The Sippy Cup Incident
Two sippy cup-related news items in one week? Is this a sippy cup conspiracy or perhaps the work of a sippy cup buzz agent gone awry?
Sippy Cups on a Plane! First it was snakes, then TB; now ... everyone's favorite toddler accessory is inciting terror and outrage at a security checkpoint near you! After a former Secret Service agent (yes, seriously) was allegedly mistreated during a security screening at Washington, DC's Reagan National Airport, a blogger (eek -- not a blogger!) got wind of the incident and started spreading the news. Monica Emmerson was stopped as she entered a security screening area to be questioned about the liquid in her toddler son's sippy cup. From there, she claims she was unnecessarily harassed by the security officers and because she was frazzled due to traveling with a young child, she accidentally spilled the cup's contents on the floor. Which didn't really impress the already jittery-about-liquids security staff. Only there seems to be a huge discrepancy between Emmerson's account of the event and the TSA's -- surprise, surprise! The TSA's version of the story alleges that Emmerson dumped, not spilled, the water onto the floor in frustration and then proceeded to hassle the agents about the policy and flash her "credentials", causing a scene. The best part? The TSA has posted the related security video and incident report on their site, in the "Mythbusters" section. Uh oh ... I have a feeling we haven't heard the last of this one, now that I see that Ms. Emmerson is posing with the sippy cup in question in televised interviews. But what do iVillage moms, no strangers to sippy cups, think about this? There's a bit of a backlash, but not in the way you might think:
One mom's take on the December 2006 playgroup:
"It's against policy and she shouldn't have tried to go against it. Give the kid some water, drink/dump the rest and THEN go to security and afterwards she could have bought more. The kid would have been w/o water for 5min. There's no reason for her to have made such a big deal about it, seriously the video is over 10 min long!!"
Some reaction from the October 2006 playgroup:
"I watched to video, too, where she is outraged and asks "A mother and her toddler, are we a threat?" Um, yes, you are!! If we let you go, then how great is it for terrorists to pose as mothers with toddlers. I think she was being a jerk!!"
... and more from the September 2007 Expecting Club:
"I think it's just silly. I mean who is going to put explosives or poisons in a sippy cup? I think they are getting out of hand with airport security.""It looks to me like the mom is the one who went bananas. What I saw looked like her dumping the sippy cup on the floor, shaking it out. Granted, it can be frustrating to feel like you're being accused of being a terrorist, but you know what? Better safe than sorry."
"I definitely think the US is getting out of control with fear and paranoia, especially in the airports, but in this case it certainly looks like mom was being obnoxious about the whole thing."
It's definitely no picnic traveling with a toddler or trying to expertly navigate your way through security and it's always frustrating to be asked to step aside, to be searched or to be questioned (and yes -- it's happened to me!). In most cases, though, I think that there are things we can do to make this go more smoothly ... and then things we can do to make them worse. Unfortunately I think many times we tend to opt for the latter, as our nerves and annoyance get the best of us. What do you think? Was this mom out of control or should the security officers have handled this differently?
In other news, did you know you can get a your margaritas in a sippy cup at Applebee's? Eatin' good in the neighborhood, indeed! It seems someone in the bar at a California Applebee's confused the apple juice with the margarita mix and served a 2-year-old a taste of tequila. The toddler began making funny faces and then became ill, having to be rushed to the hospital. Applebee's did foot the medical expense and profusely apologized for what they called an "honest" mistake, even offering the family free meals. The mom's response: "If they think I'm going back there, they're ridiculous." I often have the same reaction at Applebee's, but then the Riblets keep bringing me back, in spite of myself. An assortment of alarmed reactions also popped up on our message boards. Have you ever had a crazy restaurant mishap or an incident involving the ubiquitous sippy cup? Spill all the details here!
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The mom should've dumped the cup BEFORE she went through security and then bought more water or filled it at a water fountain post-security. I don't care who she is or what branch of the gov't she works for. Rules are rules.
Sounds like she was looking for a reason to flash her credentials, good grief! People who insist they are above the rules are part of the reason for lineups in the airports.
So the rules only apply to other people, not to her? She brought this whole mess on herself. Wouldn't it have been MUCH easier just to follow the rules and dump the water out before going through security?? And if she was worried about her son wandering off, why did she take him out of the stroller?! Sorry, I have no sympathy for this woman.
She should be arrested for causing such a scene and trying to go through security with fluids. Geez...no wonder our country is going to hell in a handbasket, when an official won't follow simple, easy to follow rules and buy some water after she gets through security.
This story is an example of someone who thought she was above the rules because of the credentials she carries. BAH!
I meant to add: cocktails in sippy cups = great idea! The adults only rule still applies, of course. *wink*
Wonder if her brilliant reasoning in her query "A mother and her toddler, are we a threat?" is one of the reasons she is a now a former agent? I feel safer knowing she's no longer in that position -- what a jerk!
If she's a former Secret Service agent, shouldn't she have known what the rules are for flying, and that they DO extend to sippy cups? A sippy cup for a toddler is NOT the same thing as a bottle of formula for an infant, and IS a security risk because there ARE sickos out there who WOULD think to put something dangerous in a sippy cup thinking it's a GREAT way to slip something on the plane incognito. Her reaction was about as silly as this woman on a recent flight of mine claiming she could NOT wait another 30 seconds for the attendant to get the service cart up the aisle and past her seat for her to go to the bathroom to change her child's diaper. I mean, I have kids, and I know blow-outs are no fun, but this child was NOT leaking and this woman stomped her feet and INSISTED she could NOT wait 30 seconds. Just because you have a child does NOT mean you get to bend the rules and/or break the law.
As for the tequila/apple juice mix-up, that's one stupid EX-employee, lol.
If she spilled the water, give her a ticket for littering. I donât even think spilling water is a crime, because it evaporates and there is no litter. Donât grab her arm and threaten to arrest her. The security has no right to put a hand on anyone who doesnât look like they would physically harm anyone. The security at Reagan National is worse than the criminals they are supposed to protect us from.
Oh please! This woman was just offended she was asked to comply and was out to make a problem. Sure, security is annoying and inconvenient, but so is an unsafe situation. Of course she's not a terrorist, and neither am I, but there's a big difference: I don't go around making an already miserable situation worse to people just doing their jobs. This lady needs to get a grip. Also, jen, I fly through DCA all the time and have never once had a problem. Have you flown at all recently?
Is it really bad that I totally laughed out loud reading all that? Good thing my DD is well beyond toddler age... I can officially say that I'm looking back with fond memories of sippy cups. Okay, well, except for the time when said sippy was launched at me from the back seat and hit me in the temple. Hello, why don't they make *padded* sippy cups, I ask you??
Um ... I guess it depends on why you were laughing. It seems sort of odd to me. As far as this incident, I think that as unfair as it may seem, people need to stop being so uppity and selfish when using public transportation. Or public spaces of any kind.
I agree that this entire situation could have easily been avoided. Everyone who flies understands that liquids are not allowed. Go through security and get your kid some water on the other side. "Am I a terrorist?" I don't know and neither does security. You don't know just from looking at someone. Rules are rules and I don't care what government agency you used to work for. Children have been used by drug smugglers for ages, why wouldn't terrorists think to do the same? It is definitely better to be safe than sorry.
First off, you can have up to Four ounces of liquid on a plane. They(TSA) have said that she had between 3-4 ounces of clear liquid in the sippy cup,so what rule did she break? Even after offering to drink the liquid herself(many people have been allowed to do this)they still wanted her to pour it out and when she spilled it they demanded that she get down on her hands and knees and clean it up.So here was an upset woman barefoot on the floor cleaning up 3-4 ounces of "harmful liquid" with a frighted and upset toddler straped in his stroller. Do you really blame her for flashing her credentials? How many times have we seen a road block and police officres hold their badges out the window and drive through? Then they threated to arrest her and put thier hands on her! Airport securty out of control,maybe? And tes I do fly often with a 2 year old and a 5year old with two sippy cups in tow.
@Deana: right, she did "nothing" wrong here. Eyeroll.
I don't think this is a matter of opinion as much as a matter of rules/regulations, personally. I can completely understand being frustrated and upset with a policy, but does that mean you shouldn't have to follow it?
Regardless of how irritated or frustrated the rules/laws/policies are...they've been put in place for our ultimate safety. I really feel that this lady should have just put on her big girl panties and dealt with it. I realize her child is a toddler, but if it were an older child, say 5-8...what would her display have taught that child?
As far as Applebees and the alcoholic sippy cup drink - I'm just glad the child was okay! That's pretty scary.