Tips for getting a stubborn 3yo to drink water?

[mo2]

All she wants is milk, which makes her constipated. She doesn't like any juices and hates water. Any tips for getting her to drink more water?

[tearose]

Figure out how much milk you'll allow her to drink each day. Once she's reached the daily limit, try gradually watering down the milk? (That's what my SIL did to wean her DS off of his nightly bottle of milk)

[jillian]

Does she like any flavors? For dd we give a little bit of lemon in her water--juice. Or if she likes apples float a few pieces in the water?

[In The Great White North]

If there were nothing else in the house to drink, would she drink the water?

[Ellie]

Don't have milk in the house (or at least don't offer it to her). Or juice. Only water.

 

I wouldn't say that she's "stubborn," though. All of us have foods we prefer over others, right? Are we "stubborn" if we prefer Pepsi over Coke and refuse to drink Coke if offered? No. :-)

[besroma]

I agree with Ellie. We sometimes go a couple of days without milk....no complaints. They just get water when we are out. They also have better appetites on those days because they are not getting the bulk of their calories from milk.

 

Have you tried a bit of the Gatorade powder in her water?

[Cera]

At that age she doesn't need much milk. Offer a small (6-8oz) glass at lunch and one at dinner and that's it. If all she has is water she will eventually decide it's worth drinking. You can offer a fun cup for the water, or some fruit slices in it if you want to make it more appealing.

[clarkacademy]

The only thing that ever worked was water only period. You have milk at breakfast and dinner water all the other times. Whine, beg or cry I didn't care it was water or nothing.

[J-rap]

I don't like plain water either, unless I'm really thirsty, but I do like it with a couple slices of lemon, limes, etc. My son-in-law from Central American puts little bits of fruit in all of his water: sliced strawberries, blackberries, etc. You can even get something like this (though it's a bit pricy):

 

http://www.zinganything.com/product/aquazinger

[myfatherslily]

Either allow milk only at certain times a day, or temporarily keep it out of the house altogether. Offer water. Expect her to go thirsty for awhile! Tell her that she has to take just one sip. This is what I did with the little boy I babysat. He started coming here at age 3 and did NOT like water. He would rather stay thirsty. He got used to it, though, because it's what I offered. Eventually, he would guzzle down a cup and exclaim, "I love water! It's delicious!"

[happypamama]

I'd get a special water bottle (we're partial to Klean Kanteens around here) and just have it available all the time, like sitting on the table or something. I would not offer anything else. I might even refrain from giving milk at all for a while, but at the very least, I'd limit it to meals. She might be mad for a while, but she'll get used to water between meals. (That's what we do -- milk at some meals, but they drink water between meals.) I'd keep the water bottle ready so that she doesn't even have to ask and have you say no to milk -- you can just point to the water bottle or hand it to her.

[*********]

Have you tried ice water? For some reason, water is MUCH more appealing when it has ice in it. :)

[somo_chickenlady]

I would suggest ice as well. I love water but i prefer it to have ice in it. Otherwise you could try those Mio things with just a tiny squirt in each cup, just enough to give it a tiny bit of flavor.

[nmoira]

My kids will drink almost anything when I ice it and use our metal straws. They love the sensation of the cold straws.

[KungFuPanda]

Would she be swayed by a really cool water-only cup? Or if you served water in her tea service? Can you try ice cubes with cool shapes? What if you found a recipe for flavored water and let her make it? She might enjoy stirring some lemons, oranges, or berries into the water. Would it work if you made a big deal about what a great chef she is? Can you try just being out of milk for a few days?

[Dandelion]

You can make water more appealing by putting fruit slices in it (for a slight favor), making fruit ice cubes (cut-up fruit and water in ice cube trays), or serving it with a twisty or otherwise fun straw.

 

My kids drink mostly water. We generally don't keep anything else around, except for coconut milk (which I mostly use as a milk substitute for cooking - they don't really ask for it). I agree with the others that your DD will come around when she's thirsty. But I don't see any harm in helping her enjoy water more by adding some flavor with fruit or making it more fun to drink by giving her some special straws. :)

[Laura Corin]

Does she like sparkling water?

 

Laura

[Pamela H in Texas]

We don't "do" milk. No doubt, as you can imagine, this is sometimes an issue when we get new kids, many of whom drank milk, at least when WIC payed for it or at the beginning of the month when foodstamps go further. Some kids literally live off milk, especially if school-aged.

 

Anyway, we try to be reasonable and give them some; but I'm not going to start buying stock in milk when I don't "believe in it" either.

And I certainly wouldn't substitute juice (though we have green smoothies and other such things).

 

So water is what is available to drink. Everyone comes along in time.

[LeslieAnneLevine]

Have you tried lactose-free milk?

 

My son drinks a lot of water, but doesn't like it from the tap. He has always had a strong preference for bottled water since he was really little. He's not a sparkling water fan, but some kids love it. He also likes water icy, so I agree with those who said to try ice (or freezing the water into a slushy consistency).

 

When he went through a long phase of only (or mostly) wanting apple juice, I diluted it. I think I was diluting it anyway, but when it was all he wanted I watered it down further still. He eventually switched to water.

[mo2]

Don't have milk in the house (or at least don't offer it to her). Or juice. Only water.

 

I wouldn't say that she's "stubborn," though. All of us have foods we prefer over others, right? Are we "stubborn" if we prefer Pepsi over Coke and refuse to drink Coke if offered? No. :-)

 

 

The stubbornness comment was more an observation of her general personality than specifically the milk-drinking. :)

[mo2]

Don't have milk in the house (or at least don't offer it to her). Or juice. Only water.

 

I wouldn't say that she's "stubborn," though. All of us have foods we prefer over others, right? Are we "stubborn" if we prefer Pepsi over Coke and refuse to drink Coke if offered? No. :-)

 

 

double post.

[Mergath]

Do you drink water? If everyone around her is drinking soda or milk or whatever and she's the only one stuck with plain water, that's probably not helping. Kids that age want to do what the people around them do. Also, if you're trying to give her tap water, try filtered ice water. Much more appetizing. ;)

[fairfarmhand]

My kids are more likely to drink water through a straw.

[Ellie]

 

 

The stubbornness comment was more an observation of her general personality than specifically the milk-drinking. :)

 

I understand that, lol. But still, it might help your general relationship with her if you can separate the behaviors which really are stubborn from those which are not, as in the drinking milk, for example. KIWM?

[nd293]

When dd was small we could buy a children's juice that was tea mixed with a little fruit juice. It's a specific healthy tea grown in South Africa, usually translated as 'red bush' in other markets. Maybe it's worth trying something like that.

 

When I switched my children to cow's milk I had to sweeten it with a little honey at first. Perhaps a touch of honey in water might appeal to her? You could reduce the honey over time.

[AK_Mom4]

Cool Disney Princess water bottles are what worked here. Still does for that matter. Keep it in the fridge or add ice.

[Luanne]

The only thing that ever worked was water only period. You have milk at breakfast and dinner water all the other times. Whine, beg or cry I didn't care it was water or nothing.

 

 

That's a great idea as long as she is willing then to drink it. I don't think having a dehydrated child on your hands is a good thing.

[kesmom]

I had to do this with one of mine at 3 - we limited the milk intake to 2 cups at breakfast, then water the rest of the day in a cool new cup that was only for water.