travel mugs

**Mrsh3103** · 03-03-2014, 11:41 AM

I've just had my DO here. She commented on the fact I drink tea out of a normal mug and not a travel mug with a lid.
When I make a hot drink it stays on the side in the kitchen where little ones can't reach until it has cooled right down. Then I stand by the cabinet in the living room to drink it. I can put it down on there out of reach of kids.

I said to her I felt travel mugs were more dangerous as they keep the drink hot for longer and although they have a lid it doesn't stop them from spilling if knocked over.

She has advised me to get some before her next visit!

What is everyones view on this?

**LG2014** · 03-03-2014, 11:49 AM

Teachers and Nursery do have them.

Although do keep drink hot for longer it not hot to touch and lid means only small spillage. I think much safer than a hot mug of tea.

No harm in getting some x

**k-tots** · 03-03-2014, 12:20 PM

I sit down at the table while the kids have snavk to drink a hot drink....no one is moving around when my do was here last week she never mentioned it

**AliceK** · 03-03-2014, 12:22 PM

Originally Posted by Mrsh3103

I've just had my DO here. She commented on the fact I drink tea out of a normal mug and not a travel mug with a lid.
When I make a hot drink it stays on the side in the kitchen where little ones can't reach until it has cooled right down. Then I stand by the cabinet in the living room to drink it. I can put it down on there out of reach of kids.

I said to her I felt travel mugs were more dangerous as they keep the drink hot for longer and although they have a lid it doesn't stop them from spilling if knocked over.

She has advised me to get some before her next visit!

What is everyones view on this?

I do exactly the same as you. Any hot drink I make usually sits on the side in the kitchen, (where the children are not allowed) usually until it goes cold at which time I zap it in the microwave only to let it go cold again. I never have any drinks in the playroom or walk around with a hot cup of drink. I have common sense and risk assess constantly throughout every minute of the day. I am certainly not getting travel mugs to use in my own home, I am not stupid.

xxxx

**loocyloo** · 03-03-2014, 12:57 PM

I am at home and I use normal mugs. They usually stay on the aga to try and keep tea warm! Or we are all sitting at the table together.

I use common sense and if I have a LO who might grab cup then I keep it out of reach! We talk about hot etc and have endless conversations about which ever mug and tea pot I am using.

**Kaybeaa** · 03-03-2014, 01:16 PM

I think it's so daft that in our own homes we are expected to drink out of a travel mug! We're not stupid. We're not going to stand over a child with a hot cup of tea or leave it by the puzzles as they play around it. I only drink hot drinks when it's safe to do so, when the children are at the table or napping. If it's too dangerous to drink one near the children I just wait half an hour until it's safe. It's just common sense!

**hectors house** · 03-03-2014, 01:19 PM

Originally Posted by AliceK

I do exactly the same as you. Any hot drink I make usually sits on the side in the kitchen, (where the children are not allowed) usually until it goes cold at which time I zap it in the microwave only to let it go cold again. I never have any drinks in the playroom or walk around with a hot cup of drink. I have common sense and risk assess constantly throughout every minute of the day. I am certainly not getting travel mugs to use in my own home, I am not stupid.

xxxx

I do this too - children come to our houses as a home from home setting - how will they learn that cups of tea are hot if they never see an adult drinking from an open cup? - how can we progress them to drink out of an open cup if we are still drinking out of a sippy cup?

I would tell the development officer that she is only an advisor not supposed to be an Ofsted henchman!

**QualityCare** · 03-03-2014, 01:20 PM

I use ordinary mugs (would not consider drinking out of a travel mug) children are made aware of where it is and leave it alone, last ofsted inspection inspector had a hot drink l told her where to put it and that it was her responsibility to keep her eye on it and move it if the children got near it , made children aware there were 2 mugs not 1 on the table, she was fine with this. It is not the DO job to tell you what to do but just to give you advice and make you aware of the dangers.

**shortstuff** · 03-03-2014, 01:39 PM

I agree with hectors house. Is your do trying to suggest that every parent should only ever have travel cups?

We are home from home and im pretty sure parents use cups or mugs at home. In fact when I went round a mindees house to meet baby sister I was given coffee in a mug.

**JCrakers** · 03-03-2014, 02:01 PM

I drink out of a normal mug but make extra, extra sure that I leave it in the kitchen.

There's hardly any chance of a mindee getting hold of one in the house but is more at risk at toddler group as Mums have cups of tea which they seem to leave everywhere.

I have to watch mindees extremely carefully as toddler group snack times, which is hard work.

**Mrsh3103** · 03-03-2014, 02:19 PM

I'm glad you all have the same view on this as me! I did start to worry, from how she was talking, that maybe I was the only cm still drinking from a normal mug.
I'm sure she just couldn't think of anything else to pick at me about!

**loocyloo** · 03-03-2014, 02:21 PM

Originally Posted by JCrakers

I drink out of a normal mug but make extra, extra sure that I leave it in the kitchen.

There's hardly any chance of a mindee getting hold of one in the house but is more at risk at toddler group as Mums have cups of tea which they seem to leave everywhere.

I have to watch mindees extremely carefully as toddler group snack times, which is hard work.

I used to go to a toddler group that used the insulated lidded takeaway type cups for tea & coffee ... they were always being left on the floor by the babies, on the craft/puzzle tables and the number of children that poured hot drinks on themselves was huge. they then moved to 'travel mug' type cups and again, they were being left all over the place. I think it is because people perceive them as being 'safe' when they are not 100% safe - you still need to use common sense. finally the toddler group went back to real cups & saucers ... barely an accident at all ( and if there was, the tea was usually cold! ) the adults seem to be more aware of a hot cup of tea whilst it was in an open cup!

**Mcgons** · 03-03-2014, 02:29 PM

I agree with all the others and use normal mugs at home. I do have a travel mug though that I use sometimes as I got fed up of my drinks going cold and I also use it outside.

**rickysmiths** · 03-03-2014, 03:56 PM

I have travel mugs here because my two use them at Camp. I hate them and there is no way I would use them in my house for my tea and coffee.

I'm so glad we don't have DOs here so I don't get daft suggestions like this. I would have said to her if wanted me to use them then she could buy me some!

I'm sure we will see more and more of this silliness if and when Agencies control childminders.

**hectors house** · 03-03-2014, 04:23 PM

Originally Posted by rickysmiths

I have travel mugs here because my two use them at Camp. I hate them and there is no way I would use them in my house for my tea and coffee.

I'm so glad we don't have DOs here so I don't get daft suggestions like this. I would have said to her if wanted me to use them then she could buy me some!

I'm sure we will see more and more of this silliness if and when Agencies control childminders.

In Denmark where they do have Agencies- Childminders aren't allowed to use their cars, they have to walk or use buses!

**AliceK** · 03-03-2014, 04:42 PM

Originally Posted by hectors house

In Denmark where they do have Agencies- Childminders aren't allowed to use their cars, they have to walk or use buses!

Ridiculous!!!

xx

**Mouse** · 03-03-2014, 04:50 PM

Our toddler group has those lidded mugs, but I hate drinking out of them because they always leak and you end up dribbling down yourself!! I've seen so many of them left lying around the floor, or where the children can reach them as people think they're safe. At least with an open cup they tend to be more aware, although not always.

At home I make a drink and stand in the kitchen to drink it. The children know it is hot and not to touch (not that they can reach it anyway). I don't really think the problem is what you use to drink out of, it's how aware people are where they put them and where the children are.

**MessybutHappy** · 03-03-2014, 05:16 PM

Travel mugs are great if you need to walk a cup of hot tea from the staff room to the classroom, or to have while toy are on playground duty, but in my own home? No! Instead of 300 children running through corridors I have three. And they're usually strapped in high chairs having snack when I'm able to have a hot drink, so a lid isn't of any benefit!

**clareelizabeth1** · 03-03-2014, 05:55 PM

Maybe next time she comes you give her her drink out of a feeder as she doesn't sound like she trusts herself.

The only times I have ever used a travel mug around children has been when it's the middle if winter I have not had tea yet but children want to play out side and when ds was first born as it would get cold before I could drink it otherwise.