Growing up, the child becomes more and more independent. It’s time to learn to take care of yourself, including drinking without assistance. How to accustom a child to a circle, this article tells.
Children drink from mugs
When a child is taught to drink independently
Up to six months, the baby may not be familiar with water at all. WHO recommends not to supplement breastfed babies (this does not apply to artificial babies). After six months, with the start of complementary feeding, they need H2O just like adults.
At 6 months, water is given from a bottle with a nipple. Growing up, the child gets acquainted with the drinking bowls. Eventually, it's time for cups and glasses. Parents are interested in when to start teaching them.
Pediatricians recommend introducing the baby to the cups as soon as he learns to sit confidently. But it is too early to give him ordinary dishes - children's coordination of movements is still imperfect, and the crumb will only be poured or even choked. Therefore, at 5-8 months (during this period, babies sit down), in addition to a sippy cup, it is recommended to get a sippy cup. The flow of liquid in it is greater than in the bottle, the baby should get used to it.
The child is accustomed to an ordinary standard cup or glass after he has fully mastered the sippy. I.e:
- Learn to take it off the table;
- Tilt so that the liquid does not pour onto the floor, but into your mouth;
- Control the angle of inclination;
- Place the dishes back on the table.
Girl drinks from a cup
Note! It is possible to accustom the child to the cup (no matter how much you want to do it as soon as possible) only when he is ready for it himself.
How to choose the right kids mug
When choosing the first children's mug, sippy or regular, you need to pay attention to the following nuances:
- Durable material. These utensils will have to be on the floor more than once and must withstand drops. Glass is not given to a one-year-old - it is dangerous. It is better to give preference to a cup made of baby plastic;
- Lack of hard-to-reach corners. Children, in addition to water, use juices, kefir, yoghurts, milk, mixtures. If there is a place in the spout that is difficult to clean, harmful bacteria will grow there;
- The sippy container should be tightly closed. The child will investigate it anyway. It is better if he cannot open it on his own;
- Free flow. The difference between a cup and a sippy cup is the absence of a silicone valve. The kid must learn to control the flow of fluid without it.
Siphones are not used for long. Therefore, you do not need to buy a lot of them. One or two is enough.
Non-spill cups from Avent
Where to start learning
There is only one answer to the question of how to teach a child to drink from a mug - in a practical way. The kid will shower more than once, spill water on the floor and furniture, but this is an integral part of learning. In no case should you scold for this. Therefore, before starting, mom and dad should take care of the following:
- Remove electrical appliances, as well as things that cannot get wet due to the possible affected area.
- Have patience.
- Prepare several permanent replacement sets of clothes for the child (or let him walk at home in the same underwear or diaper).
It is more convenient for the baby to drink from a bottle or a sippy cup, because he, for sure, will protest against the cup. During the day, you need to transfer all feedings (gradually, one by one) to new dishes. Ultimately, it is also given when feeding with formula before bedtime.
The parent must understand that training begins with the first attempt to give a cup. It must not be used for playing, running with it in hand. If you want to teach how to drink only in the kitchen, then the dishes should not leave its limits. Attempts to break the rules are suppressed affectionately but firmly.
How to teach drinking from a mug
You can gradually teach a child to drink from a mug on their own, like everything else. And it doesn't matter if it's a sippy cup or an ordinary cup without a lid. In fact, training is the same in both cases and is carried out in the following stages:
- The first. First, the parent literally pours a sip of liquid into the cup and gives it to the child, while continuing to hold the dishes in their hands for insurance. The adult's task is to show the child what exactly needs to be done with her in order to drink. It is important to demonstrate that the mug should be tilted smoothly, slowly.
Mom teaches daughter to drink from a cup
Important! While the baby is learning to drink, he will choke at least once. The parent is obliged to react correctly to this so that the baby does not suffocate. It is necessary to tilt the choked one forward and with the fingertips of one hand moderately hard, rhythmically tap on the back between the shoulder blades, closer to the neck. A similar technique is used by experts in infant swimming. Beat with your palm, you cannot use force - the effectiveness of these actions is low. They can also cause severe bruising.
- Second. When the baby already understands the principle of action, you can teach him to drink on his own. At this stage, it is still impossible to leave the child unattended by an adult.
- Third. When the baby already knows how to hold it correctly, tilt the cup, you can put it lower, in the zone of its access, and also weaken the control.
Difficulty learning
Learning to drink independently can be difficult. The following describes what they can be and what to do to overcome them:
- Child's refusal to learn. If the baby does not want to master the sippy cup, and flatly, it cannot be forced. It is important to form an interest in independence, violent actions will not contribute to this, it is better to postpone training.
- Unreadiness of the baby. Of course, by 9-10 months (maximum a year), you must give up the bottle. This is associated with the risk of bottle caries, dentists warn. It is not necessary to go strictly to the cup; a drinking bowl with a straw will do.
Drinking cup with straw Munchkin
It is considered essential for the garden to be able to drink from a cup. If the child is not ready, it is still better not to rush, having prepared a "spare" drinker for the educational institution. Most likely, in a peer group, the baby will be interested in learning to drink from a cup, and the cup will not be needed.
Teaching a child to drink entirely independently from a circle is a wet stage through which all mothers and fathers go. It is necessary to allow the kid to make mistakes, as he learns through trial and error. The optimal time for mastering this skill depends entirely on the individual qualities of the baby.
