Did you know that our bodies are made up of 50% to 75% water on a daily basis? If your child isn’t drinking enough water (they should be drinking 1/2 of their body weight in water on a daily basis), it can cause dehydration and other potential health problems. Instead, of grabbing drinks on the go try filling up a cooler and keeping it in the car. Today, I wanted to share some tips that Hank wrote on how to get your kids to drink more water.
Walk down the aisles of any grocery store and you are bound to see a myriad of juices, sodas and other flavored drinks designed to entice little ones. While sweet drinks are a great treat, drinking too much artificially flavored juice or soda can lead to childhood obesity. As children get older, they should be drinking more water to stay hydrated and keep their bodies energized. Unfortunately, many kids just don’t want to drink water. If your little one is being stubborn, here are a few crafty ways to make it easier:
Add Fruit to Your Child’s Glass of Water
This is a great way to add natural flavor to your water without any manufactured sugar. Chop up fresh fruits or veggies such as apples, oranges, pears, cucumber, strawberries, watermelon or peaches and heap them at the bottom of a tall pitcher. You may even consider adding mint leaves or cinnamon sticks. Fill the pitcher with water and put the mixture into the fridge to steep. The fruits, veggies and spices will add a natural, fun flavor to the water that is tasty to kids and adults alike!
Make it a Habit So That Your Kids Will Naturally Choose Water
Instead of pulling out the milk, juice or soda at the dinner table, opt for water first. If you choose to allow your child to drink soda or juice, ask them first to drink a glass of water. They’ll drink less juice/soda because their tummies will already be a little full from the water.
