To think that school children should have easy access to drinking water?

[Schnullerbacke]

I'm sure this has been done before so apologies.

My DD (7) has just had a new teacher who changed the routines around a bit. They are now only allowed to drink water at lunch and are not allowed to quickly grab their bottles whilst going down / coming back up from break time or assembly. This is apparently done so they won't have to go to the toilet too often (which is just outside their door).

I think its a bit out of order but before I have a word I wanted to check whether IABU. I know its important to stay hydrated and I don't think this is achieved by drinking before school start and only then drinking again some 3 hours later.

[ExcuseTypos]

Well, half of the children at the school I work in, charge around chasing each other or are skippeing, playing football etc, at break times. They actually need a drink when they come in after playtime- they're red faced and panting

They have water available all day but apart from after break and lunchtime, they rarely go and get their water bottles.

[curlew]

So, you got horribly thirsty between 9 o'clock and 11? Really?

[ArgyMargy]

Keep going Curlew - you're doing a grand job!! It's all completely nuts!!

[ExcuseTypos]

curlew "So, you got horribly thirsty between 9 o'clock and 11? Really?"

If you'd been running round playing football, kisschasing, skipping etc then yes, you would be horribly thirsty around 11 o'clock.

[lilyaldrin]

So far today my 3 year old has had a drink with his breakfast about 8am, a drink after his swimming lesson about 11am, and a drink with his lunch about 1pm. He seems to be hydrated enough.
When he was a baby he also went 2-3 hours between drinks.

Not sure what it is about a school environment that will make him need to sip water constantly?

He takes a water bottle to nursery but it always comes back untouched. They have access to drinks with breakfast, snack time, lunch, snack time, he has one after school and then with dinner. I don't know how much fluid that is in a day, but surely sufficient.

[lilyaldrin]

Excuse - yes, they run about at breaktime/lunchtime and have a drink. Do they really need a drink coming back from assembly or in the middle of class time?

[ExcuseTypos]

I really don't think it's anything to get het up about.
The water bottles are there anyway as they need access to them at break and lunch times, so if a child wants a drink during lesson time- why would anyone object?

[lilyaldrin]

Well presumably the teacher objects because she doesn't want children up and down to their water bottles constantly and then in and out to the toilet.

[ExcuseTypos]

In the school I work in the dc don't "constantly" get up and down to use the water bottles. However they are reminded to have water when they come in from breaks and after lunch. So it's only the odd time a child gets a drink in lesson time- and that is allowed.

Maybe the children need to be reminded to drink at more appropriate times so they don't all suddenly realise they are thirsty 10 mins into a lesson?

[whois]

Humans don't need to constantly sip water, it's bullshit. Water available and break and lunch is quite adequate.

[Doonhamer]

My main issue with the DSes secondary school isn't that they are or aren't allowed drinks, it is that the school is so bloomin hot and they aren't allowed to remove sweaters, more so int eh summer. Now this does cause them to sweat and lose excess moisture and smell

[hootloop]

We have the same but DS is coping with water less well with new teachers discipline.

[curlew]

"if you'd been running round playing football, kisschasing, skipping etc then yes, you would be horribly thirsty around 11 o'clock."

Yep- then I'd have a drink. I am questioning the need to drink in the middle of maths. And if people hadn't been so effectively marketed to by the bottled water companies, they would question it too.

[ExcuseTypos]

Curlew-the OP is talking about being able to have drink after play, so you agree with her then?

[SuburbanRhonda]

feminine, so you think it's not a problem for a child to sit chewing their water bottle in class during a lesson?

[lilyaldrin]

I think everyone has agreed that the OP's teacher should let children have a drink at break.

[TeamWill]

Its the bloody water bottles which encourage the constant sipping.

I cannot get my head around the fact that schools cant provide children with water - jug on each table at lunch and a couple of water machines in the school ( ours at work is plumbed into main water supply).
I would be jailed if any of my animals were left with out water but its fine for schools to deny it to children so that it has to be brought in from the tap at bloody home!

[BrianTheMole]

I agree with you op. I had a big argument with dd's school about this when she was in reception. The teacher said they don't allow it because it means they use the toilet more. Although she admitted her own child, at a different school, had access to water all day. I argued that not only does it promote good health, but also aids concentration. Theres plenty of research about this. Anyway the teacher argued that the school doesn't work that way. Which was bollocks because when dd moved to the next class they had to bring a water bottle with them each day. Which sits in a drink holder on the desk so they can drink when they need to. My dd used to get lots of headaches, which have now stopped since she has access to water.

[curlew]

I"argued that not only does it promote good health, but also aids concentration. Theres plenty of research about this"

Mostly funded by the bottled water industry and all discredited.

[LegoCaltrops]

I think I agree on the whole, it's really not necessary to be constantly sipping water. However in this case, didn't the OP say they can pretty much only drink at lunch? If the school guidelines say they should be able to drink regularly (and I would think that breaktimes would be reasonable) then the teacher really just needs to stick to that.

TBH I rarely drank water, or anything else, until after school when I was little. They didn't monitor things like that then, & I wasn't allowed a drink at lunchtime until I'd eaten some of the vile school dinner. The teachers always seemed to have a cup of tea on their desks though.

[ThatBloodyWoman]

Yanbu.

My dd suffers from migraines and is a poor drinker and it's really important she can access water when she wants it before she forgets and the urge passes.

It's also very important for children who are trying to combat enuresis to be able to access plenty of water during the school day.