Why wait until January, when you can start getting healthier today…
One of my daughters said recently, “I love the taste of water!” I was thrilled to hear that, of course, and told her it’s my favorite drink too. How many of you can actually say you LOVE water?? I really do love water, and most of the time that’s what you’ll find me drinking. Odds are not everyone has these same thoughts, but water is so important for our bodies. Most people would say they know they should drink more water. If you model drinking water often, not only will you benefit, but your kids will SEE YOU, and hopefully they will be encouraged to do the same.
Thinking back to growing up, I don’t remember drinking that much water myself, but I do remember my mom drinking LOTS of water. She did drink other things too, but other than the occasional soda, I mostly saw her having water. In fact, she mostly drinks water still today! It’s funny what stands out from childhood.
Most young kids want to be just like their parents! My kids are ALWAYS asking me for a sip of whatever I am having. A few years ago I decided that I better be mostly drinking what I would want them drinking too! If they ask for a sip of my usual drink of choice – water, no problem! It’s very rare that I am drinking something around them that they can’t have! But how am I supposed to teach them to make good decisions regarding nutrition, if I am not making those same decisions too? I also try do this with snacks and meals. I (usually) don’t mind sharing my snacks because they are snacks I don’t mind my kids having, too. Anyway, whether we are conscious of it or not, our kids are always watching and will likely model what we do!
I am in no way an expert on hydration, but I do drink a lot of water, and my kids do, too. Here are some of the ways we make that happen –
Use a straw
I ALWAYS drink more water when I am using a straw. Plastic, disposable straws are quite cheap but not so great for the environment. I use a “straw cup” for my water each day. I have owned plastic ones in the past, but I currently use a stainless steel cup with a stainless steel straw, and I really like it! It keeps my water cold, is reusable, and I know chemicals aren’t leaching into my water from any plastic. My kids love using straws too! They have used plastic too, but they now also have stainless steel cups and stainless steel straws. They love that their cups are like mine!
Insulated cup
Back to our stainless steel cup – My water stays pretty close to whatever temperature I intended it to be (room temp, cool, very cold). During the summer heat, I can leave my cup in the car and come back to ice, cold water! In the past it was always a disappointment coming to the car to find warm water to drink. Insulated cups to the rescue!
Always refill your empty cup
My cup pretty much ALWAYS has water in it! When I finish it, I immediately refill it. That way there is always water readily available. I also keep it right on my kitchen island so I can have a sip any time I walk through the kitchen (accessibility is key). My kids have their water cups out at their table spot all day so they can grab some water whenever they wish.
Take a glass to bed
Water any time is a good thing, but before bed it’s also good for your heart! I bring a glass of water to bed and put it on a coaster on my night stand. I drink some before bed, any time I wake up in the night, and right away in the morning when I get up. Drinking water also helps get your metabolism started for the day.
Keep everyone hydrated
Whenever you take a sip of water, remind your kids to take a sip too (or vice versa). This past summer on the really HOT days, I kept telling my kids we needed to stay hydrated! I would have us all take a break to come inside to cool off and have some water before getting back to playing outside. Since it was so hot, they had no problem coming in to cool off and have water.
ALWAYS bring water along – in the car, to the park, to a meeting, etc.
How many times have you been somewhere wishing you had something to drink? If you always have water with you, you won’t get to the “beyond thirsty” phase. Plus you’ll get in the habit of drinking more water since you always have some. Your kids will quickly learn that you always have water too so eventually you’ll have to bring extra!
Keep a water bottle in the fridge
If you prefer cold water, this way you can just grab and go. You’ll always have cold water ready to take with you.
Offer water
Offer your kids water first. If there isn’t another alternative, they’ll have water if they want something to drink. My kids like to drink other things, but they rarely do because I always offer water first. They enjoy having juice or cider because they know it’s a special treat.
What do you do to get yourself and/or your kids to drink more water??
i fill up four water bottles each night before bed (all for myself… I love water!) so I only need to think about refills once per day. The kids have their own water bottles too, which they always keep at their table spots. Switching cups for them every so often seems to help them remember to drink more. Lately I’ve been drinking lots of bone broth – I pour some hot broth in my Yeti and it stays warm for hours!
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