To ask what you think to this school new rule?

Lessons are pretty short in infant school. Maths for my year one class is generally about 45 mins. And no they don't need a drink in that time. They can drink to their hearts content at break just before and lunch just after. But during that 45 mins they need to be concentrating and not pissing about with a bottle. Because none of them bring in normal bottles they've all got stupid spraying ability or charms hanging off or fancy unscrewing lids so they can be knocked over and spilt. It almost as if parents want to make the bottles as annoying and distracting as humanly possible. And they don't label them with their names so kids with identical bottles fall out and argue. And kids with fancy bottles cry when they lose them.

I hesitate to post this-but does anyone feel a little uncomfortable focussing on our privileged developed world children’s constant access to water (which is absolutely not a “science thing”) when 450m children worldwide do not have access to to clean drinking water?
And, yes I know some children have a medical need…..

Our school limits it to a certain degree. The children have to put their water bottles on a trolley and if a child is thirsty during a lesson they have to put their hand up and ask if they can get a drink. The only exception to this is when it’s very hot. Tbh I don’t blame them. Constant access to water bottles would probably mean kids fiddling with them, knocking them over, spilling them and with some bottles containing squash, that means sticky desks and floors. Just general low level disruption.

Still no science…

Don’t be ridiculous!

They can drink plenty of water before school, during school breaks during the day and after school.

When I invigilated exams, I used to warn students not to guzzle too much water because what goes in has to come out.

I remember one student who wasted a full 30 minutes of a three hour exam going to the loo.

It’s fine to have rules about having a non-spill bottle, no air ups etc. anything to make a teacher’s life easier. Our teachers manage perfectly well in our primary school with water bottles in the classroom. Most people don’t drink enough. It is not a helpful rule in instil in children - metered access to water. Works for some, will not work for others.

As an adult I drink a lot more than some other people. When I didn’t yesterday, I became dizzy and felt terrible. We all have different tolerances. Especially in very humid weather. Children should not have access to water restricted. We didn’t know as much about this when we were younger. Now we know how important it is to drink.

But drinking to a schedule prevents you feeling randomly thirsty 🤨

This
(sensible headteachers will set different rules for heat waves).

I'd be amazed if the same kids are drinking as frequently at home as some of the parents of her think they should at school.

If my child was asking for a proper drink every hour or less, I'd be concerned and worry about diabetes.

Constantly sipping from water bottles has become a habit now, for adults and children, but it isn’t necessary. I’m old enough to have gone through all my schooling before water bottles were a thing. Literally nobody had one. I don’t even remember drinking from the water fountain at break time. I had a small drink with my lunch and that was it. I don’t remember being thirsty, even in hot weather. I still don’t drink a lot, as I never formed the habit. It doesn’t appear to have done me any harm.

To enforce what?
An hour and a half without water?
What do you think will happen?

But as plenty of teachers have attested they are playing with bottles, fiddling and taking tiny sips for the sake of it.

Bottles in schools altogether is unnecessary and a pointless distraction. They only go short times between breaks anyway. It's ridiculous to think they need absolutely constant access to water

Kids should have access to a drink whenever they want! Being thirsty isnt on a schedule

Why? Presumably as your child has a life threatening condition that requires constant drinking the school would be happy to accommodate them. What makes you think theyd ignore medical advice?

This is complete bs no way would i allow a school to enforce this on my child!

Vynalbob

The first article you posted states that it’s not recommended for children to be sipping water during the day. Instead they should be taking a larger drink at intervals.

This fits in perfectly with having a good swig from the water bottle on arrival, breaks, lunch & home time.

The article also states that too many children don’t drink enough before school. Which is surprising if so many of them need to be permanently attached to water bottles during lessons 🤔

‘Just heard from other parents’ makes me question the accuracy.

Agree with you. We were not allowed to drink in class, only at break times. You were allowed "to be excused" if you really needed the loo.

Kids (and adults) need plenty of water to be healthy. This is verging on abuse.

Specialist doctors will tell you that constant sipping on water isn’t good for kidneys. Having a larger drink of water at break and lunch is better.

As it did, for countless generations.

How did we all go to school and survive without constantly drinking from bottles of water ?

This website recommends 3/4 glasses of water in a day. So before school, break, lunch and after school should cover that nicely.