Are you getting enough water? Are you kids getting enough water? Recent studies have shown most children operate in a steady state of dehydration. They are simply not drinking enough fluids on a daily basis.
As we enter into the heat of the summer, encouraging our kids to drink up is important to both their physical and mental health, and safety.
However, if your kids are like mine, they would rather reach for a juice, sports drink, or soda. So, getting them to drink water might take some creativity. Try these ideas:
- Make water easily accessible to kids. If they can’t reach the sink or the water tap in your refrigerator, set up an easy-to-use water dispenser and cups where they can reach them.
- Freeze fruit like pineapple, mango, or berries and use them in water like ice cubes.
- Keep water-filled fruits and vegetables in the house. Watermelon, grapes, cucumbers, strawberries, and tomatoes are high in water content and can help with hydration.
- Freeze fruit in water in ice cube trays then add those cubes to cold water.
- Get each child a fun water cup that is just theirs.
- Create a reward chart for drinking water. Have them earn a star for each glass of water drank.
- Make homemade popsicles with watered down juice and fruit chunks.
- Serve water at meals.
- Be a role model. Let your kids see you drinking water regularly.
So how much water should your kids be drinking? Teenagers need as much water as adults – 8-11 cups. Toddlers need 1-4 cups. A good rule of thumb is 2-3 ounces per pound of body weight a day.