New survey reveals what 70% of parents feel ‘guilty’ about

Seven out of 10 parents admit to feeling guilty that their child is not drinking enough water.

That’s according to a survey of 2,000 parents of children ages five to 12, evenly divided by US region. The results revealed that more than a third (36%) of parents find it difficult to keep their children hydrated especially during the summer months. However, as the number of hot days has increased beyond the traditional summer months, this has implications beyond the summer season.

Another 43% even find themselves stressed about how to ensure their child stays hydrated.

Although the official summer season is coming to an end, this does not mean that the number of hot days disappears. With the heat and humidity continuing in many parts of our country, parents are trying to provide their child with water whenever possible (56%); some like to drink water with them (53%) and lead by setting an example of good, regular drinking habits (43%).

Others are getting creative and adding water enhancers or flavors (39%) or even using goals and prizes to encourage drinking water (9%).

However, the results revealed that even parents aren’t drinking enough, with 42% struggling to keep up with their summer water intake.

In fact, 24% of parents surveyed admit they “never” had a reusable water bottle with them as a child.

With summer winding down and school gearing up, a survey commissioned by True Citrus and conducted by Talker Research found that today, times are changing. Almost two in five parents (38%) “always” bring a reusable water bottle and only 4% cling to the ways of their childhood.

Nearly three-quarters of parents also say their child encourages them to drink more water, both by example (23%) and by their words (51%).

This may be partly because 37% of children “always” have their reusable water bottles in tow, a further 37% do so “often”, with only 2% of parents admitting their children do not never have one with them.

Almost half of parents (49%) also say that social media trends around water consumption have had an impact on their water drinking habits.

“It’s encouraging to see that not only are social media trends encouraging adults to drink more water, but that parents are passing these habits on to their children,” said Heidi Carney, Executive Vice President, Marketing at True Citrus. “Whether parents are struggling to keep their children or themselves hydrated during the hottest months of the year, there are ways to encourage good water-drinking habits and enjoy staying hydrated.”

The results also revealed that 70% of parents surveyed believe their child is more physically active during the summer than the rest of the year.

The most popular activities include playground games (68%), swimming and water games (66%), cycling (54%) and running games such as red light, green light (54%).

But despite increased play and temperatures, the results revealed that some children drink less water in the summer than in other months.

Throughout the rest of the year, children average about five glasses of water a day, but during the summer, this number drops to 4.6.

Children in the Northeast are in the most hydrated region, with the average child drinking 4.8 glasses of water, compared to 4.4 in the least hydrated Southeast. Parents in the Northeast are also less stressed about hydration levels (38%).

By comparison, in the Midwest, children average 4.8 glasses of water each day from September to May, but have only 4.6 glasses during the summer.

Interestingly, only 39% of parents in the Southeast are stressed about their children’s hydration, compared to 48% in the West, 47% in the Midwest, and 39% in the Southwest.

“Based on these results, the United States summer hydration report card could use some work. As the official summer season comes to an end, there will be no shortage of hot days in the coming weeks and months,” said Meghan Flynn, MS, RDN. “During the hottest and longest days, it’s imperative to avoid dehydration. The CDC recommends that when working or exercising in the heat, drink a glass of water every 15 to 20 minutes. Adding a flavored water enhancer helps them stay hydrated while enjoying every sip.”

Survey methodology:

This random, two-choice survey of 2,000 parents of children ages 5-12, equally divided from the 5 US regions (Northeast, Southeast, Southwest, Midwest, and West) was commissioned by True Lemon Kids between June 14 and June 25, 2024. It was conducted by the market research company Talker Research, whose team members are members of the Market Research Society (MRS) and the European Association for Opinion and Marketing Research (ESOMAR).