To think water only at school is ridiculous

[Joanne279]

I'm having a gripe at my kids new school. We werent informed of the water only rule before we started.

Ds aged 6 and dd aged 9 (suffers with autism) now refuse to drink.

Ds, on the grounds he hates water. I gave him flavoured water which he likes, but the school said no!!!!!

Dd, has been allowed to take squash because is her ASD but now refuses to even take a drink because she's different to everyone else. She won't drink water at all.

The teachers all drink coffee/tea in the staff room but kids are water only! Surely the teachers should be setting the example?

I've rang the council who say the healthy rules are at the school discretion. I'm waiting for a call back from the head teacher because I think it's stupid! I could understand if I was sending them with coke or lucozade, but flavoured water a no no? Really?

Just wondered what you all thought x

Very happy my child's school have water only rule. Reasons are as follows:-

I want my kids to have a healthy diet.
It stops me from having to say to my kids in the morning "no you can't have juice in your lunch box" and explaining to them for the millionth time why they can't.
This way everyone is the same- schools are meant to be about trying to make children equal.

I can't remember the last story I heard where a child actually died of dehydration at school. I have known hundreds of children to attend school (at my son's and other's) and as far as I know they are all still alive, prospering and doing well in spite of their hydration status.

Oh and fwiw, I really enjoy water and drink it often, as I also did as a child, but a life with ONLY water? Just not necessary

I think pupils should be allowed water only in the classroom and any drink outside

Matisse - I had a diabetic child a couple Of years ago. When tested his bloods every day and if need be then yes he was given juice and a biscuit. This was entirely apart from his class drink etc. It was kept in his medical kit box and treated as medication. Again never an issue with other children.

There is clearly a difference between the small number of children who require a different drink e.g. diabetics, those needing supplements etc. and those children who just don't like water or have parents that believe that water is somehow harmful or beneath them.

I don't think any school would have a problem with making a medical exception. We have this rule in our school and have a student who is an exception. We don't however pander to children who don't like water.

I think it's a very bad example to set children that water isn't a drink - not only do they then generally opt for sugary drinks, they will grow up to pay for the privilege.

Everyone being equal and everyone being the same are not the same thing. Parents are free to enforce any rule they chose upon their children, they should not expect every other parent to do the same as them though.

Those who blab anecdote after anecdote of "my kids only drank squash and ate waffles every night and they're fine!" just look silly. It is known that, on the whole, artificial sweetners are not good for you, neither is constantly sipping of very sugary liquids. That said, if you'd child would rather drink squash then fine, just don't pretend that your little story changes facts.

Loletta - it is t a teachers job to clean you after your child actually. If a child spills something we would expect them to try to clean it up themselves esp with spilt drinks/snack/food. Even if little in eyfs we would expect them to at least try and by time y2 when I have them definitely to do a decentish job

What's it to any of you what any other child drinks? Why would you even know or even care?

Unless it was coke or red bull and kid was flying about the class I don't know how any other child would know. And even if they did, shock horror they are in classes with 29 other children and you think they can't figure out that others do it differently to their mummy and daddy? I honestly doubt they'd notice or care given you have all done bloody amazing jobs and your children drink water no question.

Eminybob - no ones saying a life with only water. They're just saying only water in school hours. They can have what they like outside of school hours.

Things get ridiculous when what's in a sodding drinks bottle has you written off as a parent for good.

There are other children in need of your concern, not well loved well fed children who's parents allow squash.they don't want or need your concern.

It's also, like all primary school healthy eating rules totally counter productive.

The second DC get to secondary school they buy crisps, sweets and fizz.

Even bus DCs who aren't supposed to leave site, do or some enterprising pupil buys sweets wholesale and sells them on the bus.

All primary's fussing does is reinforce, sweets are a treat, buying sweets is rebellious. We will buy sweets, pop etc
at every possible opportunity.

Exactly giles!

I hate this sanctimonious "I want my child to be healthy and only drink water, so because the school enforces it it means I can shift the blame on to them so I don't have to explain to my child why I'm such a meany"

Just get on with parenting the way you want, and let others do the same.

Study showing children with a hydration deficit perform worse in cognitive tasks than those who are properly hydrated (including exam performance): abstracts.bps.org.uk/index.cfm?&ResultsType=Abstracts&ResultSet_ID=7781&FormDisplayMode=view&frmShowSelected=true&localAction=details

Study showing hydration improves visual attention and fine motor skills in schoolchildren (Booth, Taylor and Edmonds 2012). sheu.org.uk/x/eh303.pdf

Personally, I think schools should permit squash if it means fewer children are dehydrated in lessons. Based on the above, it's in their own interests that children drink properly.

I think there is a vast difference between children with food and drink issues and children who 'just don't like water', the trouble is that is very hard to convince people with no experience with this otherwise.

It's easy to simply label a child as fussy and expect them to get on with things but it really doesn't work like that.

A child shouldn't go a whole school day with nothing to drink.

Poor child, ikeaismylocal?

What a closed minded and nasty post.

It has nothing to do with parenting btw, I loved water as a child and drank it probably more so than anything else, my brother hated it and drank only squash/juice. We have the same parents

No loletta, your child doesn't consider water to be a drink, that is very different from not liking water. I feel sorry for a child who is not taught that water is a drink, not the most exciting drink but if your thirsty and you drink water your not thirsty anymore.

And yet still people continue to spout on and on about how to get someone else's kid to drink water

Maybe they are happy with the kid not drinking water? Ever think of that? Maybe their dental practices are just fine and they don't freak out about a bottle of weak squashy?

Perhaps they weighed it up against a 2nd/3rd/6th admission to hospital on drips and antibiotics with yet another iron infection?

Maybe they spent years and years clearing up shit after doses of laxatives as their child suffers chronic constipation. Maybe the idea of not hearing their child scream in pain and soil himself is far more inportant than what mr and mrs perfect might think about apple juice.

I can't even bring myself to care what an otherwise well loved well fed , happy thriving child has in a water bottle.

Urine infection