Keeping Kids Hydrated

There’s a lot to remember when you’re trying to help kids stay healthy: everything from making sure that they have enough to eat, to making sure that they’re dressed properly for the weather. One of the most important things for their health is, like with everyone else, staying properly hydrated! In this article, we’ll talk about one specific way that you might be able to help your kids make sure they’re drinking enough water: getting them water bottles for their personal use! We’ll also talk about some of the potential benefits of stainless steel water bottles like those offered byHydrojug.

Why Hydration Matters

First, let's briefly mention some of the ways in which hydration is so important, especially for kids. Although we obviously need water to live,some sources say that up to 75% of Americans are “chronically dehydrated”--we get enough water to live, but not enough to stay as healthy as we could. For kids, hydration can be even more crucial. Here are some of the things that proper hydration can help with:

1. Avoiding and overcoming illness– You probably know this, but kids get sicka lot, and it’s never fun to know they’re having a hard time. One of the best things you can do to help a sick child, in most cases, is make sure they stay hydrated. By staying hydrated while ill, you’re essentially giving your body the fuel that it needs to get you feeling better more quickly. In medical terms,staying hydrated helps your white blood cells get to where they need to be in order to fight diseases, adds oxygen to your bloodstream to make everything work more effectively, and keeps mucus membranes functional so that they can filter out potential contagion.

1. Memory and brain function– Hydration is absolutely crucial when it comes to effective brain function;some sources show that even a small loss in fluids can negatively impact your working memory and lead to increased anxiety, as well as having a detrimental effect on mood and energy. 

1. Helps prevent headaches– Let’s face it: headaches are awful to deal with, especially those ones that seem to resist any pain medication you throw at them. That’s even more the case with kids, who are going to have a harder time finding appropriate and safe medication. Luckily, staying hydrated can help with this as well! Even many of the people who suffer from migraines have seen improvements in their condition by increasing their water intake. 

How Water Bottles Can Help

Clearly, hydration has a lot of excellent health benefits for your child. But why will a kids’ water bottle help them get those benefits?

Put simply, if you have a water bottle with you, you have the option to drink more often. While at school, for instance, a child might not be able to visit the water fountain frequently enough to stay fully hydrated–in fact, it’s almost certain that they won’t, what with everyone else also needing drinks, and with the need to stay in class and pay attention the majority of the time! Bringing a water bottle with them to school can give your child a chance to keep an effective source of hydration close at hand, so that they don’t need to rely on school-offered services to keep themselves healthy. 

It’s also just more convenient. If we have to get up and go somewhere to get a drink, we’re more likely to ignore our thirst for a while until we’ve finished whatever it is we’re doing than we are to interrupt it to go find water. On the other hand, if we have a water bottle close at hand, it’s very easy to take a second or two and drink whenever you need it (this is even more true if the kids’ water bottle includes a straw lid!) This is another huge advantage that your kids will have at school if you send them there with their own water bottles: they’ll be more likely to drink as frequently as they need to.

Finding a Water Bottle for Your Kids

So, hopefully you’re convinced that a water bottle can be helpful for keeping your kids hydrated, but the next question is probably obvious: what kind of water bottle should you get? Although there are many options out there, one that is a really good idea for many reasons is a stainless steel water bottle.

Why Choose Stainless Steel for My Child?

What makes these water bottles a good choice to consider? There are a few key things that help them stand out from their plastic companions:

1. Stainless steelavoids BPA and many toxins

Many (or maybe even most) plastic water bottles contain chemicals or toxins that can leak into their contents over time, especially when the bottles are heated. Stainless steel is, obviously, not plastic! This allows you to avoid the potential of ingesting these chemicals or toxins.

1. Stainless steel is mold- and bacteria-resistant

Although it will not kill bacteria, stainless steel, when well made, makes it harder for them to find places to live on its surface. This can mean you’ll have an easier time avoiding these things and the illness that can come from them, because stainless steel is easy to keep clean! It’s even dishwasher safe.

1. Stainless steel is more sustainable

Yes, you can recycle disposable plastic water bottles, and you might be able to do the same with the reusable ones, but the fact remains that plastic bottles simply will not hold up as long as steel will, especially against heat and cold. Stainless steel water bottles will last longer and reduce your need to rely on plastic.

1. Stainless steel is better for hot or cold drinks

Hot chocolate should stay hot, and ice-cold water should stay cold, right? With insulated stainless steel bottles, any beverage placed inside them will retain its initial temperature for much longer–for hours, or even up to an entire day,in some cases! This can be an especially helpful feature if you have a picky kid who really wants their water to stay cold, or if you want to send them somewhere in the colder months with a warm beverage.