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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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

297 replies

Schnullerbacke · 05/02/2014 10:36

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.

OP posts:
HavantGuard · 07/02/2014 17:59

I did fine at school without access to drinks all the time. We were only allowed to drink at break and at lunchtime, so twice during the day.

I didn't know until I had it as an adult that the burning pains I used to frequently get from being a child were cystitis, caused by not drinking enough fluids.

I spent much more time in the loos in pain than I would've spent having a quick wee because I had frequent drinks.

curlew · 07/02/2014 18:03

I'm not doing a blanket "no drinks"

I'm doing a blanket "no drinks during lessons". An entirely different thing.

And I am doing a "don't be taken in by the marketing people who are laughing all the way to the bank because they have convinced us that constant "hydration" is essential"

And I am also doing a "in a world where millions of children have no access to clean water, making a fuss because your child has to go 90 minutes without a drink is pretty crass"

EvilTwins · 07/02/2014 18:05

I agree with Curlew.

curlew · 07/02/2014 18:06

But what if they don't, Brian? What if they sleep through????? What if they go ooh, 10/12 hours WITH NO WATER AT ALL??? You must be beside yourself with worry.......

BrianTheMole · 07/02/2014 18:11

Not being taken in by marketing curlew. Just the observation that now dd drinks water at school, she no longer comes home with headaches. And that for myself, I feel more alert and able to concentrate when I drink plenty of water. Thats all I need to know really.

So the op asks the question: Aibu To think that school children should have easy access to drinking water
And I agree that yes, they should.
There is nothing you have said that has changed my mind on that.

BrianTheMole · 07/02/2014 18:12

But what if they don't, Brian? What if they sleep through????? What if they go ooh, 10/12 hours WITH NO WATER AT ALL??? You must be beside yourself with worry.......

You're getting a bit silly now really.

curlew · 07/02/2014 18:23

No I'm not. You haven"t explained why you can go 12 hours at night drink free without ill effects, but not 90 minutes during the day.

TeamWill · 07/02/2014 18:47

I explained it up thread curlew - Anti Diuretic Hormone.

I agree that the marketing of expensive bottled water is a ploy to get us to part with our cash but we need to keep well hydrated and there are many reasons why small children might not drink enough- they forget, prefer to play, they get full easily and might not like using the school toilets, they might be prone to utis and need to drink regularily.

My gripe is that unlike all other institutions schools don't provide clean, fresh, readily available water.

LaQueenOfHearts · 07/02/2014 20:46

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ExcuseTypos · 07/02/2014 21:01

Well my DDs drink far more than yours does. Both managed to get into top universities. So neither of our anecdotes prove anything do they?

ExcuseTypos · 07/02/2014 21:20

And 'a small glass of orange juice" is not enough until lunchtime for a child who hasn't drank anything since the night before.

If she'd had her last drink at 9 o'clock, and lunch was at 12, she's gone 15 hours with a small glass of juice. No one is suggesting she will have a shrunken brain, just that it is not a normal amount for anyone. I've had at least 2 coffees and a glass of water before lunch everyday and I'm doing very little.

TeamWill · 07/02/2014 21:37

I have posted twice now regarding ADH - unless you have issues regarding production of ADH you are not going to dehydrate overnightHmm

ArgyMargy · 07/02/2014 21:49

Love that this thread is still going! Also love the fact that I can go many hours without having to drink bottled water, and love that the tap water in this country is perfectly clean, and love the image of PFBs shrivelling into husks during the night... GrinGrin

jamdonut · 07/02/2014 22:01

Children do not need to be nursing their water bottles continually.They become a distraction. Children also do not need to be getting up in the middle of teacher's input to get a drink...because it starts a chain reaction. And then starts another when they all want to go for a wee a few minutes later! They can have a sip if they need it when they are starting to do work,or about to go out to play,or immediately they come in. Also after PE. Or if they have a specific problem that we have been notified of in person or writing ( not just on the child's say-so).

I hardly ever get to have a drink during the day,other than lunchtime. We are not supposed to have drinks in the classroom. I don't always have time at morning break.Sad

curlew · 07/02/2014 22:14

"And 'a small glass of orange juice" is not enough until lunchtime for a child who hasn't drank anything since the night before."

So, make sure you child has more than a small glass of orange juice before school then, simple.

This is interesting, though. I think it's all about parents latching on to something that nobody could possibly say could be harmful. Such a relief- water! I can be a good parent, be seen to be a good parent and maximize my child's academic chances with a simple water bottle.

ExcuseTypos · 08/02/2014 07:36

Culew do you actually read people's posts properly? It doesn't seem so to me.

curlew · 08/02/2014 08:54

Well you obviously don't read mine. Otherwise you would have addressed the following points

  1. The complete debunking of all the "8 glasses of water a day" news stories as being based on a complete misunderstanding of the research.
  2. The ridiculousness of suggesting that a healthy well nourished child could become dehydrated between breakfast and lunch
  3. The involvement of the bottled water industry in this whole topic
  4. And, on a slightly more philosophical point, the crassness of using the words "dehydrated" and "hydrated" about well nourished healthy children in the developed world who are being asked to go a couple of hours between drinks of clean, fresh safe water.
BrianTheMole · 08/02/2014 08:54

It doesn't seem so excuse. seeing as she /he hasn't acknowledged teamwills posts at all. It seems that all she / he is interested in is being right. And being silly and sarcastic when anyone disagrees with him / her.

TamerB · 08/02/2014 08:56

I love it when arguments descend to 'have you read the posts properly?' Smile Classic put down for people who disagree.

BrianTheMole · 08/02/2014 08:57

Do you think I should go back to dd having a drink once a day during school then curlew? Even though less water gives her headaches? But you think thats a good idea anyway? As it won't kill her or do her any harm. (Apart from a headache of course).

BrianTheMole · 08/02/2014 08:59

Maybe so tamer, but I don't think its a actually a put down when someone clearly is only reading what they want to read.

TamerB · 08/02/2014 09:01

A find it a put down- I have had it done to me and - yes of course I have read it or I wouldn't be making a comment! All it means is that someone doesn't like the comment.

Amicus1966 · 08/02/2014 09:02

My DD has to drink a lot of water during the day in order for her medicine to be effective.
I have had to specifically request that she be allowed to keep her water bottle with her at all times but the majority are only allowed to have quick sips at lunchtime.
Really not good as children need to keep hydrated.

IamMummyhearmeROAR · 08/02/2014 09:07

I teach and can't tell you how distracting it is to be trying to get a point over when half of the class is sooking on bottles. It has become in my experience, a method of avoidance. Also you are depending on parents following the rules; still unflavoured water only, sports caps- in my room every day, we have flavoured water, juice, screw caps or fancy flasks that the kids can't even open. After having jotters and booked damaged too many times, my class now have to leave their bottles on a table at the class door and are free to drink if they need to. I find this more manageable and I'm not looking at dozen bottle feeding infants while I'm trying to do my job

curlew · 08/02/2014 09:11

I am aware of the function of ADH in the functioning of the kidneys.

And I have said that obviously children with a medical need to drink frequently should be allowed to do so-just as a child might need to eat to help control diabetes.

And I don't see any reason why a child should only be "allowed to have a quick sip at lunchtime" - that seems seriously odd, and should be questioned.

All I am saying is that it is unnecessary and hugely disruptive and distracting for children to be drinking water constantly during the school day. And that the use of words like "dehydration" for such children is hyperbolic and crass.