My son is 15 months old and does not drink from straws. I have tried a few different things like only giving him a cup with a straw for the whole day, show him how we drink from straws, share a drink with him, etc. How do I teach him to drink from a straw?
Thank you all for the wonderful suggestions!! I tried the juice box thing and it started working. The only issue I have is that he thinks he's such a big boy that he can hold onto it on his how WITHOUT mommy's help and squeezes the juice out all over. LOL Time is the key and we will keep working with him. I'm not worried about the milestone issues, it's just hard when we go out to eat and we have to remember his sippy cup. There have been a few times I've forgotten it. Thanks again for all the suggestions!!
A friend of mine recommended getting a milkshake with a straw. I didn't know my husband had given my oldest one until I commented that he was able to use a straw without a milkshake!
My guy is almost 4 and has really just now gotten the straw. He didn't really like it to begin with but since the other kids get juice boxes at school I think he finally gave in to the peer pressure! One of the few times that peer pressure worked in our favor!! My son just used a cup or water bottle. It was a little messy but he didn't like the sippy cup either. Our first ped made such a big deal about when our son should be off the bottle, then the sippy cup blah, blah, blah! She made me feel guilty! When I talked to my husband about it he laughed out loud at me...he was right! People get really worked up about all of the 'stages and milestones' when what's really important is that your kid is getting the healthy stuff inside their bodies! Do what works for you.
Hi S.---We also taught our kids to drink from straws by using regular, large straws, putting a finger over the top of the straw to create a vacuum. We'd pull the straw out of the glass and then put the bottom of the straw in the mouth. Keeping your finger on the top of the straw, gradually releasing some of the contents. Babies are good 'suckers' and so will automatically suck at the straw to get the contents. Doing this a few times, you can then put the straw back in the glass/container and you're off and running.
Hope this makes sense. If not, feel free to contact me and ask questions. Good luck. D.
We taught each of our kids with takeout drinks. For instance, we started with a shake. You suck some of the drink up the straw. Pull the straw out with your finger over the top to provide suction. Put the straw in his mouth and lift your finger slightly. That will let it drip into his mouth. If he has a milk allergy, you can also do it with pop too. Don't worry. It's unlikely he will get addicted to the pop or the shake. It is the sweetness of the drink that will attract him to suck on the straw. Once he starts, your takeout drinks will be fair game, though! LOL
I would suck on the straw and fill it up and put my finger over the top so the fluid wouldnt come out, then put it in kiddo's mouth and they usually just automatically figure out how to suck.
Dip the straw into the drink and put your finger over the top to keep a sip of liquid in the straw. Put the straw in your LO's mouth and move your finger. The liquid goes into his mouth and he should get the idea that if he uses the straw he gets yummy things. You may have to do this a couple of times. Worked for my DD and now she loves straws in all her cups.
Get those squeeze box drinks and squeeze the box gently as he is drinking the straw will fill with liquid and he will begin to suck on his own. That's how I taught my kids.
My dad taught all his grandchildren, just the way Diane stated it.
