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Parenting

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Original poster

Teaching toddler to use open cup - total nightmare

34 replies

fedupandsotired · 01/10/2021 18:22

My 18 month old has used a basic Tommee Tippee sippy cup since starting weaning, which he’s got on very well with. Today I started using an open Babycup to try to transition him onto open cups and it’s been a nightmare. He has tipped the cup over, soaking his highchair tray in water. He then tipped it over himself and his food and it’s gone all over the floor. I think he did manage to drink some but nowhere near as much as he would with the sippy. Is he at the age where he needs to be moving to an open cup or can I just stick to the sippy for now? I’m really stressed at the moment and having a load of extra mess to clear up is making it worse!

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DownWhichOfLate · 01/10/2021 18:28

My three year old often still uses a sippy cup. He can use a normal cup but often spills it. Whatever is easiest!

Original poster

fedupandsotired · 01/10/2021 18:28

His clothes and nappy are also soaked so that’s something else to deal with. I’m just so tired.

OP posts:

TheBeastReleased · 01/10/2021 18:28

I would absolutely keep using the sippy cup. I think my son was well over 2 before we started taking the lid off his and letting him have an open cup. Even now, at nearly 4, he'll still have a sippy cup of water if he wakes through the night - we keep it next to his bed so he can just help himself if he's thirsty. He drinks from a normal cup all the other times.

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FuckingFlumps · 01/10/2021 18:32

This is not a battle you need to be having with an 18 month old. Honestly life is too short and he will eventually develop better coordination and understanding to allow him to use a cup with no fuss and minimal spills.

My DS is nearly 2 and I've decided that as long as he is happy using a beaker with a straw then I'm happy letting him. I've got enough shit to deal with, without creating more problems for myself.

Original poster

fedupandsotired · 01/10/2021 18:35

Thanks for the replies. I’m sure I read that open cups are better for their oral development, but there’s no way I can deal with this level of mess every single mealtime.

OP posts:

Suzi888 · 01/10/2021 18:37

Or just a little water in, only water. Summer is a better time to start!

dementedpixie · 01/10/2021 18:37

I'd give a couple of mouthfuls of water in a cup while sitting in the highchair but elsewhere I'd give a lidded cup

samwitwicky · 01/10/2021 18:40

I found the Munchkin Miracle Cup really helped us with the transition.

My DS still uses his at night so he can help himself and I don't have to worry about spillage

hellothere007 · 01/10/2021 18:41

We started using an open cup just at meal times around 10 months. Even now at 3 DS is only just getting the hang of it. Relax

OchreBlue · 01/10/2021 18:43

Oh no don't make your life more difficult like that! My DD's 4 years old and only occasionally has an open cup because she spills it most of the time. We all use water bottles.

KatherineofGaunt · 01/10/2021 18:44

We gave DS a Doidy Cup to help him learn how to tilt and sip from an open cup.

immersivereader · 01/10/2021 18:44

Yeah too young. Wait till they're about 21

WisestIsShe · 01/10/2021 18:44

I'm a cm and I start them with the tiny plastic glasses from the IKEA kitchen. If it gets spilt it's no big deal but they soon get the hand of it. I give the tiny glass for a couple of cupfuls so they can practice and then leave a sippy cup out in case they are thirsty.

whatswithtodaytoday · 01/10/2021 18:44

Honestly, just use the sippy cup. Everyone does. You can offer the open cup and get him used to it if you can be bothered that day, but it doesn't have to be for every drink.

Mine is 2.5, can use an open cup easily, but I still take the sippy cups with me when we go out because they're the least likely to leak. He also has cups with straws, and beakers for at home when he's sitting down.

Nowisthemonthofmaying · 01/10/2021 18:44

Just put a tiny amount in to start with, that way it doesn't matter if it spills,and give it after he's finished eating so it can't go in the food. You can also give him a cup when he's in the bath and already wet!

shreddednips · 01/10/2021 18:46

As PP said, you need one of the 360 cups from munchkin or something like that. You sip from them like an open cup but there's a valve covering the top so they can't spill.

QueenLagertha · 01/10/2021 18:48

Another vote for munchkin 360 cup

NannyR · 01/10/2021 18:53

Use the sippy cup at mealtimes, when you want him to actually drink something, but you could let him practice with an open cup or straw in between times. Just put a small amount of water in it until he gets the hang of it, then you could transition to using an open cup at mealtimes.

Keiki · 01/10/2021 18:57

Use a 360 cup or a closed cup with a straw for now. Open cup training is a warm summer in the garden activity!

TooBigForMyBoots · 01/10/2021 19:03

I've never heard of open cup training. My DC trained by drinking out of my glass/cup and eventually got the hang of it. Then they ditched their "baby" cups for "big boy" ones.

Original poster

fedupandsotired · 01/10/2021 19:29

I tried a Munchkin and he didn’t take to it at all. So I switched back to Tommee Tippee because he drinks a really good amount of water from that.

OP posts:

Bagelsandbrie · 01/10/2021 19:34

Way too young to worry about this. Don’t make life harder for yourself than it needs to be!

Caspianberg · 01/10/2021 19:36

I just use a beaker with lid. But let Ds try each day before lid is on whilst I’m holding it. Or he sips from my glass whilst I’m holding it still. If he has whole cup he just pours it straight down himself

lorisparkle · 01/10/2021 19:37

We used a doidy cup and only used it with a tiny amount of fluid whilst in the high chair. At all other times we used a free flow tommee tippee cup.

Smartiepants79 · 01/10/2021 19:39

We used Tommy Tippee til they were much, much older. Maybe not for everything but I think they were still using them for bedtime milk when they were 5/6! Spilled milk on to mattresses is bad!
I would be careful about putting anything other than water or milk in it most of the time due to their teeth.
Mine both used a glass or straw just fine a bit later on. There was nothing wrong with their teeth or speech.
Stick with the sippy cups for now.

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