photo credit: Little Miss Eclectic Photography
Summer and winter alike, insuring your children are getting a healthy amount of water is essential. Convincing your kids of this is another problem altogether. Here are some handy tricks we have found to get you started.
Get a refrigerator with built in water dispenser
Okay, this might be a little extreme, but for those who might be in the market for a new fridge, think about getting one with this feature. Kids love to be independent and even young children can easily help themselves with this style of refrigerator. If you’re not in the market for a new fridge, try this pretty Glass Beverage Dispenser by Stylesetter. Keep it on a low shelf to make it easily accessible. Even children who aren’t coordinated enough to lift and pour pitchers can easily fill their own cups this way.
photo credit: Little Miss Eclectic Photography
Buy a special cup
Keep an eye out for a fancy cup to make drinking water fun! We love these Camelbak Kid’s Cups because they are BPA free, spill proof, dishwasher safe, and have replaceable spouts. Spill proof cups and cups with lids are especially great because you can take them everywhere with you, adding opportunities to get the fluids IN.
Limit juice
Most Pediatricians will tell you that juice is not necessary for your child’s nourishment. So, limit the juice and offer water instead. You could even institute a Water First rule. At dinner, if the kids ask for juice, allow them to drink a cup after they have had a glass of water.
Temperature counts
Kids, just like adults, have preference in how they like to take their water. Some kids might prefer it at room temperature and others might like it with tons of ice. Experiment to see what your child prefers. And if the temperature doesn’t seem to help, you can think about adding a slice of fruit or citrus to add a bit of flavor.
Model it
Just as we mentioned in Get Your Kids to do Chores and Enjoy it, it is always important to model the behavior you want your kids to have. So, before you grab that soda to go with your dinner, drink a big glass of water with your kids.
Ensure drinking the water doesn’t become a chore or they will lament this potentially unexciting beverage. Establishing healthy habits in childhood, like drinking water, paves the way for mature decisions in the future. The most difficult part of the training is transferring hydration from your command into their decision.
