Your child's bottle comes home full. Now what?

• They're busy. Between lessons, friends and playing outside, drinking just doesn't come up.
• They forget. Younger children don't always notice they're thirsty until they're really thirsty.
• The bottle is a hassle. A cap that's hard to open or a straw that's hard to suck from is enough reason to skip it.
• The toilet. Some children drink less on purpose because they'd rather not use the school toilets.

A glass of water with breakfast takes the pressure off the rest of the day. Make it part of the routine, like brushing teeth.

Check together that your child can open and close the bottle without help, and drink from it easily. A bottle they picked themselves, in a colour they like, gets used more often. Cold water also helps: lukewarm water just isn't tempting.

"Drink more" is vague. "A few sips at morning break and with lunch" is something a child can remember. You can also ask the teacher whether bottles are allowed on the desk.

The moment they get home is a natural moment for a drink. Pour a glass while you talk about their day. Pale yellow pee is a simple sign they're drinking enough; dark yellow means they need more.