open cups are a way to ensure they can't be checking facebook or e-mails on their phones
haha Katy! I never thought of that!
Update on how it went.
DP took change of clothes, a towel to dry DS if he got REALLY soaked, sippy cup with lid, snacks, etc etc...it looked like they were going away for a month by the time it was all packed.
The group is lovely, when I went to pick them up I arrived earlier than needed and a few kids were running in and out of the building and around an enclosed out door play area, it really did look very happy and lovely, I was quite jealous!
I saw DP and DS and DS was clearly having a WONDERFUL time. A few of the dads made a point of saying goodbye and hope they saw DP again next time when they left and this can only be a good thing for DP.
The issue on the water - well - I wasn't happy
I know at the start of this thread I was questioning myself, had I let them both down by not ensuring DS had this skill before attending, but I really don't feel that way at all now. I feel confident that I have been doing the right thing and that this rule at this group is plain ODD.
The vast majority of the kids are much much older, some looked like teens, almost all were clearly old enough for open cups to be used independently. So I don't know why the supervisor was making a big deal of pushing open cup drinking when there's only a few LOs there - just let them have a sippy for goodness sake!
What really annoyed me, DP told me the cups given were not even the plastic sippy cups without the top on, no, they were adult china mugs. I am very against this at DS's age. Maybe you ladies have some different ideas on this (if so please share, I am far more open minded to BWing ladies opinions than I am some supervisor at a play group) but I DO NOT allow DS to go anywhere near a china/ceramic mug.
As soon as DS was cruising and started to notice mugs at home I would tell him 'no, hot!' (with a bit of action to go with it) when he went near one (even if it was empty) and I ensured he never got his hand on it. Hot drinks are generally kept out of his way for safety but I don't try to 'hide' them, and so long as I am sitting right next to my drink it will sometimes be within reaching distance but only when I am fully engaged in minding him so I can reinforce the instruction not to touch it. I wanted DS to gradually learn that this was an item he mustn't touch. Now he's running all over the place he will go towards my mug, stop, give the stop sign and very proudly babble a kind of 'stop don't touch' type of sentence whilst shaking his head. He looks at me really proudly that he understands and I confirm to him that it is 'hot!' and he turns away and goes on playing.
For me this is a good lesson.
Giving him a china cup at play group is totally confusing.
Not only does it confuse the lesson given at home but also the dads at group were drinking hot tea and coffee. How is my DS supposed to know which mugs he is supposed to pick up and pour over himself and which he is supposed to leave alone because they are dangerous and could burn him?
The groups I go to the adults are never given hot drinks, we don't get drinks, all the drinks and snacks are for the children, seems normal to me.
Add to that, DP said DS was banging his china mug hard on the table, well yeah, I mean he is only 15 months, so there's a risk of him breaking the cup and getting hurt too. Maybe the supervisor sees this as another required lesson, to teach them not to bang their drinks
So, DP and I have agreed that next time DP will take DS's sippy and will not allow the china mug to be offered. It's up to DP if he want's to do open cup or use the sippy lid. I did ask if he felt DS had had enough to drink and he said no. He had tried to offer DS a drink from his sippy in secret (!) but he felt overall DS was probably thirsty. I said this is wrong, a child this age shouldn't be left thirsty, and could cause constipation, I don't think DP had thought about that possibility but I think next time he is going to just give DS the sippy and let him drink as much as he wants.
I'd love to go to one of the regular 'mums' groups (which don't exclude dads) at this place and see what rules are in place and what cups are offered etc. Another thing I noticed was that some of the kids were running around with their snack (toast), this doesn't happen at the groups I attend. The kids basically sit really nicely and eat and drink together and when finished eating then they can go play again - obviously this sort of polite eating is not one of the lessons given at this place.
It really is a lovely environment and I think it's great they offer this saturday dads group.