Why the child does not want to drink water and what can we do to change it? How to encourage your infant to drink waterand how to convince an older child to do so? Or maybe we need to start by changing our own drinking habits? Read on and see which of the following ways to do this how to encourage a child to drink water, you can apply to your child.
Most of us are well aware of the benefits of drinking water, but we do not always use them on a daily basis. Regardless of age, we easily get used to sweet tastes, which are difficult to give up later. So how do you get out of this situation? Below we suggest what to do when the child does not want to drink water, how to make the toddler choose it from other drinks and how to effectively encourage the infant and older child to drink water.
Why the child does not want to drink water?
Babies are born with a natural preference for sweet and salty tastes, so it is important to instill correct eating habits early. It is best to start developing the habit of drinking water while expanding the infant's diet, that is, at a time when complementary foods are introduced.
Research has shown that children consuming sweet drinks already in infancy preferred this type of drink later in life, as opposed to children who were given water to drink. Television commercials of foods whose nutritional value is not always appropriate for children may also influence the making of certain food choices. The role of parents / guardians in learning proper eating habits should also be emphasized here. It is worth being a good example for your child and choosing the water to drink yourself.
How can I encourage my infant to drink water?
Your toddler should be used to drinking water from infancy, which shapes healthy eating habits. When a child refuses to drink water, let's keep encouraging him to drink it. Here are some practical ways to make your baby enjoy water and want to drink it more than any other drink.
- If our toddler has already become a foodie of juices, the easiest way to wean him off is to dilute them with water. We start with a small amount and gradually increase it. The time of such "weaning" depends on the individual preferences of the child. In some children you can start with a "half and half" dilution and then it will be quite short, for others you will have to change the proportions gradually and then the time will be longer.
- It is best, of course, given to the baby to drink tasteless water. Water, like water, will not delight him with its bright color or sparkling bubbles (it should be still). If the child does not want to drink such water, it is worthwhile to diversify it, enriching it with, for example, lemon or orange juice. We can prepare ice cubes in funny shapes with the child, or by pouring water over ice molds, put fruit such as raspberries, sliced orange or lemon pieces inside. Such a colorful ice cube will look beautiful and interesting in a cup. And how much fun to prepare it? You can also prepare fresh additives, such as mint leaves or just fresh fruitwhich we add to the water just before drinking. If you can decide about it yourself, your child will feel appreciated.
- It is essential selection of a mug or a water bottle with a straw. A colorful, easy-to-use vessel can certainly encourage you to reach for water more often. That the speech apparatus develops properly - after the age of one year, the child should drink from a cup, not from a bottle with a teat.
- Let's reward and let us praise our toddler for choosing water. Everyone likes their efforts appreciated. Shared thematic games can also encourage people to drink water.
- Let's make sure that the water is always within sight of the child - so that they can reach for it at any time or communicate that they want to drink.
- A not trivial thing - let's set a good example. Children watch us and imitate us. If they see that we also drink water, they will lose the argument of reaching for sweetened drinks. How will we motivate a child to drink water if we do not drink it ourselves?
How to encourage older child to drink water?
In addition to the above-mentioned methods, several others may also work for older children.
- Let us involve the child in the choice of water. If we drink bottled, choose it together in the store. If we decide to filter from a jug, maybe a child could fill it or accompany us in this activity. He will feel responsible for it.
- At every opportunity, let's explain and explain to the child why water is better than juices and drinks. Understanding our intentions can help.
- In the case of older children with devices such as a smartphone or tablet, we can encourage them through download an application reminding you to drink water, often in the form of funny pictures or mini-games. Every parent knows how effectively modern technologies attract our children.
