3 Ways To Get Your Kids To Drink More Water
It may be no secret that today’s teens and tweens aren’t drinking enough fluids, which is leaving them dehydrated. In fact, a recent study suggested that the number of teens and tweens who are dehydrated is as high as 75%. This is a serious issue, as even mild levels of dehydration can weaken the immune system, increase fatigue levels, negatively impact mood, hinder learning and focus ability, impair bodily functions, and more.
As a parent, you know that getting your child to drink more water is easier said than done. Either they forget, would rather drink sugary drinks, or just have no interest in it as it is too plain and boring for their taste (literally). This becomes even more difficult when you consider that the recommended daily intake is 10-15 cups. Before you give up on keeping your child’s thirst quenched, just know that there are several methods worth trying that can get your child’s hydration back on track.
Cut out the sugary drinks
Making drinking water instead of sugary drinks the norm is a very crucial first step. This may be easier to enforce for younger kids rather than teens, but regardless you can take steps that will help in the long run. Don’t buy sugary drinks and have them sitting around the house, and your child will have no choice but to quench their thirst with water. They may even realize that it doesn’t taste so bad after all. Most importantly, set a good example for your kids by drinking water yourself, and they’ll be more likely to follow your lead.
Buy them an awesome water bottle
If you give your child a reason to have hydration at the top of their mind by giving them an awesome water bottle, they will be more inclined to remember to drink from it. Not only are reusable water bottles one of the hottest new trends across middle and high school campuses everywhere, but most schools are now being equipped with water bottle filling stations as a replacement for communal water fountains due to COVID-19. This leaves water bottles as the only method of drinking water throughout the entire school day, so your child will most definitely need one. Here at Whirlbottle, we’ve created the world’s first water bottle of its kind that entices teens and tweens to drink more water by making it fun (click here to learn more). Consider buying an awesome water bottle such as Whirlbottle for your child, we can assure you that they’ll love it. Click here to learn more.
Flavor it
Adding flavor to your child’s water is an easy way to get them to drink more. Not only are there countless options in terms of flavorings that can be purchased and added to water to enhance the flavor, but there are natural alternatives as well. Water flavoring enhancers come in liquid drop and powder forms and are available in a multitude of sugar-free (Did we mention that Whirlbottle is perfect for mixing them in?). If you’re not inclined to choose something that may contain sweeteners or additives, you can simply cut up fruits with high water content and add them straight into their water. Fruits that are high in water content include watermelon, strawberries, apples, citrus fruits, and more. Not only will they make the water taste amazing, but they are high in essential vitamins and minerals that your child most definitely needs.