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Three Tips for Planning a Renovation
As we move into the cooler months here in the UK, people are spending longer indoors and more time focussed on ways to improve their surroundings. Read on to find out our top three tips when it comes to your next renovation project.
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Fuel the Focus: Why water is your child’s...
New uniforms have been bought. Backpacks are filled. Timetables are confirmed, and the rhythm of the new school routine begins again. The back-to-school period marks the season of fresh starts. A time to reset. Organise wraparound care. Make meal plans. It’s also the perfect moment to think about something most of us overlook: water. Whilst you may look at today’s younger generation and recognise that children today do drink more water than kids in the ’80s or ’90s, there still might be a small hydration gap. In the U.K over 88% of children fail to meet recommended hydration levels despite the aforementioned cultural shift (PMC, 2017). Back then, milk was the mealtime default, and fizzy drinks were the weekend treat that crept into weekdays. Now, reusable bottles are everywhere, and water has finally claimed its place. But did you realise that even though the drink of choice has changed, the numbers tell us children still aren’t drinking enough. Across the globe, most children still fail to meet adequate water intake recommendations. Reasons include limited access to safe drinking water, lack of hydration promoted in schools, and gaps in healthy hydration education (PubMed, 2022). So, what does that mean for your child? It means a water bottle isn’t just another back-to-school accessory. It's not just something we encourage at meal times. Water is a focus booster. A fatigue fighter. A secret weapon for sharper thinking and steadier moods. Yes, a good night’s sleep matters. Yes, a balanced breakfast matters. But water? Water is the essential hydration hero we need to continue to encourage. Why is hydration so important for children? We constantly remind our children to drink water, but do we know why? Usually, we relate it to the blanket reason of ‘health’. We can expand on this though. Drinking water is important for children for the following reasons: Keeping energy levels steady: Do you find your child is irritable, sluggish or appearing more tired than usual? Water is the main component of blood, which delivers oxygen and nutrients to cells. When children are dehydrated, circulation slows. This means that cells get less fuel, and their little bodies tend to start feeling more tired and sluggish. Regulating temperature: Did you know that children can lose water from their body faster than an adult? When you consider that a child’s body is roughly 70-75% water (versus an adults being around 60%) and you combine this with the higher activity levels and larger skin surface in relation to body mass, it’s not surprise that they excrete more water than an average adult . Therefore, keeping their water topped up, helps to regulate their temperature more effectively. Improved concentration: You need to concentrate to learn. Even mild hydration can affect attention span, memory and mood, though. This is because your child's brain is around 75% water and even a 1-2% fluid loss can make it harder to process information. By ensuring that your little one keeps on top of their hydration levels you can help them to concentrate, think more clearly and stay focused throughout the day. Tips for keeping children hydrated: At this point, we all recognise that water is important to stay healthy, hydrated and happy. As adults, we recognise this, and we actively find ways to increase hydration. But when it comes to children, emphasising the importance of water can be a little bit more difficult. How do we get our kids to drink more water? Here are a few tips: 🍉Eat their water! There are many fruits and vegetables that can boost hydration. So, if your child really doesn’t want another glass of water, there are other ways to get their hydration levels back up. Choose fruits such as Watermelon, which is 92% water and also rich in vitamins like A and C, or Strawberries (again, 92% water) which are high in vitamin C, manganese and antioxidants to give them a tasty and nutritious treat! 👀Create a visual reminder: The British Berkefeld Gravity System is the perfect way for them to pour their own water safely, and a fantastic visual reminder to drink. Children are naturally intrigued by something the size and shape of the British Berkefeld system, and providing them with the independence to pour their own cup of H2O is the ideal solution to water worries! 🍹Make some fun fruity infusions! Make healthy enhancements to water by adding your favourite fruits. Experiment with unique combinations, and you could even have a taste-test competition! You could go a step further with your British Berkefeld system and set up a ‘mocktail’ making stand with fruits cut up and on display. Or install an under sink water filter system that provides the entire family fresh, filtered drinking water on tap, to enhance the quality of your DIY infusions. How will you fuel their focus? Ultimately water matters. It’s just a case of how you will encourage it to be more prevalent in your routines this school year and beyond. Tying everything together for all generations, we know that hydration is the unsung hero. Encourage it. Drink it. Make it easy to reach and above all, make it fun! When children are hydrated they are not just ready for school, they’re also ready to think, play and thrive.
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