uses regular cups at meal times, only seated at the table. i started with only a little water. Now he does great (2 1/2), but i have to remind him to pay attention. I have learned that you truly do not cry over spilled milk!!

Sippy cups are a great transition, but they are supposed to be a transition. Prolonged use can effect the speech for one.

What about the straw cups. I would imagine that would be better. Then they also get used to not tipping them up wildly.

Then use regular cups with only a little water in them. It's summer. Use them outside! How messy can that be?

Don't give up! You have to be persistent.

My daughter uses the Take'n'Toss cups w/straws. They are great. Almost no leaking and they're very cheap(you can buy them at Walmart). When you're ready, you can get rid of the lids and straws and just use the cup portion.

My son is almost 11, and still very clumsy and I insist on cups with lids!! I also watched my friend's children a few weeks this summer, and got lidded cups for the 3-year old, and she did NOT like using a sippy cup!! I told her it's not a sippy cup, it just has a lid! They were not "spill proof", because they still dripped somewhat when dropped, but still worth EVERY penny!
Hang in there. Nothing wrong with cups with lids (they give them out all the time at McDonalds!) especially at your child's age!

you could try a small sports drink bottle like would be included in a lunch box. We had all kinds of them when my daughter was that age!

I hate cleaning up spills also, but I believe four is a little too old to still be using a sippy cup. Although convenient for us it seems to limit the child. I have a three year old who will be 4 in a couple months and she has been drinking from regular cups since a little before three. I've seen on Nanny 911 that it's bad for their teeth and is more of a comfort thing. Let me know how it goes. The transition will be easier if you find a fun cup and start putting their favorite drink in it.

Hi. It is my personal oppinion that sippy cups aren't that big of a deal. My kids used sippy cups for several years, even after they could very easily drink out of a regular cup. My suggestion would be to teach your child to drink out of a regular cup/glass, being prepared to accepts some spills at first. This may be a good time to teach him/her to limit drinking to certain places in the house if you are worried about stains on carpet, etc. After he/she learns, you may want to go back to cups with tops to prevent some mess, if your child doesn't mind.

4 years old is a bit too old to be using a sippy cup. Can I assume he doesn't go to daycare...I say that only because my 22 month old daughter doesn't use a sippy cup at school. We use them occassionaly at home and definitely in the car.
With your son, I suppose it's just like anything else- practice makes perfect. You'll have some spills at first, but he'll get the hang of it. You should definitely encourage the use of big kid cups.