Getting Your Kids to Drink More Water
By Sara Butler
Chances are that your child could benefit from drinking more water each day. For their continued health, drinking water is essential. That's why it should be a priority in your family to have as much water as you can every day. Of course, understanding that and making it happen are two completely different things. Here are a few strategies that may entice your child to drink more water every day.
Add a Twist
Kids are suckers for gimmicks -- as evidenced by the success of all those toys that are advertised on television. You can use their weakness against them in order to help them drink more water by:
- Using fancy ice cubes - There are trays that can make ice cubes into about any shape, from Legos to Star Wars. This may excite your kids and tempt them to enjoy a plain glass of ice water. You can also add fruit or mint leaves to regular ice cubes to make it a little more fun.
- Garnish with fruit - Instead of putting fruit in the ice cube, put it right in the water. Make your child a fancy glass of water with an umbrella and a fruit garnish. Chances are, they'll go nuts for it. Plus, the fruit helps to add a hint of flavor and make water a little more tasty.
- Add bubbles - If your kids love carbonated beverages, then you may want to buy some seltzer water or invest in a system that allows you to make your own fizzy water at home -- flavors and all.
Get a Reusable Bottle
Kids like having things they can claim as their own, so why not help them find a reusable water bottle with just a little bit of flair to excite them? It could be in their favorite color, have their favorite character on it or simply be something that's theirs and theirs alone. Help them find a bottle that's right for them and fill it up, teaching them to sip from it frequently.
Create a Water Challenge
Is your family competitive? Why not harness that competitive spirit with a family water challenge? First, keep only water and milk as beverages in your home and then talk to each other about setting family water goals. You may even want to throw in a chart or two to track everyone's progress and come up with a prize for the winner each week.
Getting your whole family to drink more water isn't as complicated as you may think. Give these tips a try!
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Riverside, Calif.