What can I do about these issues with my stepson?

I am in a tough situation with my step son and his mom. Among many other things she is still letting him use sippy cups at age 4 when he already has teeth problems. This is not allowed in our home, but does cause some issues. I am unsure how to handle this as he already has bad teeth.

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You can’t change what’s going on in her house. Let it go, you guys do your home she does hers. It’s just how it is.

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Stay in your lane. Dad should be the one discussing this issue with mom. Continue using regular cups in your home.

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My son just turned 5 and still has a cup of milk everyday in his sippy cup. He has zero teeth problems. How do u know his teeth problems are from the cup?
My 13 year old was the same way and his teeth are perfect.
You are worried about the wrong things.

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Let go of what’s happening in her home. Unless he’s getting abused, what goes on in her household is none of your business. Some things are just out of our control

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It isn’t your call. If that’s what mom wants, do it. Youre step mom, not mom. let their dad handle it

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So many step-parents overstepping their boundaries and you seem to be no different! A sippy cup at 4 years old is not the end of the world! Seems to me, yours just looking for a reason to start an argument here. Let the father handle it and stay in your own lane.

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What they do in their house isn’t under your control. Let him drink how you and his dad prefer when he’s at your house

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You can’t come tr what mom does in her home. Using a sippy cup does not cause teeth issues…Now having liquid with sugar I the cup that stays in the teeth for a prolong amount of time can. Just curious? Do you use like coffee cups with lids such Starbucks or custom water bottles?

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As a step parent myself. You literally just have to deal with your home and just try to ignore what’s going on at the other parents home. It’s hard alot especially when the child tells you things and it’s not the way you would raise them. With the being said, I don’t make rules for her mother’s home, and she doesn’t make rules in mine and never has. Coparenting isn’t easy but if the 4 of us can communicate without yelling all of the time anyone can do it. You can make a suggestion, but at the end of the day she doesn’t have to take the advise.

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It’s his dads responsibility to talk to the mom about it.
Maybe buy him some really cool cups that he can take home?

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Nothing wrong with being worried about his teeth. But how does having a sippy cup affect them?

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So besides all the rude ass comments it’s not your business. Do y’all co parent together everyone if so everyone sit down and discuss this as it’s something everyone needs to discuss and if not the dentist probably done told the mother that’s the problem but my son is 7 and still gets sippy cups technically but he uses bottles with caps regular cups or cups with straws all different his sippy cup is only for hot chocolate cause he can’t handle it in a regular cup yet he’s working on it

Some kids just have messed up teeth :woman_shrugging: but it’s not your business, yes you might love the kid and his father but the mother and father are the only opinions that matter and it’s their say for their kid

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I would get cups with straws or other fun cups for him to try and help him brush his teeth when he’s at your place. Whatever she does at her place with her child is her business. Doesn’t mean you can’t help if you really do want what’s best for him.

Sippy cups do not mess up teeth! Thumb sucking, pacifiers and bottles do! Also 4 years old is still a toddler, it’s perfectly fine for him to use a Sippy cup. Your carpets should thank his mom!

You don’t control or get a say in what happens outside of your home/visitation time. You can have your rules at your home but if mom isn’t willing to co-parent with the child’s dad (not you), that’s that. Pick your battles. Trust me; there are much worse things to disagree with the other parent over.
Eta: kiddos teeth WILL shift over time after sippy cups are no longer in the picture. Look at time lapse videos of pacifier kids, teeth do move and readjust if needed.

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Your in no situation at all. Dad needs to handle this issue along with Mom. I guess you don’t have kids ? 4 years is not too old to have a sippy cup Maybe he is clumsy and mom gives him the cup so he won’t spill it. It’s not your business to correct it or try to change it. Leave it to the bio parents

Stay out of it!! Let your husband handle it… you are “ planting” life long issues by trying to control another woman via her child…. This little boy has lost enough … he doesn’t need ugly step mom to add to it! You think you’re in a “tough situation”… think of that child… he probably doesn’t care for you either!

Having a sippy cup doesn’t affect the child’s teeth. What does is not brushing them enough, not having the right toothpaste with fluoride, not flossing, drinking lots of sugary drinks, and even genetics. Also there’s nothing you can do about what she’s doing in her household with her son. If your husband has an issue then he can talk to his child’s mother. Also I don’t think you want to be causing issues between you and the child’s mom.

I think that the use of sippy cups isn’t the issue it’s more so if they are putting them to bed with a sippy of milk or juice to that may cause tooth decay but my daughter gets water in hers without issue

My parents had issues like this with my brothers mom for years do what you do in ur home she will do what she wants. Maybe send him to her house with a new cup or water bottle my boys 1 and 3 have 3 diffent kinds of water bottles they use so maybe do something like that

Stand down…or soon u will be standing before a Judge in Divorce court!!

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I’ve never heard of sippy cups being the cause of damaged teeth…My 2 year old grandson keeps chewing on his though, making it no longer a sippy but a fountain :woozy_face:

And lets face it the kid may need braces so what little you do at your home will not make a difference…

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Handle your business at your house
It’s really not your business what she does at her house 

Let your partner handle it. You do what you do at your home and what mom does at her home is her business.

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None of your business…it’s his father’s responsibility to deal with the mom obviously you don’t get along with her and there’s a.reason for that…do your house rules and.butt out of hers…

Buy him a cup with a no spill straw instead. She probably gets frustrated with the mess.

Your house…your rules… maybe buy him some cool cups when he’s there.

Find a sippy cup she can use. It’s probably to save on the mess. I feel that.

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You don’t handle it because he’s not your child.

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It’s not your son, if his mother doesn’t care about his teeth why should you ?
Any issues with the boy should be addressed by his parents NOT YOU , you will save yourself a lot of problems staying in your line

Handle it by minding your own business.

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My stepdaughter just turned 4 in April. She was not potty trained she still uses a sippy cup. So I told her mother I am not giving her a sippy cup here and she has not had one in 6 months but she still has it when she’s with her mom and I took the diaper off like 4 months ago and said you are done with that and I potty trained her too No More Diapers either. It’s never going to be the same at one house as it is the other.

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At 4 he is big enough to understand different house, different rules. You can’t control what she does at her house. Get him cute character cups for your place.

My kids are 9,6, and 4 and still use sippy cups I don’t think sippy cups cause bad teeth I let them use sippy cups because I don’t want messes

Not your kid, not your decision. Myob.