Rules on Sippy Cups

[gbcc]

What are everyone's rules for Sippy Cups? I usually let infants carry them around but I now have 3 that walk and steal each others cups constantly. They will be two this summer. I am thinking of keeping the cups up unless it is a meal or snack time and then taking breaks every hour to allow for a drink. Is this reasonable for this age?

There are two reasons for my thoughts. First is that the babies are passing virus back and forth. Second reason is one mother brings a sippy full of juice or vitamin water. I don't believe in giving a child that age juice unless it's a very special treat and I don't believe a child should have Vitamin water at all

[DCMomOf3]

I have stopped allowing cups to be out unless we have snack and meals. I had the same problem as you, they would take each others cups. Mine knew which cup was theirs but if they emptied their cup, they would look for one that still had water instead of having me refill the one that was theirs. I am sure that they were spreading germs pretty fast. They don't miss them or ask and we break often enough that they get plenty of water/milk.

[squareone]

I don't allow outside food unless the mom can provide a doctor's note saying that the child requires a special diet. No walking around with cups. All food and drink stays in the kitchen. I offer toddlers water once between meals and leave cups out for the older kids so they can get water at their leisure.

[Zoe]

I have stopped allowing cups to be out unless we have snack and meals. I had the same problem as you, they would take each others cups. Mine knew which cup was theirs but if they emptied their cup, they would look for one that still had water instead of having me refill the one that was theirs. I am sure that they were spreading germs pretty fast. They don't miss them or ask and we break often enough that they get plenty of water/milk.

That's pretty much me. Plus I've had sippy cups that have leaked before and I really don't want to come across milk soaked into my carpet. That and the fact that they could get lost and not found until it's curdled. That's so nasty!

[MommyMuffin]

They sit in highchairs until over 1 year and then they sit in these seats with straps and table that goes on a chair. Once they are 2 or can eat at the big kids table. They only get food or sippy cups in oneof these chairs or seats. If they throw their sippy cup it is no more sippy cup.

I figure I need to keep my carpets clean and do not want to find sippy cups in my couch. Might sound a little strict but too bad so sad.

[SilverSabre25]

food and drink stay in the kitchen. no exceptions (during daycare). No outside food/drinks/cups.

in the summer, i will have cups/bottles of water available outside for them at all times but they won't be able to carry them around-they'll have a certain spot the have to stay.

[mickey2]

Drinks only at designated times here and only when sitting at the table!! 8 15 am milk with breakfast, 945 am snack and juice, 11 am water, 12 30 am milk with lunch, 3 pm juice, milk or water with snack and that is it! No walking around with cups and no drinks in between. If we did allow drinks on demand with 8 kids all we would be doing all day is giving drinks because as soon as one wants a drink they all want one.

[nikia]

All cups stay on the dining room table, they can go to the table and get drink and put it right back it works for the most part, my drop-ins have a hard time remembering the rule, but they get after they see everyone else.

[Cat Herder]

Food and drink are served at the table for anyone above 12 months. (even on the playground)

Infant bottle feedings are done in my arms until they can hold their own, then in their cribs until they transition to a cup. Everyone is transitioned by 12 months, here.

Absolutely no cups or bottles in the play areas.

No cups or bottles from home, for many reasons.

[daymommy]

All food and drink stay at the table here. I offer them water whenever we do a potty break or if they ask me for some. Sippy cups until age 2 and then they use a regular cup. In the summer when we are outside I use those sport type bottles that have the different characters on top. They come with juice in them but I save the containers and we reuse as water bottles, everyone gets a different character. Even outside all the cups stay on the picnic table and they have to come over to it if they want a drink. Nobody ever carries cups around here...too many germs, spills, and fights. Seems to work well for us, nobody has ever complained.

[gbcc]

Ok great! I just wanted to make sure that rule was not too harsh on a child!

[Blackcat31]

Food and drink are served at the table for anyone above 12 months. (even on the playground)

Infant bottle feedings are done in my arms until they can hold their own, then in their cribs until they transition to a cup. Everyone is transitioned by 12 months, here.

Absolutely no cups or bottles in the play areas.

No cups or bottles from home, for many reasons.

I do this exactly.

How come it has become socially acceptable for kids to carry sippy's around with them everywhere? If it was water that parents were pushing because their kid had a tendancy to become dehydrated, then I would get it but I don't understand this new age of kids with sippy's 24/7? When I was a kid we ate and drank at the table ONLY, if I was thirsty in between meals I went and got a drink from the garden hose and once I hit school I went to a drinking fountain in the hall...If it wasn't summer then I usually went to the bathroom and leaned over the bathroom sink and slurped from the faucet!
There was no such thing as a sippy cup, a water bottle or anything of the sort unless you count canteens but I thought those were for soldiers and hikers?!?! LOL!!! Boy, times have changed!!

[gbcc]

I do this exactly.

How come it has become socially acceptable for kids to carry sippy's around with them everywhere? If it was water that parents were pushing because their kid had a tendancy to become dehydrated, then I would get it but I don't understand this new age of kids with sippy's 24/7? When I was a kid we ate and drank at the table ONLY, if I was thirsty in between meals I went and got a drink from the garden hose and once I hit school I went to a drinking fountain in the hall...If it wasn't summer then I usually went to the bathroom and leaned over the bathroom sink and slurped from the faucet!
There was no such thing as a sippy cup, a water bottle or anything of the sort unless you count canteens but I thought those were for soldiers and hikers?!?! LOL!!! Boy, times have changed!!

I totally agree. I have a parent that uses the sippy for naps and bed time. To me, its a glorified bottle and I will not allow them at naps. I use them so that I don't have spills from little ones. My son never walked around with a sippy of carried it in the store. He was taken off the bottle at a year old also. What is this with children that are nearly 2 still with bottles?

[Meyou]

Kids over 2 drink from plastic cups here that stay on the table in the kitchen. They're welcome to ask nicely and go have a drink anytime they want...one at a time. :P

Kids under 2 are essentially the same except that I walk them to their sippy on the kitchen table when they ask or if they aren't verbal enough to use words I offer them a drink approx once an hour.

[Live and Learn]

Drinks only at designated times here and only when sitting at the table!! ..... No walking around with cups ....

This is me.
I only have 3 kiddies.... here if they get thirsty I let them drink at the table.
Absolutely no walking around with drinks ever, ever, ever. Think about it: choking, spills, and cup sharing! Yuck!