The Most Important Nutrient For Children

Today at the kindergarten, I saw something that made me smile.
One of the teachers encouraged the children to drink a lot of water with an interesting trick.
Teacher will start by saying, “One… Two… Three….”
And they say “Go!” At the same time, they take their water tumbler and drink it.
They repeat it many times, and they really enjoy it and have fun.

Children have smaller bodies, but it does not mean they need less of water. Water is in fact one of the most important nutrients for children.

Water not only keeps children healthy, but also will help them perform better in school. Long-term chronic dehydration may cause health problems and illnesses.

Because many schools have inadequate water resources, parents and teachers should regularly encourage children to drink water at home, and even bring their own to school. Children should especially drink water after taking part in sports, such as in gym class.

A small degree of dehydration can lead to a reduction of mental and physical performance. It can lead to poor concentration in the classroom, which could mean not as much participation, and even lower test scores.

Another reason why children should drink up is that their thirst mechanisms are less developed than adults', and tend to appear after dehydration has already set in. Children should therefore be encouraged to drink water even if they are not thirsty. Headaches, irritability and sleepiness are often signs of dehydration. Of course, children are bombarded with ads of cool soft drinks, but parents, please note that water is a far better choice.