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Hi there!!!
I dont know how many other mothers are having this same problem, but i have two boys - 3yrs and 18mnths, who up until recently liked their juice and milkshakes a little too much - to the point they refused water.
This coming summer is
expected to be vry hot, so i've being trying to figure out a way to get my boys to drink more water. At first, I tried the "only juice at breakfast" approach. Well that was a miserable failure. The boys knew the juice was there, so they demanded it.
I tried to cut down on juice by offering them more fresh made banana milkshakes (banana, honey and milk). Well, they liked it so much that they wanted that all the time. I didnt mind making them one milkshake a day, but i cant really afford to give them too much milk., and just look at the price of honey - its starting to become a luxury item!! lol!!
Well finally i bit the bullet, and threw out the last bit of our last juice. No juice in the fridge - no juice for the boys. Every time they asked for juice, I would say to them "There is no more juice, only cold water" and i would get them some, even if they said "No water - Juice!". Well, all it took was till lunch the next day, when my 3yo came up to me and asked "Cold water, mummy, please?". Success!!!!!!
I now realise that all the other times I tried to get them to drink more water, I only offered them tap water. This time, I had two big jugs filled with water in the fridge - nice and cold - and they love it. 
Once they get used to drinking water all the time, I will start giving them juice again at breakfast. I know juice is healthy for them, but water is much more important for them - for cleaning out their systems and better rehydration during the coming stinking hot summer months. Another benefit of this, is saving money on the cost of juice. With all the financial troubles all over the world, any amount of money u can save, no matter how small, is going to help.
Anyway, I hope this helps those parents of young children who refuse to drink water. They may kick up a stink for a bit, but water is better for their health, so stick to ur guns until ur child starts to drink it.
Cheers
(October 2008) (
I plan to get one myself - not just for the cold water, but for the filter too. Also, I think it would be a novelty to the boys to be able to pour their own drinks. Great idea!!
. However, I very rarely have chips and flavoured biscuits in my pantry. I have Rice Cakes, and whole wheat bickies (spread with vegemite or topped with ham and cheese). The same thing with fridge food - yoghurt, no custards or jelly etc. I never buy lollies either. Great comment!!!
