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#PureLifeRippleEffect #CollectiveBias
When my kids were born I decided to make a consistent, real effort on teaching them two things. One, the love of reading and two, choosing water as the first choice for their drink all day long. I am thrilled to say that I have accomplished both for the most part. My oldest still wants Chocolate Milk over anything else, but if I say no, she immediately asks for water. My middle daughter will choose water over anything else, sans the special treat of a slushie here and there! But I can say that at birthday parties, most of the time, if it is offered, they all prefer water with their cake. That is why I always keep plenty of Nestlé® Pure Life® Water in my house. I buy the huge 32 pack at Walmart along with 12 packs of Nestlé® Pure Life® Water Juniors for lunches and awesome ‘off-the-bus’ snacks! I like to freeze my water bottles and pull them out to prep with the snack about 20 minutes before I hit the bus stop. That way they are ice cold for my kids!
Prep ahead a week’s worth of bottled water, like Nestlé® Pure Life® Purified Water, for lunches or on-the-go-events at one time. Store in the freezer and remove when needed to stock lunches, backpacks or gym bags. The water will be ready to drink when your child is ready. – Robin Plotkin*
Another awesome way to encourage my kids to drink water is to create something fun with the bottles! I will get to my DIY Water Bottle Bracelets below that are SO easy to make but wanted to also give you a peek into my ‘off-the-bus’ snacks that they love so much!
Even with snack time in the afternoon at school, my kids get off the bus hungry. I have been to lunch with them and I know why. They get so busy talking and laughing with friends that they don’t eat enough. So having a snack totally ready immediately upon getting off the bus, especially since we walk a little to the front door, is so important! Bottled water is a great way to do it, too. The Juniors are easy to walk with and carry and my kids feel like they are getting something that is ‘theirs’.
In a survey recently conducted by Nestlé® Pure Life®, 84% of moms say bottled water is a convenient way to ensure their child is drinking water.*
I am a firm believer that when you can get your kids to choose wisely in one way, they will be more prone to choose wisely in other ways, too. So though I sometimes choose cookies or some other sweet to take to the bus stop with me, I prefer to make a ‘snack mix’ that contains a few more nutrients! They never complain so I must be doing something right!
A recent survey* found that kids who drink 4+ glasses of water per day are more likely to exhibit healthy habits, such as getting their own water when they are thirsty or eating their fruit and vegetables at meal times without reminders.
My snack bags are so easy. Popcorn (I prefer the ones with low butter and salt), fruity loops cereal, broken up pretzel sticks (again, lower sodium or even Gluten-Free) and animal shapes bite sized crackers. I make the popcorn, let it cool and then mix all of the ingredients together. Sort them into baggies, put them on a tray with the Nestlé® Pure Life® Water and head to the bus stop. So easy, so fun and so much better for my hungry and thirsty kids than sugary drinks and snacks!
SIDE NOTE: To help your family Drink Up and be a part of the Ripple Effect – a movement to keep kids hydrated – visit the website and share your tips for healthy hydration using #pureliferippleeffect. At PureLifeRippleEffect.com, moms can share tips and tricks that they use to teach their kids about the importance of staying healthy and hydrated. With this movement, moms will be empowered to send their kids off to school each day fueled and hydrated.
Nestlé® Pure Life® has committed to provide nearly one million 8 ounce servings of water to kids this school year through After-School All-Stars. Information source – At over 20 participating schools in select markets across the country.
Now that we have our off-the-bus snacks done and our interest in the Ripple Effect perfectly piqued, let’s talk about a fun and creative way to recycle those Nestlé® Pure Life® Water bottles with DIY Water Bottle Bracelets!
- Water bottles - one per child
- Varied colors of nail polish
- Iron
- Scissors
- Drink your water and take the label off. Using sharp scissors, cut the middle of the bottle in the width of the bracelets you want. With the iron on low, Cotton, setting, gently 'melt' the edges of the water bottle bracelets until they slightly curl in. Allow to dry. Then using your child's favorite colors, paint the inside of the bracelets whatever pattern you want. The kids love this part! Allow to dry and wear!
See how fun these are? My kids are so into these that every time they drink water now, they want to save them to make bracelets for their friends! I love that because it even further encourages them to grab the water bottle over anything else!
29% of moms surveyed* say that “fun tactics” would get their kids to drink more water. What’s a fun tactic? Try storing a disposable cup or water bottle on a low shelf or in the side door of the refrigerator and label it with your child’s initial. Or, use a favorite character sticker or trinket or even designate a special space in the fridge just for your child’s water!
I’ve shared my tricks with you on how we use Nestlé® Pure Life® Water to create a quick off-the-bus snack and DIY Water Bottle Bracelets! What is your favorite way to use it for your family?
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*We conducted our online survey in June 2015 of 1,077 moms of kids ages 6-12 overall, including 254 Hispanic moms of kids ages 6-12. 1,077 kids ages 6-12 from the same household were also surveyed, including 254 Hispanic kids ages 6-12.
© 2015 Nestlé® Waters North America Inc
This is such a super fun idea, and I know my kids would love that after school snack, too!!