How do you get your reluctant child to drink more?

[southpacificgoat]

DS has been constipated for many months now and it is getting worse. He drinks like a sparrow and I really think more fluid intake would help. The ERIC website suggests that at four years old he should have 6-8 drinks of 150-175ml a day. So at a minimum should take in 900ml a day. I would say he has barely half that amount a day. We constantly offer him water, which is also in easy reach for him all day. He is just not interested. Any tips that worked for you and your children?

Sorry - posting here for a bit more traffic.

My DSD struggles with the same thing.

I let her drink flavoured water occasionally, and no added sugar squash. Also sometimes I'll just give her a drink and say she's not allowed to go and play until she's finished it.

I know some people won't agree with the squash but it's honestly better than an overnight stay in hospital which is what we've had before (I just make sure we're vigilant about brushing teeth )

How old is he? Have you tried adding a wee bit of sugar free cordial? When my eldest was a reluctant drinker I started giving her cordial then gradually reduced the dilution till she was back on water. Now they're older I (5 and 3) I give them water with the plastic reusable ice cubes. Makes it more appealing to them to be drinking water with unicorns, dinosaurs etc. Same with silly bendy straws - ups the novelty/fun value. I know these aren't environmentally friendly but if your wee one has bad constipation then maybe it would help?

Mine used to drink loads but when he got a taste of fruit shoots and fizzy drinks on visits to grandparents he decided he didn’t like water.

I’ve no answer as I’m really struggling to get him to drink unless it’s mixed with terribly sweet squash.

Truth about the straws.

That did help my lo too actually.

Supermarkets sell the cardboard straws so not as bad as plastic

Thanks everyone. DS just turned four and we are desperate to be on top of this by the time he starts school. I like the idea of the reusable icecubes as they don't actually have to be cold (which I imagine does not help the gut) and will try the flavoured/coloured water, which he is sure to prefer. We already have reusable stràws, but although he does like them, he still does not drink more because of them. He is quite smart, but no amount of explaining that it will help make it easier to go to the toilet helps. This morning, after a night of no drinking I manages to get him to sip around 40ml. It took a lot of coaxing!

I had this with my DD. I went for the no snack or dessert until she'd had a beaker of water method.
Also straws and a treat of fizzy water.

Water/orange juice/squash with flavoured ice cubes in fun shapes or those novelty plastic ice cubes.

Brushing teeth shortly after a drink containing squash may result in your rubbing the citric acid etc into the enamel resulting in wearing the enamel away, always leave it for at least half an hour so that the saliva can do its job and neutralise any sugars and acid.

Same if you or a child has been sick, wait awhile before brushing teeth.

Get your child involved in making them and then they look forward to their drink

www.thegiftandgadgetstore.com/product/space-ice-cube-tray/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwla7nBRDxARIsADll0kC0Zridhwyur7LFGEz-UpzUaKQcdd0WHtVtH6mohJkAgRzrYQrnxA0aApKIEALw_wcB

Have you tried milk shakes instead?

He can make his own with fruit or try the milk straws for some added fun!

Decorate the glass? Make it look interesting?

I had the same issue and my son was getting headaches, he's 5... I bought one of these baby cups and he has it at home with milk in! Drinks loads now! It's the novelty. Has water also but we use this for milk..., just don't tell him it's a baby cup!

www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01N0D9Y7F/ref=twister_B07FQYLJ3D?tag=mumsnetforu03-21

Ice cubes.
Icy water.
Straws.
Fancy cups and bottles.
Watermelon as a snack 🤷‍♀️.
Nandos refillable fizz if you're out for a meal . That could hydrate an elephant.

Those curly reusable straws are fun.

www.amazon.co.uk/CURLY-BENDY-260mm-DRINKING-STRAWS/dp/B008I2FCWI/ref=asc_df_B008I2FCWI/?hvlocphy=1007460&linkCode=df0&hvptwo&psc=1&hvnetw=g&hvadid=205220620749&hvpone&hvlocint&hvpos=1o2&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl&hvqmt&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&hvtargid=pla-531622294011&hvrand=3104132097605744551

When it comes down to it, water isn’t better for a child if they don’t drink enough of it. I don’t like water and will only drink it in desperate circumstances. I don’t find it particularly refreshing either. There are loads of options that aren’t rammed with sugar but give some flavour.

Yes you are probably right that its better he drinks something else than water if otherwise not enough. Will have a look into different drinking cups and fun things. Thanks all.

My DC don't like it, but I know a lot of people who give their DC fruit teas. Make up a litre and let it cool. Also flavoured waters, jug of water +fruit or mint leaves etc

Maybe one of those infuser bottles?
Also food - berries, ice lollies, melon, grapes, tinned fruit with the juice, soup etc etc, milk on cereal
Food colouring added to water
Those straws that turn milk into a milkshake

Will he eat? Try giving him jelly, yogurt, custard etc. to up the liquid if all else fails. Not ideal but better than nothing.
We bought my son a fringoo dinosaur cup which worked wonders for him

I have the same problem. My 4 year old is repeatedly offered drinks but refuses them and probably only drinks half of the recommended amount for her age. She also usually only drinks milk, occasionally very diluted squash, never water. It's probably not great parenting, but we do sometimes say no pudding/ no playing on the ipad if you don't drink your drink.

Slightly different as dd is only 18 months but she will only drink peppermint or camomile tea as well as milk. I make a jug up and let it cool down before giving it to her. The peppermint tea is very good for stomach issues so may also help with constipation

We've got some of these. There's loads of different ones.

www.amazon.co.uk/Hysagtek-Flashing-Blinking-Drinkware-Christmas/dp/B07KW5Z3VK/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?s=gateway&keywords=light+up+flashing+cup&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&qid=1558968728&sr=8-5

Weetabix/muesli with lots of milk for breakfast
Healthy homemade ice lolly
Belvoir cordials (prefer the sugary ones over artifical sweetener)
Homemade veg soups
Good old fashioned bribing

Also give him something salty

When we got a new fridge which had a water, ice cube and crushed ice dispenser my kids would be continually helping themselves. Crushed ice was the biggest hit by far.

They are adults now and still love water and will drink it by choice even if we go out.

Obviously you can't go and buy a new fridge just to get an ice dispenser but you can get small ones.

I think it's better to try and keep kids drinking water if possible. I never gave my kids squash at all. It's just once they get a taste for drinks being sweet then it just gets harder to make them drink water. (Yes, I know there are exceptions and sometimes any drink is better than nothing )

I think there is only so much you can do by stealth/ finessing it and a 4 year old is old enough to understand why it is important for their health.

Make it a routine, like brushing teeth, holding hands to cross the road etc. Start with 5-6ish smallish drinks - one with each meal, and sitting down for a drink midmorning and mid-pm. Then up the volume slowly until they are averaging at least 200ml per drink.

We make one or two of them squash just to break up the monotony.

I'm not knocking the tips and tricks - ice cubes, special glass etc are all good - but personally I think habit is key and you can slowly build the expectation up without turning it into a battle.

My two year old stopped eating and drinking recently, he was surviving on breast milk. I just gave him squash or fruit juice to get him drinking. The dentist said it was ok at meals times but not good at other times so it’s water unless it’s meal time. He drinks a lot of juice now at meal times.