This is a little late but I have a good reason. My daughter woke up early Monday unable to walk on her knee, which she fell on the night before. We rushed to urgent care, which really should be called “be-ready-to -wait-a-long-time-and-bring-toys-to-keep-your-child-from-driving-you-crazy” care.
Luckily she’s fine, but it just goes to show you that with kids, you never know how your day, or week, will go.
I needed some meal inspiration this week I took out my favorite cookbooks. This easy tortilla pizza and black bean and mango salad sounded good. For stir fry night I might try beef for a change (I’m not totally committed yet).
Monday we had leftovers from the Sunday dinner I hosted, which includes this recipe for Spanish rice that turned out great! Could it be the one? I’m not sure yet…
For more meal plan ideas, visit Org Junkie.
What’s Cooking This Week
Monday: Taco leftovers
Tuesday: Tuesday: Tortilla pepperoni pizza with smoothies, green salad (from Six O’ Clock Scramble Book)
Wednesday: free night
Thursday: Beef Broccoli and Cashew Stir Fry with fruit salad
Friday: Salmon with brown sugar and mustard glaze, Black bean and mango salad (the same book as above — will be sure to post if this turns out), and green salad
Ditching the Sippy Cup
I’ve been dealing with an interesting challenge lately. I noticed when Big A turned four that she only drinks milk out of her sippy cup with a straw even though I always offer milk in other cups at mealtimes. While she will take one sip here and there, she saves her main milk drinking for her one special cup.
I started thinking….when should I stop the sippy cup anyway? I checked with my friend Jill Castle, a pediatric dietitian, and she reviewed the guidelines for me. Apparently kids are ready, developmentally, to give up sippy cups between 24 months and 3 years of age. It’s important that they drink out of open cups, which Anna already does.
Read: 5 Things Parents Need to Know About Starting or Stopping Sippy Cups
She hinted at something I already knew — this was a habit that my daughter had and breaking it was going to be similar to getting her off a pacifier. Jill suggested creating a reward system: every time she used a different cup she would receive a star and once she received so many “stars” she’d get a toy or some other treat (not food).
This brought back memories of unsuccessful potty training. The star system didn’t work with Big A. While she wanted the toy that came with 5 stars, it never was enough to get her going on the potty.
We had a short-lived star chart system going as I realized it was making meals less fun. I took Big A to get new “big girl” cups, as Jill suggested, and she’s getting her straw sippy once a day in addition to her new cups. This is the gradual phase-out plan. The truth is I don’t mind if she drinks out of the straw sippy cup once and a while, as long as I know she’ll accept milk other ways. I mean, she’ll drink water anyway she can get it.
Is anyone else dealing with this?
Some conflicting news lately
People often tell me they wish health experts would make up their minds. I understand this point of view but it’s important to realize that research, while far from being perfect, at least gives us something to go on.
With this in mind, let’s revisit some of the conflicting nutrition news as of late.
The Calcium Debate: In April, a study was released agreeing with previous research showing that calcium supplements may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. The study, published in the British Medical Journal, reevaluated data from the Women’s Health Initiative examining women taking calcium with vitamin D but also included the use of personal supplements. There was a modest increase in heart disease, especially heart attacks.
Hopefully, with more research, we will get some answers. While the latest study included D and calcium, we still don’t know if the women were getting enough D to absorb the calcium. What about the type of calcium — are some worse than others? This can be disheartening for many older Americans taking calcium — and experts, by the way, don’t recommend people stop taking supplements without talking to their doctor.
There’s nothing to be panicked about because the increase is modest, and more research is needed. Bottom line: Doctors and individuals need to explore meeting their calcium needs through diet before taking a supplement.
Low Sodium Diets Questioned: A study published in the May issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, showed that relatively young people, when followed over the course of about 8 years, were more likely to die from heart disease the lower their sodium consumption was (yes I said lower).
Sometimes there are outlier studies, like this one, contradicting a large pool of evidence. The Lancet, a prestigious medical journal, even weighed in on this study with the following response:
“At a time when cardiovascular disease is the world’s leading cause of death and excess dietary sodium has convincingly been shown to be a serious public health hazard, the results of this work should neither change thinking nor practice.”
I know it can be confusing but we need research. What nutrition issues confuse you most?
Want to create your way to meal plan in a way that works for you? Get step-by-step help in Maryann’s book The Family Dinner Solution.
Wow – thanks for the reminder – I need to move my twins off their sippy cups. We do water out of camelbaks to prevent spills all over the house, but only occassionaly do big-kid cups. And talk about a habit to break — my kids both still ask for warmed-up milk in a sippy cup to watch their half-hour of TV prior to bedtime.
LeAnne — my daugther used to love warmed milk…it took her awhile to get used to it cold. My son on the other hand, has no attachment to milk. He will drink whatever you give him with his meal. It’s funny how each kids is different.
I’m so glad you posted this, b/c I’ve been wondering if I should take away the sippy cups from my son, who turned 3 last month. He knows how to drink from a regular cup, I just don’t ever think to give him one. He’s my last of 3 children, and I was so “by the book” with my 1st two (girls), but I have babied this one so much. I really need to face that he is a big boy…even though he is perfectly content to be treated like a baby. Has no desire to use the potty either. And THAT I’ve been trying!
I think dentists worry most about the non-straw type of sippy cups, especially when kids sip on milk or juice for long periods. The straw ones are supposed to be better for their teeth. So if you son is using the straw it should be okay — just as long as he uses a regular cup too. I plan on writing a more in-depth post on this whole cup topic!
When my oldest was close to three, and little sister just came into the world, I gave the hard push to get rid of sippies (soft topped Nuby cups) except for the occasional water at bed-time (hard lidded disposable). My oldest is orally fixated, and wasn’t really thirsty but wanted to chew on the tops. We told her that as she chewed them up, they would go away. That worked for her as she liked to chew on the silicone but not so much on hard plastic. She’s five now and hasn’t had a sippy cup of any kind for over a year. Our youngest never fixated on them.
Now, if you can somehow address chewing on nails, clothing, or hair…well the hair we keep short but I can’t figure out the other two.
Calcium is the biggest nutrition concern I have for both me and the kids. Calcium supplementation doesn’t seem to be the ideal way to get it, but getting the DRI from non-dairy foods isn’t easy either. I always think I’m failing in this.
I let both of my girls keep a thermos of cold water to drink from when they are playing or watching TV. At mealtimes, I give them cups of water and if they want chocolate milk or OJ in the morning, that too is given from a cup. I guess I don’t really think drinking from a “sippy” (ours are thermos’ with straws) is a bad thing as it keeps them drinking. I have a glass of water for myself going all day that I replenish several times.
To Ramona: you can buy chewy necklaces and chewy toys that are great for kids who have an oral fixation.
Goodfountain — I don’t think it’s bad at all. My main issue was that she won’t drink milk from other cups. I also worry about calcium now that she needs 1000mg. If she doesn’t get enough in the future I will consider smaller supplements (better absorbed esp with meals) and maybe even chocolate milk : )
Oh the sippy cups…
I have the same issue with my 3 year old. He just won’t drink as much out of a big boy cup. He has some constipation issues, so fluids (especially when his miralax is mixed in) are extremely important. I know that I am also to blame. It is so much easier to just give him the sippy cup. Less mess, less fuss. There are so many hard things children at this age need to do (potty, sleeping in the big bed, etc) and the sippy cup just seems to fall on the wayside. I just try to stay positive and remember that he will drink out of a big cup (all the time) by the time he goes to school 🙂
Also thank you for linking to my post today 🙂
Amy — thank you for the recipe. I wouldn’t worry. You’re right , so many transitions at this age.
Good fountain, what types of chewy necklaces or toys? My daughter is five years old and a pretty good chewer. If she chewed on a clean dog’s Kong toy, I’d probably have to get the black ones (they’re more difficult to destroy) 🙂 (Please read the sarcasm…I wouldn’t give my child a dog’s chew toy.) She is well beyond the styles used for teething.
I haven’t had a problem with sippy cups, though the toilet training story sounds very familiar! I started phasing them out when my daughter was 1.
As for the studies, sometimes you have to ask what other conditions might be acting on a study before accepting the results. Why were the people with heart trouble eating less sodium? It could be on doctor’s orders because they were identified as having high blood pressure, or voluntary because heart problems run in the family. Or it could be because they’re overweight and dieting.
I am so glad that you started a conversation about this. I have a three year old who still only takes her “after nap milk” warmed and from a sippy cup (7 oz in a hard topped Avent). She’ll drink the cold milk on her cereal and that’s about it. How much milk/dairy is a healthy 3 year old supposed to get? I haven’t really worried about Calcium because she also eats hard block cheese and loves to drink Kefir at lunchtime (or I’ll sneak some Kale into a smoothie for her). BUT – does this kid have an oral fixation! She always has had it . She is, admittedly, still on a bippy at nap and bedtime and occasionally in the car. But the rest of the day I am constantly asking her to take her fingers out of her mouth. I fear taking the bippy away only because I’m afraid her fingers or a thumb will become the automatic replacement. Which is the lesser of two evils? Will a dentist give me more grief for the bippy or a kid that sucks her fingers? I always figured a bippy would be easier to phase out, but I hadn’t planned on this stage lasting so long.
Melissa — 1-3 year olds need 500mg calcium. I plan to write more about the sippy cup issue and interview some experts so stay tuned. I do believe the issue is mostly with sippy cups that aren’t the straw type where kids mostly suck.
Oh – my comment about her taking milk from the sippy cup (at 3 years old)… I have a friend who’s two year old cannot drink from a straw and is having delayed speech issues. I was surprised to find out that speech therapists often blame delayed speech on sippy cups?!? They told her that she needs to take away the sippy cups and only allow her two year old to drink from an open cup. How many two year olds do you know that ONLY drink from an open cup? Could that really be the only reason for his delayed speech? (I understand that it has to do with muscle development, but still???)
Ramona, Google Chewelry. There are several places you can buy it online. Here’s one: http://www.nationalautismresources.com/chewelry.html Perfectly appropriate for children beyond the teething and toddler ages.
Goodfountain, thank you! I think my five year old will love this! Now to convince her caregivers that its okay to chew on her jewelry…