Pouring own drinks

[mumofone]

I have a 4 year old mindee who drinks from an open cup but would they be expected by an inspector to be pouring their own drink from a jug? They would spill it everywhere but by making it up myself and giving it to them would I be seen as hampering their independence?

[natlou82]

I hate this business! I don't give mine a jug and all of my mindees have cups with a lid and straw (including 8 and 9 yr olds). The reason I do this is that using open cups I had big spillages every day all over the table, carpet, children's clothes. At the end of the day it is MY HOME and I have decided I do not want is wrecked just so I can tick a box for ofsted. I can show independence in many different ways and don't see the big deal about drinks.

[moggy]

There is a time and a place for these things...

For out and about drinks and during the day they have spouted beakers.
At the table with a meal a sensible 2.5 yr old will have an open cup.
At the snack table with close supervision the 2.5yr old will pour her own milk from a china jug into her cup, and pout for the younger ones.
At the snack table with very very close supervision (like my hand right there!) 1yr olds drink milk from open cups which they hold themselves when they are able. I only put a tiny amount of milk in at a time (good for practising saying 'more, please!' too)

[alex__17]

Mine have bottles during day as minimises spillages and can all be put in bag to take out.
Often have an open cup at dinner from age 2.5/3 up, more because school children don't bring bottles so get a cup and everyone wants one.
I sometimes put a jug or water dispenser out in garden but the often fill cups and drink for the sake of it then use the cups to transfer the water elsewhere...

[FloraDora]

Every child is different but over the past couple of years :
Open glasses from 18 months plus so far at the dining table.
Breakfast there is a jug for very diluted fresh fruit juice ( children have whizzed usually) and also one for milk so they can pour their own drink and milk for cereal. This is done as soon as they can , with supervision until able to independently. Small China jugs so easily managable - plus lots of practise with jugs with water play....rarely get a spillage.
Snack - same as above with water in jugs.
Lunch- we have a small carafe of water which they pour their own from.
All children have used jugs from 2. Great real life opportunity to pour using various jugs ...instead of just doing it in play.
Water bottles for outdoors.
Monkey water dispenser where they self serve water for inbetween meals - with small glasses.
I am all for supporting independence and feel meal and snack times are great opportunities to put in to practise what they role play in the home corner.

[natlou82]

I know I sound awful from my last post and to be honest I would love for the children to be doing all of those things mentioned. Please bear in mind I only have under 2s at present plus schoolies and it's the older schoolies that tipped full cups of water and juice over everyday! Perhaps as my LOs get a little older I'll give it a go lol!

[lor]

I use a lided (locked lid)Jug I have a laminated worded picture (says water and has picture of a jug and glass of water) secured with elastic band and I assist the children in pouring(dosen't always work Ha ha)

xHth

[Simona]

Agree Flora Dora.
It is also helpful if children were not allowed to carry their lidded cups, bottles etc everywhere with them....pick them up, put them down and so on.
Having a specific place where they can put their water and go to 'just to have a drink' helps a lot and teaches boundaries too.
Each container can be labelled with the children's own names...so that it is an added area of learning.
Isn't that what Ofsted is looking for? that water is available all the time ....not that bottles or containers are carried everywhere and contents spilt?
Personally this has nothing to do with what Ofsted thinks...it is to do with the children and also part of that 'getting ready for school' mantra.

As for pouring for themselves...the odd accident does happen ...but less so when children are given the opportunity to develop those skills and master them.

One thing I wondered is if children are allowed to drink juice during the day and from a cup?
why not offer just water then the spillage can be mopped up and leaves no nasty mark behind.

[Maza]

Mumofone how do you know that the four year old would spill it everywhere? I have a little jug out on a table and children fill up their cups with it. I have two year olds who do it perfectly and see it as a real treat to be able to pour their own drink - they just love feeling grown up.

I think the key is to look at why your four year old is spilling it - seriously, my jug is small, I don't think it even holds a pint of water, and so it is easier for them to lift and control. I would rather fill the jug constantly than fill their cups constantly. Maybe you need to change their cup - is it too tall and more likely to tip when they pour? Maybe they need something with a wider base. This would be a perfect next step for a four year old.

[tess1981]

I know I sound awful from my last post and to be honest I would love for the children to be doing all of those things mentioned. Please bear in mind I only have under 2s at present plus schoolies and it's the older schoolies that tipped full cups of water and juice over everyday! Perhaps as my LOs get a little older I'll give it a go lol!

Personally I totally agreed with every word. In my house drinks are only taken at the table and tbh I pour it into cups and give it to them as you say there are other ways to show independence. It's my house. I dont it soaked every day.

[Mouse]

I don't have jugs for children to pour their own drinks.

They have sports bottles with water in for throughout the day. They are left on the table in the kitchen and children know to go and sit at the table to drink.

At snack times and meal times they have open cups to use and I fill them from the tap.

They have a lot of other ways to develop their independence. My own children didn't ever have jugs to pour their own drinks and they have turned out fine...and quite capable of getting themselves a drink :laughing:

[loocyloo]

I oscillate between using open beakers and little jugs to pour own water all the time/at snack or meal times, to having sports bottles always available, and using lidded beakers! to my pouring cups of water when asked! we only have water here, with milk offered at snack time.

I currently have an 18mth old climber, who is obsessed by water! if she can get the water cups/bottle/beakers she will, and woohooo, the glee on her face when she can get a jug ... :D:laughing:
we do LOTS of waterplay when she is here! but until she gets bigger, water cups have to be out of reach!

[vals]

I found a lidded jug that is better to use for pouring. And some really cheap beakers in Asda that are quite short and wide so much more stable than some cups and wider means easier to pour into. They only have water, and they now the rules about sitting at the table to drink. I get annoyed with spillages, but to be honest its only water so not such a disaster. They use the cup once then it goes into the kitchen - they aren't any good at using the same one and this way seems most successful. They don't drink that much really so its not that many cups in a day.