We have decided it is time to start weaning Ethan off his bottle. His bottle is his comfort item: just like other kids need their pacifier, thumb or blanket, Ethan needs his bottle. It is just as hard for us to see it go as it is for Ethan because it saves us on a daily basis. It is the one way to get a few more minutes of sleep, be able to stay in sacrament meeting longer, get him to relax before bed or a nap, get him to stop fussing in a store, or just give you a few minutes of silence. It is the all-around magic trick with Ethan. We have decided to start cutting out the bottles during the day and replace them with sippy cups. We will give him a bottle in the morning and night but will eventually try to cut that back as well. I have heard that once you take the bottle away for kids they don’t drink as much and that is something I don’t want to happen. Milk or any beverage is important at this age since they are so active.
Ethan doesn’t take to sippy cups that well. When I first introduced them to him he didn’t know how to suck them but now he has the basic sippy down. This morning I tried to give him a more advanced sippy (I know that sounds weird) that doesn’t spill out and you really have to suck it to get anything out. Ethan didn’t get anything out and wanted nothing to do with it. He had a melt down and wouldn’t take his milk from his sippy. He was tired so he was looking for that comfort. He will take other beverages from his cup and does that pretty well, but when he is tired or flipping out the sippy will just not cut it. He doesn’t drink much unless it is in a bottle. Just writing this makes me tired, so I don’t know if we are ready yet but it doesn’t hurt to start the process. We will go slow and see how it goes. Wish us luck, we will need it.
I thought I was done with this post but just stopped to think: why am I trying to get Ethan off the bottle? The answer is society. I know this is around the time that other people start to take away the bottle from their children. Some kids don’t even care but unfortunately that is not our case. At our doctor’s visit the other day the doctor told me to start taking him off the bottle and that is what I will try to do, but I am not going to make it a headache for us. I think people are pushed into potty training their kids at such early ages, trying to do this or that with their children because that is what society tells us is right or acceptable. I am in no way against trying to potty train a child early, and if your kid does it more power to you but if your kid doesn’t take to it give it a few more months and try it again. It is not the end of the world and they will get it down in time. Every child is different - I am not going to do something because society tells me I should. I do feel you have to draw the line somewhere, but in regards to Ethan’s bottle I don’t feel we have reached that line yet. Luckily many women have gone before me and have great advice about many important parenting skills and tips.
We have decided it is time to start weaning Ethan off his bottle. His bottle is his comfort item: just like other kids need their pacifier, thumb or blanket, Ethan needs his bottle. It is just as hard for us to see it go as it is for Ethan because it saves us on a daily basis. It is the one way to get a few more minutes of sleep, be able to stay in sacrament meeting longer, get him to relax before bed or a nap, get him to stop fussing in a store, or just give you a few minutes of silence. It is the all-around magic trick with Ethan. We have decided to start cutting out the bottles during the day and replace them with sippy cups. We will give him a bottle in the morning and night but will eventually try to cut that back as well. I have heard that once you take the bottle away for kids they don’t drink as much and that is something I don’t want to happen. Milk or any beverage is important at this age since they are so active.
Ethan doesn’t take to sippy cups that well. When I first introduced them to him he didn’t know how to suck them but now he has the basic sippy down. This morning I tried to give him a more advanced sippy (I know that sounds weird) that doesn’t spill out and you really have to suck it to get anything out. Ethan didn’t get anything out and wanted nothing to do with it. He had a melt down and wouldn’t take his milk from his sippy. He was tired so he was looking for that comfort. He will take other beverages from his cup and does that pretty well, but when he is tired or flipping out the sippy will just not cut it. He doesn’t drink much unless it is in a bottle. Just writing this makes me tired, so I don’t know if we are ready yet but it doesn’t hurt to start the process. We will go slow and see how it goes. Wish us luck, we will need it.
I thought I was done with this post but just stopped to think: why am I trying to get Ethan off the bottle? The answer is society. I know this is around the time that other people start to take away the bottle from their children. Some kids don’t even care but unfortunately that is not our case. At our doctor’s visit the other day the doctor told me to start taking him off the bottle and that is what I will try to do, but I am not going to make it a headache for us. I think people are pushed into potty training their kids at such early ages, trying to do this or that with their children because that is what society tells us is right or acceptable. I am in no way against trying to potty train a child early, and if your kid does it more power to you but if your kid doesn’t take to it give it a few more months and try it again. It is not the end of the world and they will get it down in time. Every child is different - I am not going to do something because society tells me I should. I do feel you have to draw the line somewhere, but in regards to Ethan’s bottle I don’t feel we have reached that line yet. Luckily many women have gone before me and have great advice about many important parenting skills and tips.
1 comment:
Good luck with this task! I know how much Ethan likes his bottle, so I can understand how you're tired just thinking about it. But ya, don't stress it. He'll turn out just fine whether he takes to it right off or decides to do it later.
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