Children drinking

[Melba]

We increasingly have parents complaining about how much their children drink with us.

We give them drinks in the morning with snack and then they have drinks at lunchtime as well. They also bring in water bottles which are supposed to be free choice things to help encourage independence so we do not force them to use them and some choose not to.

Parents look at the water bottles which are sometimes untouched and get angry despite our assurances that their children have been drinking at other times.

So does anyone have a parent friendly information pamphlet for us to give out to explain how much children should be drinking? I have checked and it is 1.3 litres through a whole day which also includes foods such as soup and yoghurt and the milk on cereal. So the children clearly are getting enough to drink but how do we prove that to parents?

[Guest]

Hi Melba

 

The "Eat Better, Start Better - Voluntary Food and Drink Guidelines for Early Years Settings in England" has a section covering both milk and drinks advice including quantities. I have just used it to explain to a parent why their 2 1/2 year old doesn't need to have 180ml of warm formula milk every 2 hours and that's why he's not eating! I've found it quite useful in the past with parents querying food and drink intake.

 

Hope this helps.

[Panders]

Why not think about only letting them have the drink they bring in their flasks at snack and lunch and only provide from your own resources when a child asks for more or drinks all that they have brought with them.

[Stargrower]

Or empty the drink bottles before they go home? We don't feedback to parents about how much a child has drunk during the day unless it is significant (we do tell them what they've had to eat).

[Inge]

or stop having the water bottles and provide an alternative way for water to be available all session.... we used to have a tray with a few cups and small jug of water..

(when I first read the title I did wonder what they were drinking.. beer? cider? wine? ??)

[Stargrower]

or stop having the water bottles and provide an alternative way for water to be available all session.... we used to have a tray with a few cups and small jug of water..

 

(when I first read the title I did wonder what they were drinking.. beer? cider? wine? ??)

Yes, this is what we do.

[narnia]

I have water bottles available throughout the day. As they all start off at the same level, it is easy to see who has had a drink and therefore who needs to be reminded to have one. Water is very important and I wouldn't consider only having it availble at snack times.........................or waiting for a child to tell me they are thirsty. What about those who don't yet have the language skills to tell us that??

[lsp]

For those groups that have water bottles - how do you ensure that children only drink from their own? Also do parents supply their own or does the group supply them. It is something we have considered but again it is that skill of learning how to use a cup. Some of ours really struggle when they first start. Pros and cons on both sides. :unsure: :unsure:

[Guest]

All our children have sports-type water bottles (the sort without a pull up nozzle - think it's called a jet valve?) and we write their name on with a Sharpie. The under 3's also have a simple picture (e.g. leaf, boat, butterfly) drawn on as well, which matches the label on their going-home tray. They are filled in the morning and then topped up as needed during the day and get used for meal and snack times as well as when the children decide they want a drink. They are semi clear so it is easy to see who hasn't drunk much.

[Panders]

Parents provide them, that way they are individual to a child - in umpteen years have had very few "doubles" but they are named anyway. Children are very aware of whose is whose it would have to be a real mistake on their part to drink from somebody elses. The flasksl are in the lobby area in a plastic crate, children put them in there when they arrive and learn very quickly that they may go to them at any time they wish to. One of the only rules i have is that they are not allowed in the main hall unless it is a snack or lunch time, in case another child bumps into the drinking child and causes an accident, or they are left on the floor etc. causing other hazards. Not had any problems - she says now touching wood. We are fully aware of the "drinkers" and make sure their bottles are topped up if needs be.

 

 

 

Melba maybe your parents think that it's a lot of phaff to remember and bring in the flask each day and if their child isn't using it it's just not worth it?

[klc106]

We also have drinks bottles available at all times. They use these at snack and lunch too unless they would like milk with snack. We provide the bottles and we print off a star shape with children's photo and name on, laminate then and add an elastic band to attach to the lid of the bottles so we know whose is whose.

[Lynne28]

Hi

we have water bottles which are available during all session times, they are put out before children come in and put away after they have gone home. We also have child's name and a photo of the child on each water bottle, these are laminated so that they can go in water to be washed or we can take them off if we need to. We cater for 2-5 year olds and it amazes me that the 2 year olds can find their bottles with their photo on. I am sure that I have read somewhere that you have to have drinking water available for all children. Children can also chose milk in a cup or water in their water bottles for snack time. We have a drinks dispenser with milk so that the children help themselves.

 

Hope this helps

[narnia]

named ( photo and name) on each bottle, which are kept on our 'hydration station' trolley ( Ikea one, so easily accessible to even tinies). They are available at all times and the children keep them on the trolley............i wouldn't want to tell children they could only have them at specific times, afte all, I don't know when they're going to be thirsty!. All bottles are washed in hot soapy water after use, then rinsed and put into milton. They are rinsed and then filled first thing.

[lsp]

Thank you everyone. We do have water available at all times in a small jug and cups. Snack time they have a choice of milk or water and children bring their own drinks in. We give water to those who 'forget'.

 

I think, if we do go along the drink bottle route, that I would prefer us to provide, clean and fill each day. Will see if I can find any bargains!!!!

[narnia]

Ebay

[lsp]

Thanks Narnia.

[Lynne28]

Thank you everyone. We do have water available at all times in a small jug and cups. Snack time they have a choice of milk or water and children bring their own drinks in. We give water to those who 'forget'.

 

I think, if we do go along the drink bottle route, that I would prefer us to provide, clean and fill each day. Will see if I can find any bargains!!!!

Thank you everyone. We do have water available at all times in a small jug and cups. Snack time they have a choice of milk or water and children bring their own drinks in. We give water to those who 'forget'.

 

 

Hi,

Try your local water board we got ours free !!!

 

 

I think, if we do go along the drink bottle route, that I would prefer us to provide, clean and fill each day. Will see if I can find any bargains!!!!

[Lynne28]

Hi

 

sorry not very good at this.

 

We got our water bottles free from our local water supplier.

[JJA]

We regularly had similar 'complaints' from parents about how much their children drink.

We now use a 'Water alarm'!! The little bleeper goes off every hour to remind children to take a drink of water...It's so funny as it's like Pavlov's Dogs - the beeper goes and the children take off to their water bottle storage and have a big drink. Works a treat and parents love it!

(NB: Children aren't made to take a drink at these times but are gently encouraged to. There are some that do so without prompting, some that need prompting, some that need a bit more persuasion and some that refuse!)

[sunnyday]

We regularly had similar 'complaints' from parents about how much their children drink.

We now use a 'Water alarm'!! The little bleeper goes off every hour to remind children to take a drink of water...It's so funny as it's like Pavlov's Dogs - the beeper goes and the children take off to their water bottle storage and have a big drink. Works a treat and parents love it!

(NB: Children aren't made to take a drink at these times but are gently encouraged to. There are some that do so without prompting, some that need prompting, some that need a bit more persuasion and some that refuse!)

What a brilliant idea - what sort of alarm is it and where did you buy it?

[JJA]

What a brilliant idea - what sort of alarm is it and where did you buy it?

 

We use a little beeper (looks like a little cheap square alarm clock) meant for people with dementia to tell them when to take their medication! So that you can set a number of alarms throughout the day...Think I just trawled Amazon until I found the right thing!

[Panders]

I use my iphone! 'edit just to say that all phones are securely locked away - but mine is also used as the setting phone and is in reach on the kitchen hatch at all times.

Edited October 22, 2015 by Panders