Back To School Is Finally Here!
By now the uniforms have all been sorted, the pencil cases have been filled and your little ones are excited about the new academic year ahead, although perhaps not as excited as the parents who have just about coped through the lengthy summer holiday!
Now you have got them back to school, you probably want to ensure they stay there, even if it is simply for your own sanity…and of course the fact that attendance is known to have a positive effect on children’s academic performance.
At this time of year there is plenty of advice on the web about looking after little one’s health and ensuring they are in the right frame of mind for school. The advice concerns treating the common cold, topping up on vitamin D and how to avoid a stint of playing “Nitty Nora!
The information above is all very helpful, but the importance of hydration and your child’s well being is often overlooked.
It is no revelation that water is essential for our bodies, this applies to both adults and children. However, children have a higher water requirement in relation to their bodies making it particularly important.
Children easily forget to rehydrate, especially when they are running about having fun. We have specifically designed kids motivational bottles to encourage your children to drink more. Our bottles are marked with motivational slogans and an interactive chart on the back which encourage the children to drink throughout the day, oh and they come in two flavours!
Staying hydrated is important as dehydration can cause tiredness, headaches, lack of concentration and overall reduced mental performance!
How much should my child be drinking?
Online advice from doctors or health services will often promote that your children drink “plenty” of water. A little ambiguous to say the least, but perhaps that is because the amount a child needs to drink varies due to factors such as the weather and physical activity levels. However, it is typically advised that a child aged between 4-13 should drink between 6-8 glasses of water a day.
Anything Else?
Armed with all the information you need, all you need to do now is pass this on to your children and they will make sure they always consider their water intake, right? We all know that’s hardly likely to happen so here are some top tips for making sure your little ones stay hydrated.
We know that lots of little children are partial to more sugary drinks on occasion. However encourage them to have a big glass of water beforehand and they are less likely to drink a large amount of sweet stuff.
- Water everywhere! Have water readily available for children. If they are out playing, give them a bottle to take with them or place a jug at their level so they can help themselves.
- Lead by example. When a child sees a parent or care provider topping up on water throughout the day, they will copy their actions.
- Children love to ask questions so talk to them about why water is actually good for you and the benefits to the human body.
- Don’t be scared to add a little flavour. Some children just find plain water too boring, so throw in some mint leaves or raspberries to add in a little favour.
