How much water does my child need?

Here at Bare Blendz we know that as a parent we all have questions when it comes to our kids. By obtaining the information that we need, we can make better choices for our children.Bare Blendz is dedicated to answering your questions with the help of our dietitian, together we can grow healthier children.

Ask our Dietitian

Question: How much water should my child drink?

Answer: 

 Fluid requirements are based on your child's body weight. It is recommended that children consume between 50-60 mL/kg of fluids daily. 

Why?

Fluid is essential for maintaining hydration status. Water, milk, juice, and other fluids that do not contain caffeine or alcohol are considered suitable for hydration. However, water should be the primary fluid consumed with milk and juice consumed in moderation.

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Eating healthier can be fun!

As a parent I'm always looking for fun things to do with my kids. About 2 years ago, my husband and I found a farm online that grows organic produce. We decided that it would be fun to take the kids so that they can see how the foods that they eat are grown. Our first trip consisted of a strawberry tour which we traveled by a wooden wagon that was pulled by a tractor.

On our tour a farmer informed us about the different crops that were in season and we tasted carrots, sweet maui onions, and green beans straight from the soil. The best part of the tour consisted of the farmer allowing us to pick our own strawberries to indulge in while standing in the field! Our sons loved the fact that they could pick the strawberries, and they even received a basket full of them at the end of the tour.


Overall we had an amazing day that was educational for all of us. Since then we have gone on the watermelon tour, and attended the pumpkin patch where you pick your own pumpkins straight from the vine. Our sons love making pumpkin pie from the pumpkins that we purchase from the farm. In fact we won second place this year at my oldest sons harvest festival! We love going on the farm tours to see what's in season. My kids developed a new love for the garden that we now started one at home as well. Eating healthier can be fun! Here's where we went on our tours.

Tanaka Farms 5380 3/4 University Dr Irvine, CA 92612-2944 (949) 653-2100

 

List of Tours

~ Cookout Tours are from March - August and starting March 19, 2011 - August 28, 2011

~ Strawberry Tours are from March - June and starting March 17, 2011 - June 26, 2011

~ Watermelon Tours are from July - August and starting July 2, 2011 - August 28, 2011

~  Pumpkin Patch Toursare from the end of September to end of October. Starting Sept. 26, 2011 - Oct. 31, 2011

Toddler Self-feeding: Is it the Spoon?

Recently, our two year old championed the art of potty training. We thought that we would never see the day that she would ask to go potty rather than hugging the banister and doing her do. Now that that milestone has been achieved, we return to the "less messy" milesones; using a spoon to eat without all of it ending up on her clothes and sleeping in her bed without waking up yelling for mommy and daddy as if we'd abandoned her!

Last night, rice, baked chicken and broccoli were on the menu. Amari is very good at using her hands to pick up most items and tends to avoid the spoon all together. When it calls for it, she will try but if she cannot get a mouth full of rice or whatever the delectable item, she gets discouraged and asks for help. So last night there I was, just as all the nights before, feeding her with her toddler spoon, those items that continued to litter my floor. When I encouraged her to try again, she yelled, "No mommy, you do it!" Now we have tried several spoons on the market. Those with rounded edges, those that curve and even small metal ones. Nothing seems to work! Some say that the type of spoon matters, but I feel like it’s the process in which we introduce utensils that concerns our children most. Here are some easy instructions on how to encourage your toddler to use a spoon or fork. I will report back when Amari has mastered it!





Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Baby spoon
• bowl
• thick yogurt
• favorite dry cereal
• Soup

1. Spoon half a cup of thick yogurt into a bowl in front of your toddler. Hand him one spoon while you keep another.


2.Let your baby play with her spoon while

you use your own to feed her the yogurt. If she decides to put her spoon in the food as well, let her.

3.Fix yourself a small bowl of yogurt to eat in front of your toddler. Make sure he also has a bowl and spoon in front of him. Watching you eat will show him what to do. Even if he doesn't understand how to scoop, simply touching the spoon to thick yogurt will transfer food to his mouth.


4.Place one piece of dry cereal on your toddler' s spoon. This will teach her the right way to hold the spoon without dropping it's contents. Using dry cereal is much less stressful than using liquid.

5.Pour some soup into a bowl. Give your toddler the bowl and a baby spoon. Let him use the spoon to transfer liquid from the bowl to his mouth.

Tips & Warnings

• Avoid moving your toddler' s spoon with your hand. Let her do it herself.
• Give your child finger food to go with the yogurt. This will prevent him from getting frustrated.
• This method could take weeks or months to perfect. Don't give up.


Read more: How to Teach a Toddler to Use a Spoon | eHow.com