Children lose up to 90% of the water present in their bodies during the day, so they must be kept well hydrated.
For children it is of no importance to drink a lot of water, even in their daily activity they overlook the sensation of thirst. However, being well hydrated means consuming as much water as we lose, since in this way we maintain a constant level of fluid in the body.
The main sources of water for humans are food, the body’s own biochemical reactions, but the most important is: drink water.
A school-age child who drinks water frequently is more likely to maintain a stable weight; in children from two to nine years old, the need for fluid is vital, since they lose more fluid through the skin than an adult and their kidneys, still immature, produce more diluted urine, in these two natural and imperceptible processes they lose about 90 % of the water present in your body in a single day.
Finding the way to achieve a close relationship between your little ones and the water is very easy, here are six tips that will help you achieve this:
1. Make it a necessity
Sugary drinks are liked by all children, however, consuming them frequently provides the body with more calories than it can process and that is the risk of being overweight and obese. Drinking natural water with food helps better digestion and does not change its taste, having a jug always available at mealtime encourages its regular consumption, you can also place small bottles of water in spaces where it spends more time, such as on the table. games, homework, or at night to strengthen your relationship with water.
2. Make it taste fun
If the taste is an impediment to drinking water, add some lime slices or some other citrus in your glass or bottle, you can also try blueberry or mint leaves to add a subtle flavor.
3. Explain why it is important
Some symptoms of dehydration are more obvious than others, but all are just as important. Among them they stand out having little energy and feeling awkward when playing. Explain to him that when he doesn’t drink water, he plays less or gets tired faster, and that if he has had a good time without doing so, he may feel less agile and slow thinking, since water helps the correct oxygenation of the brain. He will see that having more fun and being the best in the game are things that water can do almost instantly for him.
4. Help him know how much water he has had
Always make him carry a bottle of water with him, so he can get an approximation of how much he has drunk, include it in his backpack or on the essential list before leaving home. Remind her of key drinking moments each morning: before going to school, at recess, during lunch, while exercising, after school (at the Snack), doing homework, at dinner, and while reading a book, before going to sleep.
5. Make it a game
If they are in a park or a party, or if they carry out physical activity for a long time, it is recommended that they drink water every 20 minutes and at the end of the tour. We must be emphatic that it does not matter if you are not thirsty, remind him how cars in races must stop from time to time to refuel.
6. Be an example
Teaching by example is the best way to create habits, the relationship you have with water is the one that your children will also have. Children are imitators, allow them to see you drink water, drink with them, convey to them how important it is for you to stay well hydrated.