to start giving my DC squash even though they're happy with just water?

[Clemmythyme]

I have two DDs aged 4 and 2. Both happily drink water and don't ask for anything different to drink. DD4 has tried squash at GPs and parties and likes it but has never asked for it at home. DD2 hasn't tried it but obviously would probably like it as it's sweeter than water.

I'm thinking of beginning to buy and offer squash because I'm concerned they're not drinking enough. Neither drank anything with breakfast today, they had probably a quarter of a small cup of water with lunch, half a small cup after swimming and hardly anything with dinner. AIBU to think this isn't enough and to introduce squash to try and encourage them to drink more?

I do think we have a bit of an obsession with water though. People getting upset if their 15 year old is denied their bottle of water in a one hour class, for example, those threads crop up from time to time. Dehydration in this country must be pretty unusual. I don't think it's anything to become hysterical about.

My 2 ds only drink water or milk, one by choice (he's 4) and one by 'rule' (he's 16mo). They don 't drink much, maybe one full child's cup a day but spread over the day iykwim

When ds2 goes to MIL's and 'demands' a fruit shoot , amazingly he guzzles the whole bottle and really enjoys it, which proves to mil that they clearly need more than water to fully quench their thirst.

I just think if they're thirsty they will drink, if you 're offering more then they 'd have it if they wanted it. There's no need to offer squash if you don't want to. Animals have been surviving on water for quite a few years now without any need for squash......!

OP, I'm another one in the "add a slice of orange" camp. Other fun ideas are things like bubble tea with edible "stuff" in them to catch - might work. Or increasing amounts of soups, yoghurts and similar. What about eating watermelon/melon when they're in season? If I knew that food colouring was safe (I've no idea about these things) I might try that, too if it's a novelty for them.

I did read once that soup is a better way to rehydrate than drinking a glass of water - something to do with your digestive system being in absorb mode when you eat and soup having a high water content.

I also read last week that artificial sweeteners make you fat because your taste buds tell your digestive system sugar is on the way but no sugar comes and that does something weird to your insulin levels.

So based on that, I'd give them more soup and less squash.

In this situation op, I'd be trying to build good water habits. Like every time you come home, they get given a cup of water. Before you leave the house everyone has a wee and a quick drink. Build it into their routines outside of just meal times.

can you not give a mix of drinks? Mine have fruit juice with breakfast, take a bottle of water to school and drink (sugar free) squash with dinner. Doesn't have to be the same drink all the time

Water is not a new faddy thing, bottled water maybe, but water itself no. It's been the main thing most drank for millennium. not this type of water, or in this quantities, and frequently disinfected with alcohol!

Bodies are really good at this stuff, you know! They've been doing it for a very long time.

And there's nothing like picking up on parental anxiety about something to make kids decide not to do it.

And most of the "water myths" that have been going around have been shown to be just that-myths.

User - can I ask wher eyou get your squash from if not in a bottle?

there si a big difference between a bottle you can get 30 drinks out of, then recycle, and a bottle just containing 1, that can't be recycled.

Have come across user before. Until they can provide genuine evidence just ignore OP

just look for your own "genuine evidence" it isn't hard, a science text book, or looking at a few cells in water down your child's microscope. Honestly, some ignorance is entirely willful

I give my DC the choice of squash or water because they'd barely drink otherwise.

I give my DC the choice of squash or water because they'd barely drink otherwise.

just look for your own "genuine evidence" it isn't hard, a science text book, or looking at a few cells in water down your child's microscope. Honestly, some ignorance is entirely willful

No - you are making pronouncements about the best drink for children in the context of a balanced diet. Your suggestion is overly simplistic. What's your peer-reviewed evidence base for why nutritional scientists and child health specialists are incorrect?

You're the one making sweeping statements - refusing to provide the scientific underpinning might lead people to wonder whether you're making it all up, or whether you're employed by Robinsons.

They don't like soup or cereal but do eat melon, peppers, carrots and cucumber most days. Neither will drink milk, not even milkshakes. They like fresh fruit juice but obviously that's worse for their teeth.

Up the melon and cucumber. And stop worrying. A lot of bollocks is talked about "dehydration". Much of it fueled by the bottled water industry.

I don't have a large intestine (removed, crohns) and I've been told repeatedly by my surgeon and nurse not to drink just water, it can dehydrate me and strip my body of all the salts and sugars that it needs, so I've had to learn to start drinking soft drinks, esp sports drinks (water, coffee, green tea were my only source of hydration), so I understand what user is saying but though it was only relevant in special situations like mine, or if you done a lot of sport on a very hot day.

I didn't think it applied to children or anyone really who have their digestive track intact and have a health diet. My DS only drinks milk and water, juice was never something we had in the house because DP and I didn't drink it either.

DePends my ds had severe constipation 2 years ago and would refuse water. Only milk. Gp suggested squash and now he drinks all the time. Sometimes the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.

Clemmy I hope this isn't making you feel bad!

Water being dangerous is the biggest load of shit I've ever heard. Ignore it.

Likewise I would ignore the assertions that children need milk. They don't. So long as they are getting calcium from elsewhere it ks absolutely not necessary and not a concern.

I'd try them them with squash. My kids have squash with meals but are generally happy with water at other times. When they were littler I let them have it more often to make them drink more - it's not a sliding scale to crack which is what people seem to be scared of.

Bottom line - if you're planning to feed a kid neat squash and never clean their teeth then yes it might be bad for them. But I suspect that's not the case

Omg ignore that face it was supposed to be a smile!

Wouldn't you get all the salt and sugar that you needed from your diet anyway? And wouldn't sugar free squash have the same effect as water on any that is in the body anyway?

I would have thought that almost no-one is in danger of sugar deficiency, if there is such a thing, and the same for salt deficiency, unless you eat a diet that is almost completely lacking in processed food, including cured meat or cheese.

BarbaraofSeville I am definitely at risk of not absorbing enough salt, your large intestine absorbes water and salt, I have no large intestine, my small intestine is doing the work of my large and it does a half assed job. I periodically take salt tablets (prescribed) when my sodium is down and when I'm feeling dehydrated my surgeon tells me to eat ready salted crisps and cheese along with my dioralyte. My blood pressure is always low as well, but the salt thing and the don't stick to just water thing is something my surgeon really tries to drum into me.

I don't understand what all the fuss about diluting juice is, my ds has drank tea and diluting juice (sugar free, I'm not scared of sweeteners) since she was around 2 and she still loves and regularly asks for water.

They'll start drinking more until they're used to squash then you'll have time same problem except they'll also reject water.

user re "Just looking in a few cells of water down your child's microscope".

I have a good functional knowledge of physiology and biochemistry so don't hold back. I'm confused about what you mean by this, the inference is that a drink of water will dilute your entire extra cellular fluid, which, for people not at physiological extremes is utter nonsense.

What do you actually mean?

Sorry - a few cells in water...

Fair enough about salt jellybean but do soft drinks (squash or fizzy) really have a different effect on you than plain water? Squash doesn't contain salt does it?