Lidded cups at toddler group

[Interl0per]

Prompted by the sad discussion of baby burned by hot tea...

I coordinate a stay and play preschool. We serve refreshments to parents. We only have lidded cups. We have signs saying hot drinks must have a lid. We encourage regulars to bring their own cup if they prefer to do that.

Yet every week there are parents/childminders leaving lids off, even taking the lid back off after I/colleague asks them to use it.

What to do? I don't want to act unreasonably, but I am I wrong to be really frustrated by this?

I'd stop the refreshments then if they can't act like grown ups.

Stop serving hot drinks

Yes, put up signs telling them unfortunately the drinks will have to go if they can’t comply with the rule. I used to go to a BF group where they wouldn’t serve hot drinks due to safety which hugely frustrated me at the time, but I guess this is why! People want to make their own call but I sympathise with organisers like you whose job it is to ensure safety.

Are they holding their cups or putting them down when small hands can reach?

Are the drinks near the kids or are they on a table out of the way?

Lids keep drinks hotter for longer. They also come off. A colleague had third degree burns from a hot drink at work when the drink toppled and lid came off and drink spilt out.

Maybe look at where the drinks are or only offer cold drinks?

Toddlers should never have a drink hot enough to hurt them. That’s the issue.

No lid, no hot drink ! Simples. I would call them out on it vocally to shame them into not doing it again and make the point that you will ban hot drinks for all if people continue not to use kids

She's talking about lidded cups for adults' teas and coffees.

I have never used a lidded cup at play group, and never been asked to. We use normal cups or mugs.
The lids on single use cups are useless anyway, if a baby actually tries to grab it or if it falls down, in them, the lid will go off.
But i have also never been served drinks that would be hot enough to burn.

They don't need hot drinks. Just offer cold ones. Less plastic, too.

Sounds like a terrible thing if a child got burnt. But surely grown adults can be trusted with a cup of tea or coffee in a normal mug? How do they function at home??

Easy - no hot drinks. No getting round it by bringinc a Costa in either.

Are the drinks served in the same room as the play area?
At my playgroup (in a church) there are two rooms attached via the entrance hall, one room is the main hall where the toys are and kids playing then at snack time we move to the other room where there is a serving counter style kitchen and tables and seating where the children have their snack and drink and the adults have hot drinks and cake. Hot drinks are served in normal mugs. No food or drink, hot or cold leaves the dining room. We have signs saying no hot drinks past this point on the entrance to play room but no one takes anything out of the dining room anyway.

If this isn’t the case with your venue with having a separate food space and drinks are served and consumed in the same area as the kids are playing then I think it’s only right the adults use lids. Yes lids don’t prevent all accidents, a lidded drink left unattended can still be knocked or squeezed so the hot liquid could hurt someone. If they refuse to use lids then I’d stop hot drinks altogether, it’s not a hard rule to follow.

Can you section off an adults only hot drink area?

I had this at a Toddler Group I ran. I'm an anxious over thinker. It was before adult lidded cups were a thing. The adult hot drinks were served only warm. If people asked I lied and said there had been a scalding.

Bring their own travel lidded mugs from home? Most people have them or can buy easily
No hot drinks offered otherwise.
I remember a child of 18 months pulled a ( poured 15 minutes ago) drink onto her chest and shoulders and was taken to the regional burns unit when mine were young

I wouldn't bother with any warnings or signs. People are arrogant enough to think this will never happen to them otherwise they wouldn't do it to begin with. You and your staff don't need the stress of being abused at work. I would stop serving hot drinks.That won't be popular as getting a coffee is what a lot of parents look forward to at these baby groups. Maybe look into a high yield alternative (iced coffee or smoothies)which takes away the need for the extra work for your staff but doesn't affect profitability.

You can be sure that this is an accident waiting to happen and some poor child will get hurt and then liability will be on you.

Hot drinks are served at all the groups I go to, in normal mugs. They cool off pretty quick - it wouldn't be hot enough to cause a scald. Just make sure it sits on the side for 5 minutes in a china mug before being put out. Safer than a lidded mug where it stays scalding for half an hour.

Lidded cups are for keeping drinks hot they aren't to decrease the risk of drinks.

Never heard of only lidded cups for adults. We use standard mugs but adults are careful about them

If you are worried about it, stop serving hot drinks. It's worth it for kids' safety and your peace of mind.

Don't serve hot drinks?

This rule is common in schools but it's also common for adults to take the lids off to actually take a sip; a lot of people don't like the taste of the silicone/metal/plastic lid. As long as the lids goes straight back on, I think the risk is pretty low.