When summers are at doorstep and you are a parent of little one, your main worry is to keep them hydrated throughout the day. When your child use to intake less water, then you only think of infections and low activity level in your kid due to dehydration.
Everyone knows the importance of staying hydrated. If your child will be dehydrated the fluid and salt balances in his body are out of whack, and proper nutrients and fluids can’t get to his tissues. So a dehydrated child is more prone to diseases and in worst cases dehydration is life threatening also.
By using couple of tricks you can make your child drink more water.
1) By setting example:
We all know children of any age follow their parents very much. So drink water in front of them and tell them how good you are feeling after having water.
Remember kids observe you very well and it works better than giving them an hour long lecture on the importance of drinking water.
2) Drink Juices:
Juices are also the one way to keep you hydrated. Start giving them variety of fresh juices they like, but always remember that too much juices can lead to loose motions and loss of appetite, so limit juices.
Also keeps an eye that while having juices your child should not drink less water, as plain water is the best to keep fluid levels high in your body.
3) Natural/homemade drinks and flavoured water
Coconut water is very light and refreshing natural drink with lots of nutrients in it. It helps to maintain the body temperature too. You can also go for homemade drinks like lemonade, butter milk etc. But always remember that you don’t replace water with any of it.
While boiling the water you can add a pinch of dry cumin, ginger, cardamom etc. It gives a good taste to the bland water and also good for health. You can also add fruits/lemon/cucumber slices to make the flavoured water. Adding crushed mint or basil leaves to it give you better taste. Give this flavoured water in transparent glass water decorated with fruit slice to your kids. I am sure they will like it very much.
4) Popsicles
Popsicles and summers have a great connection. Make homemade fruity popsicles for your little one, it will be a great treat of fruits and liquids for your kids.
5) Eat Fruits
Fruits like watermelon, grape fruits, oranges, muskmelon, strawberries etc. are high in water content. Encourage your child to eat them more.
6) Take a look on water temperature
Who wants to drink hot water in summers? Same applies to your child also, this could be the one reason that their intake of water can go down.
Kids like water kept in refrigerator but for them water at room temperature or water kept in earthen pot is the best in summer. If your child like lukewarm water, that is also good.
7) Make water accessible
Keep water at the accessible point from where your child can take the water from himself. Encourage him that whenever he passes by takes a sip of water.
8) Fancy straws/ attractive sippers or cups
Everybody get bored with routine things, especially kids get bored faster than adult. So change the routine and try some attractive things to make them sip water. You can go for fancy straws, sippers or cups to make them drink more.
9) Don’t wait till the child get thirsty
Children often ignores their thirst when they are busy in playing so encourage them to take water break after every 20 minutes while they are playing, especially at their outdoor play times. Ask them to sip their drinks and resume their play.
Note: This article is not for the infants below 6 months. For infants below 6 months breast milk is enough to stay hydrated in summers also. Only thing you can go for is to increase number of breastfeed sessions.
