How to Get Your Toddler to Drink Water

Convincing a headstrong toddler or young child to try something new is often not an easy task. The toddler stage of child development is often the stage when parents are suddenly faced with a contrary child who starts to become picky in their food and drink choices. While a parent's first inclination may be to give in to their child's refusal to try something new, in the interest of nutrition and good health, it may become necessary to think outside of the box and find different ways of encouraging your toddler or young child to try a new or different food item.

Is It Water or Faucet Juice?

My daughter was particularly addicted to milk and juice products, though our pediatrician at the time was vehemently against juice being given to patients in his practice. My spouse and I would offer her water, but she would refuse and insist instead on milk or juice for her sippy cup. We decided that we needed to, for a lack of a better word, market the water to appeal to her in such a way that she would actually try it instead of simply refusing each time we offered. One day, we decided water wasn't just water; instead it was now known as "faucet juice."

By re-labeling water into faucet juice, our daughter immediately assumed that the water was a new type of juice to try. That was all it took to convince our toddler daughter to try something new; it really was all in presenting the concept to her in a way that appealed to her. She no longer asked for milk or juice; instead, she specifically began to ask for faucet juice and referred to water as faucet juice for several years until we came clean after she asked her perplexed grandmother for a glass of faucet juice.

Sources:

Personal Experience