No matter what time of year it is, your children need to stay on top of their hydration to maintain their health and wellbeing. You might be tempted to give your children juice and soda when they’re thirsty, but as Spring is on the way we should talk more about the importance of drinking water throughout the day. Active children need to remain hydrated, as do children who are enjoying the warmer weather outside. A pediatrician will always recommend at least six glasses of water per day for your children but children who are out there and having fun, exercising and running in the sunshine – they’re the kids who need a little more than that!
Children are often fussy about the food and drink that they consume, and it’s vital that you work with them to ensure that they aren’t too resilient against drinking water. Making water fun for children is important. If you didn’t like the taste of plain water, you would add fruit, right? Well, kids are very much the same and respecting any boundaries that they have is important. Hydration is important, too, which is why you have to work together to ensure that they are drinking enough. Whether you buy The Berkey for great tasting water to entice them into drinking it, or you choose to work with your kids to get them excited about drinking water no matter where it’s from.
Hot weather may be on the way, but we’ve got some excellent tips to help your children to stay hydrated no matter what.
- Always offer water. No matter the meal and no matter the time of day always offer your children water. Have bottles ready for the car and refillable cups for meal times, jugs on the tables and make it easy. It’s much easier for them to connect their thirst to drinking more water. If they are reserved about drinking water, offer juice as an alternative only after they have had their water. Sweeten the deal, so to speak.
- Make it available everywhere. If you have refillable water bottles with you wherever you go, you’re going to be able to offer your kids water on the go. You can keep a small cooler in the car, too, to keep those bottles of water cold. If you add some frozen water bottles in there, too, you know that they are going to have cool water wherever they are. You don’t have to make drinking water difficult for your kids but if they get thirsty on a road trip, they’ll be equipped to sip when they need to.
- Mix it up. Sometimes, water can get a little boring! You need to mix it up to encourage more water drinking and the best way to do that is to slice up some delicious fruit and add that into their drinks. There are plenty of studies to show that children are much happier to drink flavored drinks than they are plain water. If you give flavored water a chance, you might find that your children are far more receptive to the idea of giving up juice. You could also consider sports drinks as an option on occasion as they have replenishing electrolytes that will help them during hotter days.
- Break out the popsicles. What are popsicles if not flavored frozen water? Popsicles are one of the best ways that you can convince your kids to take a break and hydrate. You can choose to make your own or you can buy them from the stores, but they make for a cheap way to hydrate and cool down, and your kids will be open to having them. If you meet any hesitation, get them to create some popsicles with you and they can make their own.
- Buy a special bottle. Even the older kids can benefit from having a personalized bottle with their name on it. Make water a positive, big deal in their lives and buy a fun cup for them to use for it and you’ll likely find that they are happy to use it. Mark the cup so that they can see where they need to ask for a refill, too, and they’ll have their prompt to ask for more!
- Keep them eating fruit and veggies. Water doesn’t have to be the only source of your child’s hydration. Fruit and vegetables can help with hydration while providing your kids with a great source of nutrients. All it takes is some watermelon slices or baby carrots, cucumber sticks and oranges, and you’ve got a great and hydrating snack on the go.
- Reward charts. With the rewards in the shape of stickers, you can ensure that your children are drinking the minimum six cups of water per day. The rule should be that it’s spaced out, and provide them a lesson in hydration and dehydration, too, so that they understand how water works in the body and why they shouldn’t drink too much at once.
- Learn the signs of dehydration. One of the biggest signs of dehydration is feeling thirsty. If your kids are thirsty, they’re already dehydrated. So, make sure that they’re sipping water regularly throughout the day and especially during sports.
- Lead by example. If you want your kids to drink enough water, make sure that you are, too. They need to see that you care about your hydration, too. Make a point of offering your kids a drink of water at the same time as you have one, and they will then be more inclined to drink water with you.
- Stay on top of the weather. While you’re there trying to ensure that your kids are drinking enough, make sure that the temperatures match the water that you are providing. The hotter it is, the more water you need to be able to provide to your kids. You need them to be hydrated and healthy and so you have to be on top of it at all times.
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