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

AELF - Are you the kind of person who runs around saying that dihydrogen monoxide is dangerous? You seem to misunderstand the science behind your argument.

As a scientist let me explain it to you.

Isotonic drinks are only better than water if someone is extremely dehydrated or doing extreme athletic activity (no, not just a kid running about) where you are losing a large amount of salt as well as water - otherwise water is just as hydrating as your body adds the extra salt and sugar. Squash is not by itself isotonic - you have to add salt and extra sugar to it - which I am pretty sure the nay sayers here are not doing. Isotonic drinks are of no benefit to children (and most adults) in normal circumstances and can actually be harmful, especially if consumed regularly without the associated loss from extreme activity.

Your comment on pure water is a misrepresentation of the science. If a animal cell is PLACED in water, it WILL absorb the water due to osmosis and because there is no cell wall would burst. BUT your body doesn't work like a cell in a beaker (thankfully) and by homeostasis is able to control the amount of water absorbed from any water you drink so that this is not a problem (this is called osmoregulation). The only problem you get is if you drink a lot of ANY liquid quickly in a MASSIVE amount which leads to dilutional hyponatremia.

By pure water you seem to be referring to distilled water - which is not suitable for drinking because it lacks the natural minerals that are in water and so is not good for you in the long term. The water that comes out of your tap or in spring water is NOT distilled water. It is treated (potable) water which is treated to remove solids and disease vectors.

Oh ffs. Do most of you not take your kids to the dentist EVER? Squash is full of teeth rotting crap. Even fruit juice is full of (naturally occuring but still acidic) sugar and should be a treat. My dc have to take water only to school and the youngest came home with her bottle untouched most of the time but she got used to it. You may as well send them in with bloody Vimto then and stop kidding yourselves on.

Water is sensible. What made you give your children juice?

Everybody likes water, they can't not like it as it has no taste.
If you were dehydrating in hospital they would give you water not cordial.
It is the best thirst quencher and free.

Completely wrong on all those counts I'm afraid. Not everyone likes water, which is why some children won't drink it. If you were dehydrating in hospital they would absolutely not give you water to drink. In fat they would probably advise against it. What they would do if you had a child that was dehydrated would be a combination of isotonic IV fluids, oral rehydration sachets, high water content foods and whatever liquid the child will take - water, juice, squash, soups, ice lollies.

Water might be OK as a thirst quencher if you are not dehydrated but can make you pretty ill if you are.

I think that, for the vast majority of kids, water only is a very good idea.

I'm so glad that intheenddotcom came along and set straight AElfgifu's shaky post.

That water is not a dehydration remedy is irrelevant.

It was relevant to the point I was making in response to the post I borked up the quote on.

PMSL at the river water that tastes like squash.

Do you live in Willy Wonka's factory?

I think the rule is fine in itself. If I had a kid that had a particular issue when it came to food/drink I tank it's the sort of thing I'd raise before they started at the school.

natural river water drinks, used for 99.9% of human history, far more closely resembled squash

...in that it's full of crap, AElfgifu?

Give me newfangled clean water any day.

(And of course what you say is nonsense, anyway. "Natural" water sources range from the horribly fouled to the sparking clear.)

We are not saying completely different things, but I very much disagree with the way intheenddotcom is down playing the possible negative effects, having witnessed the dangers myself first hand.

I agree that only having water available during the school day is not ideal, but unlikely to be harmful for such a short time, however if you start adding breakfast club, after school club, and habits at home to that, then you have a problem.

river water is more likely to be more isotonic, pinealike, and therefore able to replace body fluid.

apart from anything else, it'll just make the children at school need to pee more, as it won't be being absorbed.

Water only is a good idea for most kids. However circumstances should be given consideration and in this heat the importance is in children drinking andif there are SNs or kidney/bladder problems then surely them drinking out ranks anything else.

No fizzy drinks obviously.

It's their job to teach not parent!!

The negative effects of water who would have thought it could be so dangerous.

Only water at school that's crazy!

We live in a modern world and have made scientific advances to reinvent water with stuff like smart water, vitamin water and Powerade zero. These are all superior to water!

I don't understand what your problem is. When we were kids we weren't even allowed a drink in class and we survived. At lunch all that was on the table was jugs of water. No-one died! Your children can drink water or go thirsty. Sooner or later if they are thirsty enough they will drink. It is healthier. Children who are used to juice or sweet drinks often take longer to accept a switch. Tough. They will get over it.

Sugary drinks spilled in classrooms stains books. Water does not. The paper still crinkles up but the damage is much less. Juices are full of crap that affects behaviour and concentration. Some juices like apple make children pee more often. Saying fruit juice is ok in a bottle makes some parents sneak other stuff in instead. I have seen children come to school with RedBull etc before now. One rule for all is necessary and they don't need anything other than water. It is not a question of what they want to have. My classroom - any classroom - is not a play area where free choice is allowed. There are rules and generally they have perfectly sensible reasons behind them if you are prepared to look.

Children are allowed to drink in school because we know it is good for their learning and concentration. All they need for this is water. There are plenty of other opportunities for them to drink juice and other stuff later. What I as a teacher drink in the staff room has got bugger all to do with anything.

River water is not going to be even close to isotonic. And whilst drinking too much water can have negative effects to the point of being fatal, that's unlikely to be a problem for your average primary school child.

Powerade Zero has over 400mg of an adult daily allowance of sodium!

These drinks are NOT healthy options for children (or adults). The non-zero versions contain hundreds of calories and they are sickly sweet. They affect behaviour and concentration.

Why the hell would you spend money giving this muck to your kids when you can turn the tap on and give them clean water?

Powerade zero has added vitamins and minerals its not table salt in it!

Just what active kids need, the science backs it up and even Jessica ines recommends it for optimum braid and body functionality!

Brain I mean! On tablet

Yanbu.

Water only is ridiculous. Milk, squash or water would be better. If they have school dinners they get a choice of a meat, vegetarian or sandwich choice so why not a choice of beverage too.

I think it would be a good idea stopping them drinking out of water bottles in the classroom. I'm old to remember when this wasn't the norm and no one fainted from dehydration.

Sugar free squash is super healthy and is not sticky. Problem solved!

But it's only needed if you are doing vigorous athletic exercise. Not if you are a primary school child during a school day.

If your are not doing that then they are providing more sugar and salt than you need, according to the science. Sports drinks are for sport not everyday consumption.

Sugar free squash is super healthy??

No, it's not.