| Children can get dehydrated very easily under normal circumstances but children hydrating while playing in sun and heat is especially important.
Having a readily accessible source of water for your kids to drink whenever they pass by is essential. Kids do not want to have to work at doing what is best for them, they are only interested in having fun especially if a pool and friends are involved.
Even if you have water readily available they may not even think about taking a drink unless you prompt them to. So, when your kids are playing outside make sure they take a drink at least every 30 minutes or so so they stay hydrated.
Sometimes if it is especially hot and they are outside, water may not be enough. Essential electrolytes are lost in sweat and need to be replaced. A nice low sugar sports drink is the best way to accomplish this. They taste good and are good for you and your children hydrating while playing in sun.
If for some reason they do not like the sports drinks then juices with no added sugar will also do nicely to keep them from becoming dehydrated.
I know that it can be hard sometimes to get your kids to stop doing something they love to do like playing in the pool on a hot summer day but you should also encourage them to take a break from being in full sun and find some nice shade where they can rest their little bodies.
A good way to do this is to plan out a picnic lunch and when they time comes find a nice shady spot to get them out of the sun. Encourage them to lie down after they eat and just rest.
If they are young enough or have played hard enough you might just get lucky and they will find they need a nap after lunch.
Have healthy food prepared for them and include some fruits that are high in water content like watermelon or grapes. Things that are easy for them to eat and will help with their hydration as well.
The heat of the day will drain them and they should either go inside and rest or enjoy some indoor activities or play in the shade for a while during the hours of 10am to 4pm. These are the hours when the sun is at it's peak and your children should be protected.
Do not forget to put sun screen on them at least thirty minutes before they go outside and then reapply it every two hours. Swimming and sweating deplete the effectiveness of the sun screen over time so reapplying every two hours they are outside is a must.
Parenting can be tough and getting your children to do what is best for them can be a challenge but if you carefully explain to them why they need to take frequent drinks then you should really not have a problem with your children hydrating while playing in sun this summer. |