Monday, March 22, 2010

Day 3: Sippy Cup Stand-off

So this weekend has been a very interesting battle of the bulge at the Hawken household. We are trying, at this point unsuccessfully, to wean Ben from the bottle and onto the sippy cup. *shock* *gasp* Yes, he still drinks milk from a bottle. And yes, I know that he is 16-months old and should be way over this. He has been drinking water and juice from sippy cups since before he turned 1. However, he will haughtily throw down any sippy cup that contains milk. He has opinions and he's not afraid to share them, even if it involves hurling a sippy cup at your head.

We have been trying to get him off bottles for a few months now, and I have grimaced every time we've been out in public and I've had to break out the bottle or every time my mom lovingly makes a comment or every time some other mother at Gymboree shares her well-intentioned opinion. And I'll admit we haven't really thrown ourselves into the process whole-heartedly. What can I say, he's my baby. This is his one thing. He has never taken a pacifier, he has no lovey toy, no favorite blanket - he likes his milk from a Born Free nipple. I thought he'd just naturally grow out of it, eventually. In an effort to ready Ben for daycare, this weekend we decided to make our home a bottle-free zone. (Yes, Ben will be attending a 2-day program...but that's another post.)

I knew it would be difficult. I knew he would pitch fits. However I did not anticipate how stubborn my son can be. People, it is Day 3. The boy goes without drinking milk from a sippy all day, when he usually would have had 4 bottles. We will give him 1 water/juice mixture and the rest is either water or milk from a sippy. He will take a few sips, but never drink more than a few ounces of either. How is he maintaining his resistance? Is he part cyborg? 

1 comment:

Breezy said...

I'm not even going to attempt to offer any well meaning advice because I know you're doing all that you can. I think we all have our "things" (or our kids do, rather) that we just have to do our best with. I can't explain why some kids make some transitions so easily and others so hard. My only suggestion (I know I said I wouldn't offer any advice-but this one might make you some money!) is to create a cover for the bottle that makes it look like a sippy cup =) That way you'll make money, other people won't judge you, and Ben will get what he wants (Plus, he won't go off to college with a bottle!).