How much do your DC drink daily?

[ImFree2doasiwant]

I feel like mine don't drink enough. It's been warm today and I've just measured how much each has drunk.

Dc aged 5. - 725ml. Mostly water, small amount of milk, snall amount of pineapple juice. Also had milk on cereal (the both like a lit of milk) so maybe 1ltre in total
Dc aged 6 - 800ml. Same as above.

I've just looked online and it seems 5 and under should drink 6 to 8 cups. A cup being 120-150ml.
6 and over 6 to 8 cups of 250 to 300 ml.

So younger one is at the lower end, older one has a way to go.

They don't seem dehydrated. Younger commented on clear wee the other day.

Interested to know if others drink a lot more really.

I've actually got no idea and not sure I could measure it without quite a lot of effort. Another mum fills a bottle and basically stands over her child as she drinks several times a day. The child has now pushed back and it's become a huge battle. I figure if they are thirsty they will have a drink

I would just make sure they have access to water and provide it with every snack/meal. The fact that wee is clear is good and would indicate that what they are drinking is enough. We are in Australia and keeping kids hydrated is more of an issue as it is often warm so nurseries/schools will encourage kids to have a drink. Not sure if UK schools do this (assuming you live there).

I’ve got the same concern for my 10 year old daughter OP, who drinks very little in my opinion. Sometimes not even a full litre bottle in the entire day. She will easily go full school days on a sip of water and claim she truly forgot to drink. It annoys me relentlessly. I’m a big drinker myself and I think this highlights even more her behaviour.
What I will say is I’ve stepped back from the situation now because I realised I was becoming obsessive. Also you can lead a horse to water but …..
I’m sure if she was truly thirsty she’d know it.

As for wees, I started talking to both of mine about the colour of your wee indicating whether you were hydrated enough. My 14 year old started worrying about it constantly and I really regret going down that route! I had no idea he’d start checking the colour obsessively and worry about it in school.

In other words, I’d step back if I were you.

Dc have water bottles in class here (Scotland) and we have jugs and cups for those who don't have one to help themselves. Water fountains have also been switched back on after being off due to covid.

I haven’t measured, but 2 year old often doesn’t drink a huge amount. He had water in various places in the house, drinks some before bed or overnight, with odd bit of milk if he drinks it. At a guess I would say 400-500ml Maximum

He eats a lot of fruit, soup, porridge, yogurt , so I assume he gets what he needs through food and water each day

@Caspianberg

I haven’t measured, but 2 year old often doesn’t drink a huge amount. He had water in various places in the house, drinks some before bed or overnight, with odd bit of milk if he drinks it. At a guess I would say 400-500ml Maximum

He eats a lot of fruit, soup, porridge, yogurt , so I assume he gets what he needs through food and water each day

Yes, my 2 yo is drinking ca 500 mL as well, maybe a bit more on a hot day... Few days ago the pediatrician told me he should drink 1.3 liters...pretty sure this will never happen. I remind him often to drink but he takes a sip and that's it.

@Vallmo47 DC 2 learnt at school about the colour of wee. I havent mentionedcanythingvto either of them, but have become aware that they both seem to be drinking less. It was warm yesterday, dc1 was at school all day and had drunk about 1/4 of the water bottle.

The quantity doesn’t matter, the science behind it is fairly poor. It’s more important to understand dehydration and what that looks like so can avoid - so colour of wee, feeling thirsty, headache etc

I'm pretty sure my 15 yr old dd can go a full day without drinking anything. She just doesn't feel the need. We've had several chats with the school nurse and the doctors surgery. She's old enough to know the importance of hydration, it's just not high on her list of priorities.

Are you sure there is no other access to drinks in school? At ours there's milk at story time, water fountains, water or mil at lunch plus cups available in class

@Digestive28

The quantity doesn’t matter, the science behind it is fairly poor. It’s more important to understand dehydration and what that looks like so can avoid - so colour of wee, feeling thirsty, headache etc

I also agree with this. Wasn't the 'science' done by nestle as one of the biggest suppliers of bottled water?

That’s good it didn’t come from you. I’m a bit gutted I instigated that chat, but had no idea it would have such an impact! Kids get stuck on random things sometimes. I’m sure your DC is fine. I agree with another poster - if they’re feeling unwell I always encourage a bottle of water first and foremost.

How much fruit are they eating, don't forget that food also contains liquid and especially fruit like grapes, melons and pineapple are good.

DD had severe constipation when she was 4-6 and we had to make her drink and it seems it stuck.

She has milk with cereals, a waterbottle at school plus a drink at lunch. At home often a glass of water when she comes home and always a drink with dinner and lunch at the weekend/holidays.

Do they see you drinking? Making it normal to have a drink with food or in the evening/afternoon watching TV or doing something is helping a lot as well.

I recommend getting a water filter and bottling up filtered water for them to take to school. The reason is that I have heard many anecdotal reports of children, dogs, cats and even horses who don’t like chlorinated water but suddenly start drinking more if they have access to a non chlorinated water source. They may not even realise they don’t like the taste of chlorinated water—it is only when they get an alternative that they stop blocking their thirst signals.

11 year old drinks proli 1.5L A day of water because he fills his bottle up twice, sometimes more.
3 year old at a guess and it is just a guess I would say he's about 1L. We have giant cups so it's hard to know but he only really asks for drinks with food and drinks minimal.
2 year old is always thirsty. I Think I might have to get her checked out to be honest. She pees like a champion and always always wants a drink in her hand.

We all drink huge amounts, dd takes a large sistema bottle of water to pre school, think 750ml? She often re fills. Plus glass milk at each snack time

Normally has a juice on way home, then probably abouther 3 cups of water or squash and 1 milkshake.

I too guzzle drinks. Within 30 min of getting up of have 3 large drinks.

Dh. He is terrible and gets headaches because hes so dehydrated yet never helps himself always says works too busy.. Wtf.

His dc is the same. Can wake at 9am and not have a drink till 2pm. Maybe 500ml to 750ml a day max. Age 9.

I always have to have a drink to hand. Whether a bottle in bag or glass sat on side

And yes me and dd have had bloods done to check not diabetic as tbh the quantity we drink is huge.

Yes i cant stand tap water. We used to filter but no one ever re filled it.
We just bulk buy bottled water.
Eldest drinks tap water. None of the rest of us do