It has been almost a month since the kids started back to school and I am relieved to say that they have settled in well.
Last year we had some issues with Isaac at school and had to work closely with his teachers on how to settle him and make him comfortable and happy to be in the classroom.
It was a bit of trial and error at first, little things such as too much noise or not wanting to do the set task would trigger poor behaviour but patience and perseverance saved the day and by the last term he was a model pupil.
There were things we had to do from home though, like monitoring the length of time on computers, ensuring that he goes to bed at a reasonable hour, eating a healthy balanced diet, avoiding fizzy drinks and squash and hiring a private tutor for an hour a week to help in areas where he was struggling. Extra tuition doesn’t have to cost a fortune and we actually found one of Isaac’s old teachers offering lessons, which was perfect for us as she already knew and understood his learning process.
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We tried school dinners but my little fusspot didn’t like them so he has a packed lunch everyday. We also ensure he goes into school everyday with two bottles of water – one to keep in the classroom that he can sip whenever he feels the need and one for lunchtime.
It is especially important for Isaac, and all children, to stay hydrated at school, as being dehydrated can affect performance, behaviour and concentration.
Some things you may not know
- Kids should drink more water in relation to their body size than bigger people
- It’s recommended that children drink approximately 6-8 glasses per day
- Water is the best way to hydrate as it’s free of sugar, sweeteners, colourings and calories
- Kids don’t always recognize when they’re thirsty, so it’s best to encourage good drinking habits early
- Sipping throughout the day is the best way to encourage hydration
- Popping a bottle of Highland Spring into their lunchbox helps them to remember to sip at school
- It’s harder for kids to concentrate when they’re dehydrated
- Studies have shown that kids who drink a litre of water over the course of a school day have better short-term memory and generally perform better than those who don’t
- Water at mealtimes can help children tolerate vegetables
- Sometimes if kids don’t drink enough during the day, they get thirsty and drink before bed. This can increase the risk of little accidents during the night
I am really lucky that Eliza will only drink water and turns her nose up when offered squash or fizzy drinks, in fact, it always surprises people when she asks for water in a restaurant.
We have always encouraged our kids to drink water and I will leave a glass on the table for them when they are home and always take plenty of bottles out with me on our day trips. It may weigh down my backpack but it is important that the kids stay hydrated, especially when running around and exploring the outside world.
One thing that did stand out for me was on our recent holiday and the kids drank more fizzy pop than they would normally and we really noticed a big negative impact on their behaviour.
We made a conscious effort to drink more water as a family and we have certainly seen the benefits of it.
Do you drink water at home?
Disclosure: I’m working with Highland Spring and BritMums in a paid relationship promoting the #TermTimeEssentials campaign about the importance of hydration to kids. Visit http://
It’s interesting how you have noticed a link between the fizzy pop and the kids’ behaviour and when they drink water. It seems to have an effect doesn’t it? But I’m glad all the kids are settled into school and that they are all drinking water!
It’s interesting, isn’t it, that kids need to drink more for their body weight than adults. Great post!
Fizzy drinks do impact on children’s behaviour I think – well done to your little one for loving water so much 😀
We have one that only drinks water too and i think like you so many people dont get it that healthy to be like that!
my kids have always asked for fizzy drinks in a restaurant but since drinking more water at home they tend to ask for water there too, and like you say, lots are people are surprised by it.
I encourage my boys to have plain water or council pop as it was called in my day! I wish that they allowed the bottles of water on their desk, but they no longer allow it.
Fizzy drinks send my kids loopy too! Sometimes too much fruit juice does too. Best we stick to water!!
Glad you are over the hurdle of kids settling in school. It’s always a worry isn’t it? Keep them drinking though! x
Burton will drink water quite happily, but i do struggle with Jenson – he takes in very weak squash to school otherwise he would not drink much all day. we don’t have any fizzy drinks here, sometimes they have tried sparkling water but only on special occasions x x
I always revert to drinking tea or juice at home but have found the kids drink so much more water when I drink it too – so it’s a habit I have to break and drink more water myself! x