What age to stop using sippy cups

[peg2001]

I'm curious as to when most people stop using sippy cups with their young children and just deal with the spills. Does it make a difference if you allow them to drink outside of the dining area (like the play room or living room)?

Thanks!
Peggy

 

[YangYang]

In my family, since my sister (19) is physically and mentally handicapped, we bought some cups from Tupperware that have lids with holes for straws. She uses those all the time. Therefore, my nephew, who is 8, uses one whenever he is watching TV. He tends to forget that he has a drink and will turn it over. In restaurants, we always order my sister's drink in a "to-go" cup. Sometimes, the waitress will bring my nephew's in one as well since he looks much younger than he is. He prefers to have a glass like everyone else but usually doesn't complain. So I guess the answer to your question is that my nephew still uses a cup with a lid at age 8 whenever he is not at the table.

 

[Serena]

Yeah, it depends. At the table, it's no big deal, but if they take the cup anywhere else and still has spills, I'd still be using the sippy cup.

 

[snoopy]

My kids stopped using sippy cups around 3, I guess. I never allow them to drink outside the kitchen - house rule, and they know I go ballistic over it, so its never been an issue of them spilling stuff.

 

[Beth E. (NJ)]

It depends on the area and the beverage. With water I don't worry, but with milk I tend to still give my 4 1/2 yr old a lidded cup. I hate when milk spills on the rug or the couch.

 

[Laurajean1014]

Off the bottle at 10 months. On the sippy cup til 2. Regular cup or straw at around 2.5. My son is now 7 and has been using glass cups since he was 3. Never broke a glass yet!

 

[Harambe]

I just bought the cups YangYang was talking about on the Tupperware website. My kids are 10 and 8 and are always spilling drinks. These cups are great because they are big, not like the little sippy cups.

We generally only use them at home, when not at the supper table. I do let them have drinks while watching TV but only in the lidded cups. At restaurants the kids just get regular drinks like everyone else.

 

[d.kurz]

Originally posted by Harambe
I just bought the cups YangYang was talking about on the Tupperware website. My kids are 10 and 8 and are always spilling drinks. These cups are great because they are big, not like the little sippy cups.

I bought those too, and my kids are 16 and 14!!! So the answer is when they move out, pack up the sippy cups to go!!!

 

[clutter]

DOrothy, you're a woman after my heart!!!

My dd still drinks some milk at bedtime, and we take drinks in the car a lot, so we've still got an assortment of sippy cups. If it's anywhere outside the kitchen, it's in a lidded cup of some type. Our personal favorites are the mugs from CBR and the cool Magic Kingdom ones we got in May.

 

[peg2001]

Originally posted by d.kurz
I bought those too, and my kids are 16 and 14!!! So the answer is when they move out, pack up the sippy cups to go!!!

Thanks for the laugh, Dorothy!! I was feeling like a lazy parent in that my DD3 and DD6 still use sippy cups or cups with lids and straws. You've made me feel much better.

Peggy

 

[peg2001]

Originally posted by Laurajean1014
Off the bottle at 10 months. On the sippy cup til 2. Regular cup or straw at around 2.5. My son is now 7 and has been using glass cups since he was 3. Never broke a glass yet!

That is very impressive! A friend of mine had her baby sipping from a tiny glass before she turned a year.

Even *I* break glasses occasionally.

Peggy

 

[DemonLlama]

Mine are nearly 8 and 11 and they still have to use these cups if they are anywhere but in the kitchen. Ziplock makes some nice sized ones that are pretty cheap (pack of 4 for about $3) that open on one side for the "sip" (a bit bigger opening than the smaller cups), and the tab flips over to insert a straw into the other side, if that's preferred. We love these! Itake them in the car for myself.

 

[Jenn Lynn]

When they stop dumping it on the floor when the lid is off.

 

[CEDmom]

DD's daycare stopped allowing sippy cups at age 2 (God love them) so we switched to a regular cup at mealtime. I only put about an inch of milk or juice in at a time. I'd rather get up for more than have to clean up a mess. However, outside of the kitchen she has a sippy cup. If she's actually outside she has a thermal sports bottle with water only. We have a real problem with ants here so I am very anal about preventing spills outside of the kitchen.

 

[isyne4u]

I agree with d.Kurz...I was going to say when they move out! I almost always use a cup with a lid and straw so I figure my son will not be left out. At preschool they say he doesn't drink much and when i give him a cup wth out a lid he doesn't drink much. I think he is afraid to spill (because mommy doesn't move fast enough to clean it up in his opinion...he is only 3) So when he gets home he gets a cup with a lid and straw and he will suck it right down. Now if I could learn to be a better role model and not spill so much myself! lol!

I will say tht yesterday he got a hold of my diet coke bottle (a 1 liter) and got the top off and was drinking from it with no problems. he had it turned up like a pro!! i made him stop, but he still couldn't sleep for hours! oy vey!
tara

 

[believe]

My girls are only allowed to drink in the kitchen, so as soon as they could sip without dropping the cup or spilling it all over themselves. We still take sports cups in the vehicles occassionally, we rarely take any drinks in the vehicles anymore.

 

[ahutton]

Our DD1 is 3 1/2 now, and uses sippy cups in the truck or for juice. She uses a small regular glass for meals at the table, and a sports bottle for water. Since we now have DD2 and she is 15 months we are using more sippy cups than we had been because they have a habit of trading drinks... but regular glasses always (and only) at the table.