What is the best drink for toddlers and children that refuse to drink water?

[Backtonature]

Just that really. I currently give watered down apple juice but have been wondering if heavily diluted squash might be better (less acidic for teeth?)

[mle71]

Hi, my youngest of three boys has never liked water. However, I don't worry about it anymore, as our dentist has told me it doesn't matter too much as long as you brush teeth twice a day. Mine are 14, 12 and 11 now and have not had one filling. I am a real nagger about teeth cleaning though !

[Chocolateteabag]

Just give the watered down juice or apple juice with a meal - water between meals.

You are trying to only have 3-4 "attacks" on the teeth but during those attacks your teeth can take sugar (even if other parts of you can't)

It's the constant bathing of teeth in sugar through the day which really damages them - so no having juice in a beaker available all the time. Juice with meals only.

It's really worth being hard line on this one!

[mudandmayhem01]

My son went through a stage like this, I gave him sugar free squash( very dilute) now he is a bit older, 10 he has agreed to drink water. He has fizzy pop with his sunday dinner ( if I am having wine he can have a special drink too!) He got back into water when he started doing lots of sport and was actually really thirsty. He also started drinking lots milk again which is great for hydration, nutrition and not too bad for teeth.

[Cookingongas]

Probably an awful option, but mine have sparkling water or flavoured water. They love it. ( and the school don't send it home like they do squash)

[Higge]

milk

[Higge]

And I'd try Evian - it has a very soft almost sweet flavour....start there then move to tap. I drank squash as a kid because I hated water - my teeth are awful.

[Mrsmorton]

Just saying! Some flavoured water has almost as much sugar in it as Coke so please check the labels!!

[Wolfiefan]

Bizarrely ice cubes in water helped here. Shaped ice cubes are even better!

[NewBallsPlease00]

Drink with a straw or drink in a chosen bottle to make water more exciting- juice in cup looks pretty morning in comparison!