MercyA Posted September 4, 2021 Share Posted September 4, 2021 Is there any reason for me not to use washable cups for my Sunday School kids' drinks? I've been using disposable because it seems safer not to bring germs home, but I know COVID is not mainly spread that way. What says the Hive? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted September 4, 2021 Share Posted September 4, 2021 (edited) I think as long as you put them into something to carry them home and then are not messing with them until you wash them it is probably just fine. Don't lick them or anything, lol. That said, if it is easier to do paper ones, I give you total permission to do so! Edited September 4, 2021 by ktgrok 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Junie Posted September 4, 2021 Share Posted September 4, 2021 I would use disposable cups, even regardless of COVID. Especially since (IIRC) you have a very small class. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted September 4, 2021 Share Posted September 4, 2021 Can you have the kids bring a cup or sports bottle, that they then take home to wash between sessions? That's what schools are having kids do here, to avoid sharing water fountains. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murphy101 Posted September 4, 2021 Share Posted September 4, 2021 I see no reason to create more waste when the kids can simply bring their own reusable spill-proof/resistant drink containers from home. 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MercyA Posted September 4, 2021 Author Share Posted September 4, 2021 9 minutes ago, Dmmetler said: Can you have the kids bring a cup or sports bottle, that they then take home to wash between sessions? That's what schools are having kids do here, to avoid sharing water fountains. 3 minutes ago, Murphy101 said: I see no reason to create more waste when the kids can simply bring their own reusable spill-proof/resistant drink containers from home. This would be great and I would even provide the bottles if necessary, but I'm pretty sure compliance would be very low. 😬 Spill-proof would be a HUGE bonus that I hadn't even considered. I wonder if I should buy cups with lids, label them, and wash them in the church kitchen in really hot water before I leave. I could store them there and not take them home at all. LOL at not licking the cups, @ktgrok! And I appreciate the permission. 😉 ❤️ @Junie, I admit it's tempting! It's possible I could have up to eight to ten kids this year, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted September 4, 2021 Share Posted September 4, 2021 How many hours does Sunday school last? Is there any reason kids need to drink during that time at all? I assume you're not teaching infants. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Junie Posted September 4, 2021 Share Posted September 4, 2021 5 minutes ago, MercyA said: This would be great and I would even provide the bottles if necessary, but I'm pretty sure compliance would be very low. 😬 Spill-proof would be a HUGE bonus that I hadn't even considered. I wonder if I should buy cups with lids, label them, and wash them in the church kitchen in really hot water before I leave. I could store them there and not take them home at all. LOL at not licking the cups, @ktgrok! And I appreciate the permission. 😉 ❤️ @Junie, I admit it's tempting! It's possible I could have up to eight to ten kids this year, though. Even with that number, I would use paper cups. (Says the mom of 6 who doesn't want to deal with #onemorething on a Sunday morning. :) ) 2 minutes ago, regentrude said: How many hours does Sunday school last? Is there any reason kids need to drink during that time at all? I assume you're not teaching infants. I agree with this. If there are muffins or cookies or whatever, of course the kids should have a drink. But if there's no food, then I wouldn't bother. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MercyA Posted September 4, 2021 Author Share Posted September 4, 2021 9 minutes ago, regentrude said: How many hours does Sunday school last? Is there any reason kids need to drink during that time at all? I assume you're not teaching infants. Only 45 minutes, but I'm taking them outside for class due to COVID, and it's been very hot here. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MercyA Posted September 4, 2021 Author Share Posted September 4, 2021 (edited) 5 minutes ago, Junie said: I agree with this. If there are muffins or cookies or whatever, of course the kids should have a drink. But if there's no food, then I wouldn't bother. We do have snacks, because some kids don't eat before they come. Edited September 4, 2021 by MercyA 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murphy101 Posted September 4, 2021 Share Posted September 4, 2021 (edited) 1 hour ago, MercyA said: This would be great and I would even provide the bottles if necessary, but I'm pretty sure compliance would be very low. 😬 1 hour ago, MercyA said: Only 45 minutes, but I'm taking them outside for class due to COVID, and it's been very hot here. 1 hour ago, MercyA said: We do have snacks, because some kids don't eat before they come. I don’t understand. If it is an outdoor event, I’d tell the parents in an introduction email that due to covid and the very hot weather, all children must be dropped off with a filled reusable water bottle for their personal safety and use. Problem solved. Though I’m going to be honest that my kids just wouldn’t go. It’s just too nasty hot here to do that. ETA: I’d also remind them to apply sunscreen and wear a hat. Even in the shade, many children (3 of mine) would be at least pink to full on sunburnt in less than an hour. Edited September 4, 2021 by Murphy101 4 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wathe Posted September 4, 2021 Share Posted September 4, 2021 Reusable cups are fine. Wash after use as per usual. If you want to take extra precautions, do a bleach-water or dettol rinse scout-style. (Even covid wards use re-usable dishes 🙂 ) As Katie says, don't lick them. Really meaning, no sharing cups. I'd want a way to be sure that each kid knows which cup is theirs if they're likely to put them down and then drink from them again later - but the same goes for paper. Paper cups really aren't necessary for IPAC. But If paper cups make everyone feel better, then use them. The very definition of hygiene theatre, I suppose, but I know you've had a hard time getting this group to go along with masking and covid precautions in general. If there is pressure to use paper cups. I would just flow with it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted September 4, 2021 Share Posted September 4, 2021 Honestly, I would just use the disposables and call it a day. I definitely wouldn’t want to spend any time washing cups in the church kitchen due to potential Covid exposure, and I wouldn’t want to bring the cups home with me to wash them, either, so paper cups seem to be the most practical choice right now. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted September 4, 2021 Share Posted September 4, 2021 (edited) 3 hours ago, MercyA said: Only 45 minutes, but I'm taking them outside for class due to COVID, and it's been very hot here. In that case, I would ask the parents to send a refillable bottle with their child. Edited September 4, 2021 by regentrude 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MercyA Posted September 4, 2021 Author Share Posted September 4, 2021 5 hours ago, Murphy101 said: I don’t understand. If it is an outdoor event, I’d tell the parents in an introduction email that due to covid and the very hot weather, all children must be dropped off with a filled reusable water bottle for their personal safety and use. Problem solved. Though I’m going to be honest that my kids just wouldn’t go. It’s just too nasty hot here to do that. It has not been too hot to be outside in the shade, but hot enough that I'd like them to have water, especially with their snack. The parents will not comply. They will forget and/or they will resent having to do an extra thing. Not all of them, but enough. This is unfortunate, but I know them. They already don't think it's necessary to go outside / mask / space and it would just further irritate them if I asked for their kids to bring water bottles. I agree with you that having them bring their own water bottles would be ideal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MercyA Posted September 4, 2021 Author Share Posted September 4, 2021 Thank you all so much for the input! I think I'm going to purchase reusable spill-proof cups for them, label them, and wash them in the church kitchen. But I'm using disposable tomorrow. I have new kids coming into my class and it will be hectic enough. 🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted September 4, 2021 Share Posted September 4, 2021 Honestly? In that situation I'd buy a flat of bottled water, keep it in the church kitchen fridge, and grab some each Sunday. You can write their names on the side with a sharpie if worried about them mixing them up. Then they can take them home or dispose of them at the end of class. You can get a flat of 45 bottles for $3.58 at Sam's Club (similar elsewhere). That will last you a month or more. For under $4 I'd say that's a win. Plus no taking time to fill them all, etc. https://www.samsclub.com/p/mm-water-45-16-9-oz-45-16-9-oz/prod21063721?xid=plp_product_2 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wheres Toto Posted September 4, 2021 Share Posted September 4, 2021 7 minutes ago, ktgrok said: Honestly? In that situation I'd buy a flat of bottled water, keep it in the church kitchen fridge, and grab some each Sunday. You can write their names on the side with a sharpie if worried about them mixing them up. Then they can take them home or dispose of them at the end of class. You can get a flat of 45 bottles for $3.58 at Sam's Club (similar elsewhere). That will last you a month or more. For under $4 I'd say that's a win. Plus no taking time to fill them all, etc. https://www.samsclub.com/p/mm-water-45-16-9-oz-45-16-9-oz/prod21063721?xid=plp_product_2 This is what I did for my camps this year, although many kids did bring their own refillable water bottles (although I also have a collection of these in my Lost and Found going back to last year). I bought the mini-water bottles, I think they are 8 ounces, so most of the kids would finish it in one break/snack time. I had them put their name/initials on the caps. I hate the waste but I also usually wash out bottles and use them for projects. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanaqui Posted September 5, 2021 Share Posted September 5, 2021 I guess if the parents didn't comply with the "bring your own reusable water bottle" then their little darlings would just be thirsty. (I'm not really that mean. I'd think it, but I'd still probably end up providing cups and water, because I'm nice like that. If I thought it was really essential for the kids to be hydrated during the 45 minute class session, that is.) 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vonfirmath Posted September 5, 2021 Share Posted September 5, 2021 12 hours ago, Dmmetler said: Can you have the kids bring a cup or sports bottle, that they then take home to wash between sessions? That's what schools are having kids do here, to avoid sharing water fountains. This is what all sorts of group activities are doing here. Asking kids to bring their own water bottles. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pippen Posted September 5, 2021 Share Posted September 5, 2021 1 hour ago, vonfirmath said: This is what all sorts of group activities are doing here. Asking kids to bring their own water bottles. Including schools. The drinking fountains are covered and kids bring water bottles and refill at school if needed. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MercyA Posted September 5, 2021 Author Share Posted September 5, 2021 (edited) 13 hours ago, ktgrok said: Honestly? In that situation I'd buy a flat of bottled water, keep it in the church kitchen fridge, and grab some each Sunday. You can write their names on the side with a sharpie if worried about them mixing them up. Then they can take them home or dispose of them at the end of class. You can get a flat of 45 bottles for $3.58 at Sam's Club (similar elsewhere). That will last you a month or more. For under $4 I'd say that's a win. Plus no taking time to fill them all, etc. https://www.samsclub.com/p/mm-water-45-16-9-oz-45-16-9-oz/prod21063721?xid=plp_product_2 Winner! I'll do this and recycle the bottles. Thanks, Katie! I didn't want to spend the money but my time is worth something too. Edited September 5, 2021 by MercyA 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted September 5, 2021 Share Posted September 5, 2021 25 minutes ago, MercyA said: Winner! I'll do this and recycle the bottles. Thanks, Katie! I didn't want to spend the money but my time is worth something too. It definitely is. Who buys the snacks? If the church does, maybe you can ask them to cover the water bottles too. But yeah, at $1 or less a week, the water bottles are the way to go. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ealp2009 Posted September 5, 2021 Share Posted September 5, 2021 Recycling plastic is generally a scam. I think for a 45 minute class I would use something like Dixie cups because the waste is minimal and they are paper. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
busymama7 Posted September 5, 2021 Share Posted September 5, 2021 If you do water bottles may I suggest the half size ones? They are more likely to finish them that a full size one. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted September 5, 2021 Share Posted September 5, 2021 20 minutes ago, busymama7 said: If you do water bottles may I suggest the half size ones? They are more likely to finish them that a full size one. For reasons I don't understand, often the half size ones are more expensive than the full size. Or maybe just the times I looked? I think because full size were available in generic but not the half sized ones. They can take them with them to finish, or dump them on the ground to water the flowers at the end, if there is landscaping. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vonfirmath Posted September 5, 2021 Share Posted September 5, 2021 1 minute ago, ktgrok said: For reasons I don't understand, often the half size ones are more expensive than the full size. Or maybe just the times I looked? I think because full size were available in generic but not the half sized ones. They can take them with them to finish, or dump them on the ground to water the flowers at the end, if there is landscaping. Yes. For cost savings I'd rather buy the larger water bottles and "waste" half of each bottle. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wheres Toto Posted September 5, 2021 Share Posted September 5, 2021 (edited) Our local grocery store (ShopRite) has their own brand and when they are on sale the half size bottles end up the same per ounce cost as the bigger ones. That's why I bought the small ones. Otherwise, I use the leftover water to water my plants. Edited September 5, 2021 by Wheres Toto 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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