BabyWhispererForums.com
EAT => Eating For Toddlers => Topic started by: jennifer2012 on April 30, 2012, 03:37:16 am
-
Does anyone have any ideas how I can teach my 17month old to drink out of a straw? I know there is alot of information out there about the damage sippy cups can do to teeth and speech developement.....so I have been trying to get my little guy to use a straw...no luck...any ideas?
-
We have used a straw sippy for a while which DS took to like a duck to water. Now when we go out, I get a drink and a straw, demonstrate (have a big drink through the straw since I'm likely not to get any more that's not got backwash :P ) and let him at it. He drinks through it fine. Otherwise you might be able to have a go with an open cup... outside is best while they figure it out as they tend to play in it and spill it before they drink it.
-
You could try sucking some up the straw yourself then holding your finger over the end to keep the liquid inside, then offer the other end of the straw and release your finger so the liquid comes out. Only a small amount obviously. I only did this about 2 or 3 times before DS realised he could get something out of the straw and started sucking. Worth a try.
-
I would echo that modeling the behavior is helpful. Sometimes, though, I think they either get the straw, or they don't.
DD1 did not understand the concept behind a straw initially, her first sippy cups were the hard spout. DD2, conversely, did not understand the spouts (could not figure out she needed to tip it back to drink), and took to the straw at around 10 mo. Good thing about using the straw is like becj86 says above, you can go out anywhere and they will be able to drink without the need to schlep around a sippy.
-
I did what creations said - they just need to get that there is liquid in there ;).
DS got it at about 13 mths, and DD was probably about 9mths.