Red Cups are for Winners

by Katie Staab

The daycare is brightly lit with the sounds of children playing.  Happy shouts can be heard, with a mixture of the over-tired and over-stimulated cries of protest.  It seems that these children have a lot to learn, including how to use an indoor voice.  However, the overall atmosphere is friendly and upbeat. The daycare sparks whimsical memories of childhood dreams.  Miniature furniture litters the floor making one feel as if they are caught in a storybook, while colorful tubs filled with toys are waiting to be used in their next adventure.  But the room we are in right now is the kitchen; and the clock is reading 12:00. Everyone knows it is time to refuel his or her body: it’s lunchtime.

When Jack arrives he does not know that today’s lunchtime will be different.  He does not know that his father has left a note that states Jack will learn to drink out of a cup today.  His normal cup with the straw attached is now just a plain red cup.  I will be the one to help Jack today, but in the end I find that it is Jack who helps me.

Jack is nonverbal and in order to communicate, he must do so by gestures.  When reaching for the cup, he does not show any signs that he has noticed a change.  However, he is surprised by the touch of my hands on his while helping him lift the cup.  He seems to be confused as to why I would help him with an everyday task he can do on his own.  After an unsuccessful attempt to escape, he takes his first sip, which is not successful.  He has not learned how to keep his lips pressed tight to keep the water from spilling on the floor.  Immediately he realizes he has erred in the art of drinking from a cup. What was once in his cup, is on his shirt.  Jack seems to be more determined now, and tries again.  This time he gets a little more water in his mouth, but still, most ends up rolling down his cheek.  I can see him thinking, “Maybe I need to try something different.”  He picks up the cup for the third time, but instead of putting his lips around the cup, he tries to lap the water up with his tongue, while tipping the cup. Not only does his shirt become wet, but his whole face.  His body is now tightened, suggesting he is becoming aggravated.  When I go to help him again, he tries to wiggle away, suggesting that I am the one who is causing him to fail.  With that as a cue, I take my hands off him while leaving them beneath the cup in case he needs help.  This is where I have made an error.  By standing back, I have allowed Jack to dump the rest of his water on his shirt.  Sensing Jack is still thirsty, I refill the cup and we start again.

After a while I start to feel bad for Jack.  It is obvious he is very thirsty, but no matter what he tries, it does not seem to work.  He is now wet and frustrated, and there seems to be nothing I can do to help him.  However, he is still determined and with each failed attempt, Jack tries harder.  It amazes me how he keeps going.  So often in life there are times when we just want to throw our hands up and admit we have been defeated.  To this little boy, the thought of giving up seems to have never crossed his mind.  He is wet, thirsty, and determined.

Before long, lunch is over.  Jack has managed to get enough water down to be satisfied and with a new change of clothes, he is as good as new.  The water is easily cleaned from the tables and floor, and dishes are taken to the sink.  Jack is now ready for a well-deserved nap.

The next day, I am back at the daycare with Jack, and it is lunchtime once again.  All the lunches are on the table ready for their owners to arrive.  I walk with Jack back to the same bright blue table with the apple colored chairs.  His lunch box is waiting for him at the head of the table as before, but something is different.  To my dismay, I notice the cup.  It is not the red cup that Jack used the last time I was there.  Instead, it is a white cup with the straw attached.  The white cup almost seemed to be a flag of surrender.  Yet, I did not believe it symbolized Jack’s surrender. How could the people at the daycare believe the task would be too hard for Jack?  How could they have given up so easily when Jack was not ready to give up at all? It must have been because of Jack’s inability to communicate that they decided to speak for him.  They took his struggle as a sign that he was not yet ready for the red cup.  I believe that Jack deserves the red cup, and that one day others will see he is ready too.

What is it in life that keeps us going?  What stops us from throwing up a white flag every time something seems to be too hard?  Perhaps it’s the belief we have in ourselves, or maybe it’s the push we get from others who believe in us.  Sometimes we need that voice of support saying that we are capable of anything, if we just try.  For the most part, it is our own determination that helps us strive to be our best. White cups are for those who surrender too quickly; plain red cups are for winners.