Does your child ever come to you desperate for a drink, and then down a glass of water like they’ve been lost in the desert for weeks? Mine do, and I didn't realize that if they’re that thirsty, chances are they're already dehydrated. 

Kids won’t always drink enough water if left to their own devices. 

We rush them off to school, and at recess and lunch they’re busy cramming in as much active play time as possible. And if they don’t get a drink then, its back to the classroom to try to concentrate until the next chance for fluids. Add in after school activities, home work, and screen time - it’s no wonder their water bottles are half full at the end of the day. 

There is water everywhere, but your kids may not be drinking enough of it. 

In a recent study, Harvard researchers found that more than half of the kids they surveyed aged 6 to 19 weren't getting enough. Kids have other priorities, and unless their bodies are really yelling at them to hydrate, chances are they’ll be practicing the latest playground dance move instead. 

Even if your child is only mildly dehydrated, it can affect them at school and home. There is considerable evidence that attention, concentration, and short-term memory, are all shown to be impacted by dehydration. 

Here are five key signs of mild dehydration to look out for in your child:

1. Irritability
2. Dizziness or headaches
3. Poor physical performance
4. Difficulty concentrating and learning
5. Dry lips or mouth

How do you know for sure? 

A great way to check if your child is getting enough water, is to check out their wee! Isn't being a parent just the greatest? 

Urine should be pale yellow, and kids should be heading for the toilet regularly if they’re drinking enough. Urine that looks dark yellow or concentrated, means not enough water is going in.

You can also check how much water is left in their bottle at the end of the day. For kids and teens, the recommended daily amount of fluids is:

• 5 glasses (1 litre) for 1 to 3 year old’s. 
• 6 glasses (1.2 litre) for 4 to 8 year old’s. 
• 7 glasses (1.5 litres) for 9 to12 year old’s. 
• 8 to 10 glasses (1.6 to 1.9 litres) for 13+ years.

Caretribe can help!

The ‘Bondi’ water bottle by CARETRIBE has been designed especially for kids to encourage regular water intake. It has unique water indicators and graphics that correlate with the natural breaks’ kids have in their day, like rise ’n’ shine, brekky, and arvo tea. They’ll love checking to see if they’ve hit their water goal at recess and home time. And you might notice you’ve got a calmer, more focused kid. 

Check out the range at www.caretribe.co where you can sign up to find out when they launch, as limited stock will be available. Contact hello@caretribe.co for more information.