The Sippy Cup Kunundra

A sippy cup is defined as a training cup – usually plastic – with a screw- or snap-on lid and a spout that your child can drink from without spilling. There's probably a million and one versions available to accommodate even the pickiest little drinker.....but I don't think they considered the pickiest child of them all Madison!!!

I have introduced every sippy cup imaginable to excite, interest and promote Madison to drink anything other than milk which she drinks in a bottle. But my stubborn little one would simply sit in her chair with the new, shiny and bright sippy cup and bite it. If there was a hidden camera in my house I would look like a crazed lunatic mommy singing and dancing at the introduction of each new cup just to make her think this is the best thing she has ever come in contact with - no luck.

I thought having an older sibling around would help her achieve all her milestones earlier making her want to do the same thing. Reality check - she is really her own person and wants what she wants when she wants. So in comes tough love! Let me review with you what my plan was:

• Don't cause any undue stress, try to find a cup that works best for her and me
• Demonstrate how to raise the cup to her mouth and tip it to help her drink
• Try different cups until I find one that Madison likes - there's no more left to try!!
• Try a cup with a built in straw
• Remove the valve from the sippy cup - she didn't like the idea of getting soaked!

So, lets review, I have tried different methods for the last 5 months with no luck! Yesturday I was in the kitchen while my husband was entertaining the kiddies in the living room. All of a sudden Paul screams out to me "Madison is drinking out of a juice box"! I ran into the room with disbelief and dismay and to my excitement she was slurping away. So simple, a juice box!

So the moral of the story, you can try everything imaginable to get your child to do something you want but if they are not good and ready it won't happen. I am still faced with the sippy cup kunundra but at least she is now drinking something other than soy milk.

SSMom