Hi. My husband wants our daughters to stop using a sippy cup...what the appropriate age to wean them off?

Question

Is 3 years old too old for a sippy cup? And do you have any suggestions on how to wean? He thinks it should be cold turkey. Any advice? THANKS!!

Answer 1

At 3 years old they should be learning how to drink from a regular cup--but that doesn't mean they can't have a sippy cup now and then.

Often it's just easier to give them a sippy cup. Like in the car for example. But when she's just at home I'd say it's time to start using a cup.

It can be really easy to get her drinking from a regular cup if you go about it the right way. If you get her excited about it, she'll want to try it. Get a cup with her favorite cartoon character on it or maybe one that's her favorite color. Tell her it's her "special cup" or her "big girl cup" and tell her she will be using it from now on.

Answer 2

by 3 the sippy cup should be on its way out the door. at 2 the rule should be no sippy cups during meal times - so when you have breakfast, lunch, or dinner the drink is in a small glass, just a little tiny bit.

at 2 i would still let them have the sippy cup for outings or in the car and snacks.

by 3 the sippy cup should be pretty much gone. the need to walk around the house carrying a juice cup should be over. too many calories are wasted drinking juice all day. water and milk is healhty BUT they don't need to fill up on liquids - wait for meal time so they can get some nutrients. a sippy cup should definitely not be taken to bed - bad on the teeth!

i still let my son have a sippy cup on long car trips so he doesn't make a mess in the car and if he is having a snack somewhere out of the kitchen for some reason. i cannot afford brand new carpets anytime soon!

if your daughters are giving you a hard time about the sippy cups then i would advise going cold turkey...much easier in the long run!

take care! SD

Answer 3

3 or 4

Answer 4

Great question......my daughter will be turning 4 soon and still likes to drink from a sippy cup. My husband is the same and thinks it's time to get rid of the sippy cups. I think, she is 4 and wants to drink from the sippy cup when she is at home and really what is the harm? It's not like she doesn't know how to drink from a normal cup and when we are out she always uses a straw or drinks from a water bottle.

I think it is completely up to you! If they like using sippy cups, let them. It sure saves us from cleaning up spills and really what's the harm in letting them keep drinking from them? But, at this stage (3 years) I would make the sippy cup stay at home!

Answer 5

This a good time to learn to use a regular cup well. They should start to use a cup for meals and quieter times and the sippy while playing and running around. It cuts mess and is less stressful for all involved. By 4 or 5 depending on your individual childs maturity they can use a normal cup calmly and set it down carefully on a table in the middle of playing. Don't worry she doesn't sound like one who'll be taking a sippy to 1st grade!

Answer 6

The good stuff goes in a regular cup, water only goes in the sippy.

Since he's three you can try saying, "Now you're a big boy, we are going to throw away your sippy" or "We need to give it to a baby who needs it", but that doesn't always fly.

I'm not a big fan of cold turkey anything for toddlers.

Answer 7

I let my step daughter start drinking from a big cup on a regular basis at about age 4. At age 3, she still seemed to spill a lot, and I'd rather not constantly clean up red juice.

Heck, she's almost 6 now and still has plenty of spills!

We still make sure to have a covered cup (usually it's got a straw these days, though) when she's in the living room or in the car.

Answer 8

4

Answer 9

at whatever age that they will take to it...some kids it's as young as 1 1/2! just sit her at the table and give her a small plastic cup with a little bit of water. you may have to half-hold the cup the first time or 2 to show her that she needs a different angle to keep from spilling. eventually she'll start to feel "all grown up" because she can use a "big girl cup". and she'll spill less often and be able to handle more liquid and messier (ie sticky or staining) liquids. and make sure you don't punish her for spilling, unless she's deliberately dumping it out. instead, say "oh no, you spilled. now it's all gone!" and don't give her more for a few minutes. this will teach her that once it's been spilt, she's outta luck, which will encourage her to be more careful.

Answer 10

yes 3 years is about time, my sons 2 year old class at daycare is off the sippys, so just start off with very small cups that is easy for her to hold and only put a little bit in at a time. she will feel like such a big girl!