The hot days of summer are quickly approaching, or already upon us in some places. And with school ending for most kids, they’ll hopefully be spending more time out in the summer sun, which makes it a good time to talk about water.
The number of appealing non-water drinks available seems to be increasing every day. There’s every kind of juice, soda, energy drink, nutrition drink, and flavored water out there you could imagine.
And they all present our children with a tempting alternative to the “boring” taste and look of good old water.
In addition to the fact that you can spend several dollars a day on these drinks, as compared to pennies a day on all the water you’d ever need, there are many reasons water should be your child’s drink of choice this summer, and beyond.
The Science Behind Water
About 60% of our body is made up of water, and 75% of our brain. This fact alone is a big clue as to the importance of water for making sure our bodies work right.
Not surprisingly, water is a big factor in making sure our bodies can carry out their most basic functions, such as transporting nutrients, digesting food, regulating your body temperature, protecting your joints and tissues, and keeping your skin and hair healthy and looking good.
Because your body is constantly losing water, it’s important to constantly replace it.
Water and Your Brain
While a lot of the science behind water will likely have zero impact in motivating your child to drink more water, older children might find some interest in how water gives them a better brain.
Stress to your child that drinking water will make school feel easier for her.
Studies show that drinking water helps kids concentrate better and for longer periods of time in the classroom, as well as gives them more energy.
How well your brain works is closely connected to how hydrated you are.
And you don’t have to spend a week in the desert without water for your brain to feel the adverse effects.
Even mild dehydration, which is fluid loss of 1-3%, can reduce your energy levels, impair your mood and increase anxiety, and reduce your memory.
Another major downside to not having enough water is increased headaches.
Next time your child complains of a headache, have her drink lots of water and see if that doesn't drive out the headache. This alone may be enough to convince her of the benefits of water!
Water and Your Weight
Another big benefit of water for kids is that it’s an easy weapon against the ever-growing problem of childhood obesity, which is creating a number of serious health risks for our children.
While children are blessed with great metabolism, the rise in the number of screens they spend a frightening amount of time in front of each day means a lot of children aren’t taking full advantage of their body’s metabolic powers.
Drinking water is a quick and effective way to boost your metabolism.
In addition, drinking water makes you feel full.
For many kids, it’s not uncommon to crave a snack multiple times a day. Turning some of these snack breaks into water breaks will reduce the calories and undesirable ingredients found in many snacks, and provide your child with all the benefits of water at the same time.
Alternatives to water such as juices and sodas contain huge amounts of unexpected sugar and calories.
You might feel like letting your child have juice or soda is a lot healthier than giving him a piece of cake, but take a minute to compare the sugar and calorie content of the two and you’ll be in for a surprise.
This is an especially important consideration for kids who are drinking three or four cups of juice or soda a day, if not more.
How to Get Your Children to Embrace Water
As a parent, you likely get the vast number of health benefits of water. But who wants to fight with your child all day trying to convince him to drink more water?
As we pick our battles, that’s one that we may be tempted to let go of.
The goal of course is to not make it a battle.
The best way to do this is to make drinking water a habit your child does as easily as he puts on his shoes and brushes his teeth.
The younger your child is, the easier it is to make water a habit. Simply offer it to him multiple times a day.
Have a water bottle he likes and keep it filled with water and within reach at all times.
If water is what he grows up being used to, water is what he’ll naturally ask for.
With older kids, if they aren’t used to water, you’ll have to take the tough step of reducing the amount of available alternatives.
This doesn’t mean eliminate what they’re used to drinking, we all know that will triple their desire to have that drink and make them hate water even more.
Just do a slow transition where their favorite drink is only available at certain times, or after they’ve had water. They’ll eventually get in the water habit with a little work on your part.
One of the best ways to help kids with the water habit is to be a good role model.
Yes, for some of you this may be hard! But if you’re showing up with a soda each morning and choosing non-water options throughout the day, you’ll be fighting a losing battle with your kids.
Remember, having a glass of water by your side throughout the day has immense health benefits for you too. And, it will have a big effect on your children, who model your behavior way more than you realize.
One of the big benefits of having a healthy lifestyle is that you can feel good about those times that call for some less than healthy choices.
Here at KidsPartyCharacters.com, we fully support the calorie-filled, sugary birthday cake your child chooses for her next party. And in fact, if she’s a cotton candy fan, we have our very own cotton candy machine we’ll bring along when you book her party with KidsPartyCharacters.com.
With over 200 characters to choose from, and packages including lots of fun extras, we have everything it takes to make your child’s next party magical. Start your planning today at KidsPartyCharacters.com.
And join us on Facebook for party ideas and inspiration, as well as daily updates on ways to keep you and your family happy and healthy all year long.
No comments:
Post a Comment