Paediatricians say that the prolonged use of the Sippy bottles can cause hindrance in certain aspects of child development such as the growth of healthy teeth, which generally takes place while the kid are fast asleep. Hence, it is crucial to get your kid off the habit of taking the Sippy bottle to bed.
Here are a few tips which will help you keep your kid away from the sipper at bedtime:
- Increase the use of glass during the day
- Use a glass around them
- Provide toys for comfort
- Use positive encouragement
Know more about why these points are essential for getting your kid off the bedtime Sippy cup.
* Make the most of the day:
Kid spend more time awake during the day, and this is when they are well rested and alert, and more likely to grasp instructions quickly. That is why it helps a lot to practice during the day. The more they use a glass, the faster they will get used to it. Once your kid becomes comfortable with the glass, they won’t look for the Sippy as much. This opens a window for you to take the Sippy away from them before they go to bed.
* Show them and they will mimic you:
The most effective way to get your kid to use the glass is to show them how to do it. At the age when children turn into kid, they tend to mimic people around them. This is how they pick up their first set of habits. They are very observant and once they see you using a glass for drinking, they will start to reach out for the glass.
* Get them a bed-buddy:
Kid get used to having a Sippy bottle by their side while they sleep. As a result, it becomes increasingly difficult for them to fall asleep without it. That’s why handing your kid their favourite stuffed toy or blanket during bedtime will help replace the Sippy bottle. Remember, that this will be a slow process and it may take weeks for your kid to give up a Sippy bottle completely. Try introducing the toy along with a Sippy at first.
* Encourage them:
Change can be overwhelming for kid. Therefore, a few words of encouragement can do wonders. Words such as “good boy/girl”, “big boy/ girl”, “wow”, “how amazing”, etc. will help your kid to give up their Sippy bottles faster and in a much proper way.
Remember:
Letting go of the Sippy bottles during bedtime may seem an impossible feat to achieve but with the right set of instructions, it will be a stress-free process for both the parent and the kid.
