Tip # 1: Water is the single most important step to health
If your child often complains of thirst, constant hunger, headaches, dry mouth and skin, low energy, tummy aches, constipation, muscle aches or cramps – reach for a glass of water!
Taking into account that they’ll need more on hot days or when exercising, children need about 2 to 3 pints of plain, still water, taken gradually through the day, not in one gulp.
Squash, juices, fizzy drinks, coffee and tea are all dehydrating drinks and some will strip the calcium and other nutrients from your child’s body so switch to simple, pure, free water.
Is your child refusing to drink plain water?
- explain to them what water does to their body and why it is so important
- start gradually by giving only diluted ‘pressed’ juice at mealtime only.
- squeeze a few drops of lemon into their water bottles
- you could start a reward chart and reward them (not with food!) when they drink their water
- don’t buy squash (with or without sugar) or any other fizzy, sugary drink- if it’s not available at home, they won’t ask for it and they will drink water (and will save you a lot of money!)
- make it a rule that they leave home in the morning having already drunk one glass of water with breakfast
- lead by example – you will equally benefit from switching to water as your children!
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