Help me with this behavior

So overall DS is very laid back, very few tantrums and goes with the flow. He doesn't need much discipline/redirection. His newest 'trick' is driving me crazy though. We leave out sippies of water for them to have access to all day while they are playing, we've been doing it for months and it works well. The last few days he enjoys taking his sippy turning it upside down and spilling it all over the floor/table/himself. If we give him a straw cup or cup with a valve he just sucks some up and then fountains all over. He thinks its hilarious. We've tried the firm no and putting the cup up but it doesn't seem fair to deny DD of her cup and I prefer that they have access to water as its getting hot here and they need to stay hydrated. He knows its wrong b/c he'll often take the cup into another room or wait until I am out of sight to do it. When I give him the stern 'no' or try to explain it to him he just looks away and won't make eye contact. Any other ideas to nip this in the bud before DD catches on and tries it too!!

 

How about still leaving the sippy out but restricting it to one area like the kitchen? That way if he spits or foams it will be easy to clean up? I almost wonder if you start ignoring the behavior all together if it will go away?

 

My boys went through a phase of doing this with sippy cups. I tried to ignore the behavior but I don't know if that really helped or not. It got better, but now they ask for open cups and then pour their contents all over every time I give them to them. :gah:

 

My DS did this for a few days awhile back and because DS was doing it, DD started as well - ugh! DS thought it was hilarious and busily practiced his technique for a few days. Anyway, basically all I did was ignore the behavior, I didn't smile, laugh or get mad, and he tired of it within a few days and hasnt done it again since. I did tell him, "water is for drinking, keep it in your mouth" and that is all I said, and I only said it once and then just ignored the behavior. Eventually he will tire of doing it (hopefully!).
good luck

 

Ours went through this phase too.
I would take the sippy cups away from them once I saw them start to spit. I did that about 3-4 times a day for almost a week and they both finally realized that it was a big No No to do it. They haven't done it no in over a couple of months.

Good Luck!

 

Jake does this when he drinks from the straw cups or our water bottles. I take the water away and give him a stern look. The water cups are on the kitchen island where they can still reach them but they have to put more effort into it and put them back when they are done drinking. This doesn't always work, but they tend to think of the cup as less of a toy. I hope Drew gives you a break soon!