Children are supposed to be well-taken care of by adults. They are supposed to have their basic needs met. These include the need for food, warmth, physical comfort, adequate clothing and a healthy environment. These needs also include their emotional needs, such as comfort, closeness to other human beings, and love.

Unfortunately, due to the hectic and extremely busy lifestyle we all lead, sometimes we unintentionally neglect some of our children's basic needs which are necessary to facilitate positive growth mentally and physically.

Most of us love and care for our children as we should. We do our best for them by working many hard hours to make the money so we can provide as much as possible. However, we must remember to address their most basic needs.

For example, this one very fundamental need is extremely important and very frequently forgotten due to lack of awareness.

This basic need is "water".

Evidence from teachers, school nurses, and school doctors show that many children suffer discomfort such as stomach aches, constipation, poor appetite, frequent bladder infection, and backaches all linked to not drinking enough water.

Children don’t always realize that they are thirsty and in need of water. They do know they feel uncomfortable, unwell, tired, lethargic, and restless which in turn can lead to irritability and the inability to focus on tasks assigned by their teachers.

Children at school are expected to concentrate, play well together, share toys, and to follow instructions from their teachers or to sit quietly and listen. A child that is uncomfortable cannot always co-operate and may be labeled as behaving badly or hyperactive when in fact they may just need to drink some water!

Getting enough water is an important aspect of brain function. It is especially important for children. Water assists digestion, washes away toxins, aids the lungs, heart, and blood vessels and energizes the brain and body.

Water has the amazing ability to enliven us, fostering the development of energetic, naturally curious, and more focused children. We need to teach our children the importance of drinking enough water all day long.

Water is best taken in frequent small amounts. Parents and teachers should make sure all children have easy access to water and, if possible, carry their own water bottle throughout the day. Parents can set a good example, and would be wise to carry a water bottle with them and drink from it.

Many of us have a habit of choosing soft drinks, carbonated beverages and juices over water. Frequent sugary drinks cause the blood to become too sweet, fluid is drawn out of body cells to dilute the high sugar levels in the blood, this then leads to thirst and dehydration in the child. De-hydration results in poor concentration and short attention span.

Also, It is a well documented fact that sugary drinks cause tooth decay.

Teaching by example is one of the bests way to educate. Choose water instead of drinks and you will see the difference. The children will learn from our example and will benefit many, many ways by having this most fundamental need met.