Hydrate Those Kids!

Today is my nephew Max's birthday.  Happy Birthday, Max!  So, in honor of Max and all the other kids in my life, I wanted to add a p.s. to my last post about hydration.

People in general are pretty bad at correctly gauging thirst.  We often mistake a feeling of thirst for hunger.  And once we realize that we are really thirsty, we are already dehydrated.  This is especially true, and unfortunate, for kids.  Our brains are 90% water, and hydration is important for proper brain function, thinking and learning, and development.  One way to ensure that the kids in your world are hydrated is to get them in the habit of drinking water before, after, and during play/exercise, and also at regular times throughout the day.  The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that an 88-pound child should have 5 ounces of water (or sports drink, but this seems like a lot of potentially harmful artificial sweetners and colors, doesn't it?) every 20 minutes.  Maybe they'd even like to try some coconut water?

Eat Well.  Live Well.  Be Well.  Hydrate Those Kids!