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gbcc 05:39 AM 02-25-2011
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
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DCMomOf3 05:45 AM 02-25-2011
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.
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Zoe 05:49 AM 02-25-2011
Originally Posted by 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.
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!
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squareone 05:45 AM 02-25-2011
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.
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MommyMuffin 05:52 AM 02-25-2011
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.
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SilverSabre25 05:56 AM 02-25-2011
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.
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mickey2 06:05 AM 02-25-2011
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.
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nikia 06:11 AM 02-25-2011
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.
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Cat Herder 06:12 AM 02-25-2011
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.
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Blackcat31 06:43 AM 02-25-2011
Originally Posted by Catherder:
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!!
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daymommy 06:16 AM 02-25-2011
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.
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gbcc 06:36 AM 02-25-2011
Ok great! I just wanted to make sure that rule was not too harsh on a child!
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Live and Learn 10:16 AM 02-25-2011
Originally Posted by Children First:
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!
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WImom 10:55 AM 02-25-2011
I don't allow any cups/drinks from home. If they are thirsty they each have a cup of water on the kitchen counter or table and they have to stay in the kitchen with it.
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littlemissmuffet 11:16 AM 02-25-2011
Originally Posted by 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.
Exact same rules apply here!
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Hunni Bee 03:19 PM 02-25-2011
Our licensing standards state that we can't allow children to eat or drink while walking around. Even the infants are held or put into high chairs or seats while they have a bottle.
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Rachel 11:44 PM 02-26-2011
When I had older kids, they could take a cup and take a drink themselves. When I have younger kids, I give drinks (ie: water, milk in the am, rare juice as a treat) in the kitchen, sitting in their chair.
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Unregistered 11:54 AM 02-28-2011
Every sippy cup I have tried leaks at one time or another. They get milk at meal times but I do offer water between meals. I try and keep the sippy cups picked up b/c as others have said as soon as they empty theres they grab whoevers is next closest. Im not real strict on cups but its better if there not laying on the floor! I dont allow outside food either but none of the parents abide by it. Today my pter walks in with a huge powerade. Already half gone. I havent given him any more.
Debbie
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