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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Teaching Them To Hold A Bottle At 1 Yrs Old
countrymom 12:36 PM 03-02-2012
I have a child who doesn't know how to hold her bottle or sippy cup to drink. Dad says she does but I know that he's full of poop. I have yet to see this child do it. Her bottle is sitting here on the floor, its the evenflo bottle so its not too heavy and I've tried every kind of sippy and nothing she wants me to do it for her.
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SunshineMama 12:49 PM 03-02-2012
Originally Posted by countrymom:
I have a child who doesn't know how to hold her bottle or sippy cup to drink. Dad says she does but I know that he's full of poop. I have yet to see this child do it. Her bottle is sitting here on the floor, its the evenflo bottle so its not too heavy and I've tried every kind of sippy and nothing she wants me to do it for her.
Can you prop it? I wouldn't prop it for a younger child, but I don't have the time to bottle feed a 1 year old. She can do it- she's just being lazy probably because she can. Both of my own kids could hold bottles at 4 months. I guarantee a 1 year old can.
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MNMum 02:37 PM 03-02-2012
I had one like this recently. I think I said out loud to myself one day "Why am I still holding your bottle?" 1 yo was in my lap, I simply placed his hands on his bottle and held them there at first. Then I would put his hands on the bottle and tell him to hold it. He was just being lazy about it. Pretty quickly he learned if he wanted his milk he would need to hold the bottle.
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Heidi 03:05 PM 03-02-2012
A one year old shouldn't even be getting a bottle anymore, imo.

She should be eating at the table with everyone else what everyone else is eating. Exception being choking hazards, like raw carrots, which I steam for my younger ones, if I serve them. Apples I just slice really thin until I am comfortable.

I would give her a cup with a lid at meal times. Set it in front of her, and she will hopefully do it when she sees the other kids doing it. If not, you could help her as pp said at the end of the meal. That way she's gotten enough time during the meal to try it, but she is not walking away completely thirsty.
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countrymom 03:13 PM 03-02-2012
I've done everything you ladies have said. She needs to sit on my lap, she tips her head back and will drink, but only 2 slurps at a time and then you have to pull it out and put it back in. I'm so tired of it. Seriously it takes over a half hour for her to drink. She is lazy. Oh mom wants to switch her to sippies, but how is she going to do that if she can't hold anything.
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Heidi 03:22 PM 03-02-2012
Originally Posted by countrymom:
I've done everything you ladies have said. She needs to sit on my lap, she tips her head back and will drink, but only 2 slurps at a time and then you have to pull it out and put it back in. I'm so tired of it. Seriously it takes over a half hour for her to drink. She is lazy. Oh mom wants to switch her to sippies, but how is she going to do that if she can't hold anything.
Does she feed herself food? How are her other motor skills? Does she manipulate toys, etc?

Honestly, I would just set the cup in front of her at the table. She drinks, she doesn't drink, not your problem. You just have to offer it...
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MNMum 03:48 PM 03-02-2012
Originally Posted by bbo:
A one year old shouldn't even be getting a bottle anymore, imo.

She should be eating at the table with everyone else what everyone else is eating. Exception being choking hazards, like raw carrots, which I steam for my younger ones, if I serve them. Apples I just slice really thin until I am comfortable.

I would give her a cup with a lid at meal times. Set it in front of her, and she will hopefully do it when she sees the other kids doing it. If not, you could help her as pp said at the end of the meal. That way she's gotten enough time during the meal to try it, but she is not walking away completely thirsty.
I agree. This particular kid came to me at 9 mos and has a few issues. Sensory stuff. Finally drinking from a sippy at 16 mos. Still hardly eats a thing. I see therapy in his future.
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momma2girls 04:50 PM 03-02-2012
Everyone is off the bottle and out of formula at the age of one, if not before here at daycare.
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nannyde 05:16 PM 03-02-2012
country I have a technique to use for this that works every time but it would take me forever to type out.

Am I understanding that she's on a bottle because she can't manage a sippy yet? Have you tried a straw?
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countrymom 05:26 PM 03-02-2012
she's on a bottle, she can't hold it. I have tried sippys with handles she just won't hold it. to me she seems lazy. She also doesn't know how to drink from a sippy, so I have sippys with handles and a nipple and she still won't do it. Today I gave her the bottle and she stood there with her mouth open waiting for me to give it to her. I put her hands around it and she she freaked, so I left it on the ground. She didn't even touch it, my 3 yr old dcg went to give it to her and again she stood there with her mouth open. That to me is lazy. She can eat with her hands no problem so I know thats not the issue.
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MarinaVanessa 10:38 AM 03-03-2012
For children like this to start I simply give them the sippy/bottle to hold in their own hands and then lift it for them enough for them to get a taste. Then I let go. If they drop their hands then they're not thirsty enough to want to do it on their own. They may fuss a bit and even cry some but then I just lift the sippy/bottle with one or two fingers (not hold it) and do this again and again.

She could just be babied at home and fed like this but she realized that you won't hold it for her she'll eventually start doing it herself. Just keep doing it. Rinse and repeat.
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cheerfuldom 01:15 PM 03-03-2012
I would do sippys with straws, no bottle. she will drink when she is thirsty.
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Heidi 12:56 PM 03-04-2012
My youngest are now 18 months, and I recently switched them to open cups. I found these little espresso cups at Dollar General that are perfect. Because they are real "china", they are a little heavier and hard to tip. I'd never dare it with plastic cups yet.

They carry sippy cups around at home-can't stand that. They might as well have bottles (and the family calls them babas).

As soon as spring hits up there in old Canada, I'd try that outside if I were you. Hand her a small open cup of water, and see what she does. ???

I still think that if she's thirsty, she'll drink. Put a cup next to her plate, and don't address it.
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countrymom 03:46 PM 03-04-2012
I think thats what i'm going to do. This bottle nonsense is crazy.
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Heidi 05:20 PM 03-04-2012
Originally Posted by countrymom:
I think thats what i'm going to do. This bottle nonsense is crazy.
yeperee... crazy....
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Texasjeepgirl 04:35 AM 03-05-2012
In my opinion.. First thing.. stop offering the bottle.. period..
I would do this whether the parents change over at home or not...I've had many infants off the bottle in my care LONG before the mommies and daddies stop making those bottles for them at home...

If the child is 1 year old.. UNLESS there is honestly something WRONG with this child.. if she can LEARN to hold a bottle.. skip the bottle.. make it a CUP..second of all.. stop switching around... choose 1 cup.. and COMMIT TO IT... if this child is having that much of an issue.. she needs CONSISTENCY.. and continually switching around... trying this and that.. this and that... probably has her as confused as the concept of having to hold it herself...

I personally think that this cup is THE BEST PRODUCT on the market for transitioning an infant from bottle to cup...

http://www.amazon.com/NUK-Learner-La...0950271&sr=8-2

I had my own granddaughter using this cup at 5 months old.. and she took to it instantly... her mom.. (my daughter) continued to use bottles at home for a few months... but by the time she was 7-8 months old.. no BOTTLES... she is now 14 months old.. I have occasionally offered her a different type cup..and so for... no way.. she only wants this style...

Do you have a high chair.. or any other type of infant seat that RECLINES? If so.. put her in it.. prop this cup if you have to..put her hands on the handle...then walk away.. and repeat... she WILL GET IT.. if you are consistent... every day...

I don't know what the rules for licensing are where you live...but in Texas children are not suppose to ever walk around with a bottle or a cup.. my children either sit at the table.. in a high chair.. OR stand next to the kitchen counter while taking a drink... even the babies.... I am either holding them.. or they are in a high chair or an infant seat of some kind before I offer them the cup... this goes along with consistency...

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MrsB 07:08 AM 03-05-2012
My 16 mos old DD has had several sensory issues and it mainly effects her eating/drinking. She is seeing a Occupational Therapist now because of her issues. We first went with the nothing-but-the-cup approach after not drinking for 3 days we botched that idea! The occupational therapist said that sippys with spouts are really just glorified bottles. Going to regular cups or a straw is best. My DD was so freaked out about the cup we learned straws (using a juice box so I could squeeze the juice up until she got the hint to suck) Then moved to a sippy cup with a straw. Within 5 days of her learning the straw, she was off bottles completely.
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countrymom 11:17 AM 03-05-2012
today was so much better than last week. I made her sit and watch the other dcg drink her sippy cup and she was imatating her. Now I have one more boy to get off the bottle, hmm, the straw sippy sounds like a good idea.
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grandmom 02:45 PM 03-05-2012
If she is able to feed herself, she knows how her hand and mouth work.

You are right. She is lazy.

Give her the cup. She will drink when she is thirsty enough to stop being lazy.
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permanentvacation 05:17 AM 06-02-2016
It sounds like she's always had the bottle held for her or propped for her. Obviously no one has worked with her on teaching her how to hold her bottle. By her not holding her bottle, she has no clue that she's SUPPOSED to hold it. Plus, she has not been building up her muscles in order to hold it.

I would not give her a bottle at all at 1 year of age. But, since she doesn't know how to hold a bottle/cup, I'd give her a cup and help her/teach her how to hold the cup for herself. It might take a couple of weeks of you helping her. It really sounds to me like she's never had to hold her own bottle and has no idea that she's supposed to.

I had a little boy that was a little under a year old who had no idea how to or that he was supposed to hold his own bottle. I couldn't get him to drink much of anything all day! After expressing my confusion and concern as to why he wouldn't hold his own bottle, or drink much for me, the parents told me that the bottles they used were Dr. Brown bottles and were supposed to be held at a 45 degree angle when the baby was drinking from it. So, the parents would put the baby in his car seat, LEAN the car seat against the wall, and using a blanket, would prop the bottle at a 45 degree angle!!!!

I kept trying to get him to drink from a bottle with me holding him and I kept putting his hands on the bottle to teach him how to hold the bottle for himself. After a couple of days, he did start putting his hands on the bottle himself, but he couldn't keep them there long and couldn't lift the bottle up much. I believe that it's because he hadn't been building those muscles up while he was an infant. I do believe that if I kept working with him, that he would build the muscles and hold his bottle by himself. But, due to other issues, I decided to terminate him not too long after he started.
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Blackcat31 05:21 AM 06-02-2016
This thread is from 2012...

Just in case you didn't notice
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LysesKids 05:58 AM 06-02-2016
Originally Posted by Texasjeepgirl:
In my opinion.. First thing.. stop offering the bottle.. period..
I would do this whether the parents change over at home or not...I've had many infants off the bottle in my care LONG before the mommies and daddies stop making those bottles for them at home...

If the child is 1 year old.. UNLESS there is honestly something WRONG with this child.. if she can LEARN to hold a bottle.. skip the bottle.. make it a CUP..second of all.. stop switching around... choose 1 cup.. and COMMIT TO IT... if this child is having that much of an issue.. she needs CONSISTENCY.. and continually switching around... trying this and that.. this and that... probably has her as confused as the concept of having to hold it herself...

I personally think that this cup is THE BEST PRODUCT on the market for transitioning an infant from bottle to cup...

http://www.amazon.com/NUK-Learner-La...0950271&sr=8-2

I had my own granddaughter using this cup at 5 months old.. and she took to it instantly... her mom.. (my daughter) continued to use bottles at home for a few months... but by the time she was 7-8 months old.. no BOTTLES... she is now 14 months old.. I have occasionally offered her a different type cup..and so for... no way.. she only wants this style...

Do you have a high chair.. or any other type of infant seat that RECLINES? If so.. put her in it.. prop this cup if you have to..put her hands on the handle...then walk away.. and repeat... she WILL GET IT.. if you are consistent... every day...

I don't know what the rules for licensing are where you live...but in Texas children are not suppose to ever walk around with a bottle or a cup.. my children either sit at the table.. in a high chair.. OR stand next to the kitchen counter while taking a drink... even the babies.... I am either holding them.. or they are in a high chair or an infant seat of some kind before I offer them the cup... this goes along with consistency...
This was my go to transition item also, unfortunately NUK stopped making them... very hard to find if at all. It made life easier here because all my littles learned to drink from NUK bottles
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Unregistered 09:20 PM 06-03-2016
They still sell those. I used them for both my kids. One of them used them since he was 10 months - went from breast to that cup, no bottle needed. They sell them in all kinds of patterns is all- not plain colors like the one linked. I highly recommend these as the only Sippy to buy. All the parts interchangeable if you stick to one kind of sippy.
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LysesKids 10:37 AM 06-04-2016
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
They still sell those. I used them for both my kids. One of them used them since he was 10 months - went from breast to that cup, no bottle needed. They sell them in all kinds of patterns is all- not plain colors like the one linked. I highly recommend these as the only Sippy to buy. All the parts interchangeable if you stick to one kind of sippy.
Oh I totally agree...
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MunchkinWrangler 08:31 AM 06-05-2016
I absolutely recommend the Munchkin 360. I should post a pic. Hands down best way to get a toddler to start drinking from a cup. It is a cup, the top is a gage, so far I have had no problems with keeping it clean. The pressure of their lips allow liquid to get through to drink. I wish they had them when my son was that age. I've had a child that wouldn't accept a soppy, accept the munchkin. It is fairy new on the market but other brands make similar versions.
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MunchkinWrangler 08:34 AM 06-05-2016
Here it is!
Attached: image.jpg (7.8 KB) 
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ColorfulSunburst 04:32 PM 06-05-2016
the best, simplest, and fastest way to teach kids to drink from a regular cup is just let them use a regular cup. Let kids doing one big step instead of doing many tiny steps.
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MunchkinWrangler 07:41 PM 06-05-2016
Originally Posted by ColorfulSunburst:
the best, simplest, and fastest way to teach kids to drink from a regular cup is just let them use a regular cup. Let kids doing one big step instead of doing many tiny steps.
I agree but I clean up enough spills throughout the day. Parents are more than welcome to do it at home!!
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Blackcat31 07:28 AM 06-06-2016
Originally Posted by ColorfulSunburst:
the best, simplest, and fastest way to teach kids to drink from a regular cup is just let them use a regular cup. Let kids doing one big step instead of doing many tiny steps.


I've got parents that still provide a sippy for their 5 yr olds.
"I don't want to deal with the mess" is the most common reply when I ask about it.

In daycare, I don't use sippy cups at all. I just give them a regular unlidded cup.
I dont fill it completely full at first and start with only a sip or two until they've figured it out.
Within a day or two most kids have it down no problem and I rarely have more than a few drops to clean up.

For me the big picture (all regular cups) is by far more than worth having to deal with a few spills.
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LysesKids 08:45 AM 06-06-2016
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:


I've got parents that still provide a sippy for their 5 yr olds.
"I don't want to deal with the mess" is the most common reply when I ask about it.

In daycare, I don't use sippy cups at all. I just give them a regular unlidded cup.
I dont fill it completely full at first and start with only a sip or two until they've figured it out.
Within a day or two most kids have it down no problem and I rarely have more than a few drops to clean up.

For me the big picture (all regular cups) is by far more than worth having to deal with a few spills.
I have all my babes drinking out of 3-4 oz glasses, not plastic cups by 16 months... It amazes me, how the childcare homes & centers they transition to always do sippy's at that age (exception are the Montessori's). I know of one center still does finger foods for all 2-3 year olds which in my eyes is ridiculous

When you go to Montessori they assume the littles can or will learn quickly to drink without lids and use silverware on real plates
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MunchkinWrangler 09:52 AM 06-06-2016
I must not be cut out for this job!
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Annalee 09:56 AM 06-06-2016
Originally Posted by MunchkinWrangler:
I must not be cut out for this job!
Some of my kids use sippy cups, too....it just depends on when I am ready to make that transition. Some kids mature more than others and I do not necessarily go by age...just when I am ready to transition the issue.
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LysesKids 10:36 AM 06-06-2016
Originally Posted by Annalee:
Some of my kids use sippy cups, too....it just depends on when I am ready to make that transition. Some kids mature more than others and I do not necessarily go by age...just when I am ready to transition the issue.
Around here it's Monkey see Monkey do... right now 3 of the four babies I have sit at the table in their special boosters (11, 12 & 14 months) and all do well eating off plates though one occasionally ends up on the floor after a particular child is finished lol; we are working on the skills of holding glasses with very little water at the moment... for actual meals they get small plastic cups to drink from
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Annalee 10:52 AM 06-06-2016
Originally Posted by LysesKids:
Around here it's Monkey see Monkey do... right now 3 of the four babies I have sit at the table in their special boosters (11, 12 & 14 months) and all do well eating off plates though one occasionally ends up on the floor after a particular child is finished lol; we are working on the skills of holding glasses with very little water at the moment... for actual meals they get small plastic cups to drink from
my kids get utensils and plates at an early age, but I am pickier when I transition from a sippy to a regular cup....not saying it is the right/only way, just something I choose to do.
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LysesKids 12:04 PM 06-06-2016
Originally Posted by Annalee:
my kids get utensils and plates at an early age, but I am pickier when I transition from a sippy to a regular cup....not saying it is the right/only way, just something I choose to do.
Oh I get that...
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ColorfulSunburst 07:35 PM 06-06-2016
Originally Posted by MunchkinWrangler:
I agree but I clean up enough spills throughout the day. Parents are more than welcome to do it at home!!
I have 12 kids
2-18mo
1 - 3yo
1- 3.2yo
2 - 3.6yo
3 - 3.9yo
1 - 3.11yo
2 - 4.2 yo
and I clean up no more than 2-3 spills throughout a month.
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MunchkinWrangler 08:07 PM 06-06-2016
Originally Posted by ColorfulSunburst:
I have 12 kids
2-18mo
1 - 3yo
1- 3.2yo
2 - 3.6yo
3 - 3.9yo
1 - 3.11yo
2 - 4.2 yo
and I clean up no more than 2-3 spills throughout a month.
I have considerably less...5
1 - 16 mo
1 - 17 mo
1 - 2.9 yo
1 - 3 yo
1 infant who is 4 mo
My 2 and 3 yo have regular cups. I didn't do sippys with either of them. The 2 yo is my child and he had sippys but only outside or when we were out and about. They do fairly well except for once in a while. My toddlers have a bad habit of tossing their "cups" leading to spills which lead me to the Munchkin cups above. When they drop them or decide to throw them there is very little spillage, which I appreciate. I just don't think they are ready for a regular cup yet. And they have been completely off of bottles very soon after their first bdays. Food is another topic altogether.
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Blackcat31 06:12 AM 06-07-2016
Originally Posted by ColorfulSunburst:
I have 12 kids
2-18mo
1 - 3yo
1- 3.2yo
2 - 3.6yo
3 - 3.9yo
1 - 3.11yo
2 - 4.2 yo
and I clean up no more than 2-3 spills throughout a month.
I also have 12 kids

2 - 19 month olds
3 - 2 yr olds
3 - 3 yr olds
2 - 4 yr olds
2 - 5 yr olds

My kiddos all get small plastic cups the same size as a Dixie cup. (I bought them on Amazon) I start by just adding one sip at a time to their cups.

Like PP said, it's always Monkey see-Monkey do around here too so I use that to my advantage. I place older kids at the table between younger kids so they can role model proper table manners and utensil use etc.

I try to have as many things be child sized as possible so that kids can easily maneuver items in their hands.

Once they've mastered a sip or two, I add more and more until they're drinking a regularly filled cup. It really takes no more than a few days for them to become pretty good at it.

My kiddos (ALL of them) also bus their own dishes when they are finished eating too. I teach them how to put their silverware and their cups on their plates, get down off their chairs and then pick up their plates and carry them to the sink.

They put their cups in a stack, their plates in another stack and their silverware in the sink. Then they go push their chairs back in and go to the bathroom to wash hands and use the toilet before rest time.

Oh, and the last spill I cleaned up was from me. I was refilling someone's cup and didn't lift the milk carton high enough and tipped someone's cup right over so the biggest mess maker is usually me.
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Annalee 06:37 AM 06-07-2016
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
I also have 12 kids

2 - 19 month olds
3 - 2 yr olds
3 - 3 yr olds
2 - 4 yr olds
2 - 5 yr olds

My kiddos all get small plastic cups the same size as a Dixie cup. (I bought them on Amazon) I start by just adding one sip at a time to their cups.

Like PP said, it's always Monkey see-Monkey do around here too so I use that to my advantage. I place older kids at the table between younger kids so they can role model proper table manners and utensil use etc.

I try to have as many things be child sized as possible so that kids can easily maneuver items in their hands.

Once they've mastered a sip or two, I add more and more until they're drinking a regularly filled cup. It really takes no more than a few days for them to become pretty good at it.

My kiddos (ALL of them) also bus their own dishes when they are finished eating too. I teach them how to put their silverware and their cups on their plates, get down off their chairs and then pick up their plates and carry them to the sink.

They put their cups in a stack, their plates in another stack and their silverware in the sink. Then they go push their chairs back in and go to the bathroom to wash hands and use the toilet before rest time.

Oh, and the last spill I cleaned up was from me. I was refilling someone's cup and didn't lift the milk carton high enough and tipped someone's cup right over so the biggest mess maker is usually me.
When we are outside I have these cups for everyone with water. I like the idea of a small sip in the cup.....but our food program makes us put a certain amount in each cup at meals.....I never know when they will show up so I am always prepared.....I don't want to put that much liquid in a cup of someone that is "learning".
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Cozy_Kids_Childcare 07:54 AM 06-07-2016
I have twins that are almost 14 months and neither can hold a bottle or a cup. I've been working on it but with the cup they just let it run out their mouth.
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happymom 08:03 AM 06-07-2016
Blackcat,
What state are you in? If you're near me, I'd like to be put on your waiting list please
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Blackcat31 11:56 AM 06-07-2016
Originally Posted by happymom:
Blackcat,
What state are you in? If you're near me, I'd like to be put on your waiting list please
Lol! I'm about 1400 miles NE of you

I'm in northern MN about a 100 miles south of the Canadian border.

But you are certainly welcome to be on my waitlist!
It might be a long commute
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happymom 12:26 PM 06-07-2016
Oh yes, that is quite far.
I figured it was a longshot. I know there's a few people on this forum that are in reasonable distance to me, but haven't found anyone close enough to seriously consider.
Whomp whomp.
Haha!
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Pestle 02:09 PM 06-07-2016
Originally Posted by LysesKids:
When you go to Montessori they assume the littles can or will learn quickly to drink without lids and use silverware on real plates
Yes! My husband collects shot glasses. They just sat in the cabinet until we had our daughter. They're just the right size for a baby--you have to refill them a couple of times, but there's less to spill. We also gave her espresso mugs and tiny creamer pitchers. Of course, we have large glasses now that she's a toddler, but we use appetizer forks/spoons/plates instead of chunky plastic.

When she was in someone else's day care, she was holding her own bottle at home but not at the day care . . . until the care giver caught her at it, and realized she was faking not being able to hold it.
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