Confession: I have only just started turning off lights as I leave a room. My wasteful habit required three years of spousal nagging to cure, but cure he did (with a little help from guilt-inducing mass media). So, I was interested to read the spirited discussion at Parent Hacks last week about how to foster energy-saving habits in children. Where had my parents failed?

One mother wrote that she confiscates light bulbs when they’re left on. Gradually, her children’s rooms fade to black. Light bulbs are re-introduced when a parent is caught leaving a room without turning a light off. Another, more draconian parent turns off the fuses in his children’s rooms at the circuit breaker. They must turn the breaker back on themselves, which teaches children (adolescents, in this parent's case) where the breaker box is.

Of course, these suggestions raised cries of being overly hardcore, and potentially dangerous. Other, gentler suggestions followed. Some parents bring their children into the conversation about saving, discussing power bills, opting together to purchase wind energy. Creating charts to help children see how their habits have helped the family reduce their power bill could be also prove useful.

One family installs motion-sensitive switches some rooms, like the bathroom. This wouldn't work in most rooms, however, and the challenges of illumination made me think how turning lights off and on at the switch can be impossible for children, and I started to look for solutions. I can’t train a child to turn off a light if she can’t reach it.

Some lamp switches can be difficult for even adults to use. It’s simple to change a traditional lamp to a pull-chain - a lamp store can sell you a new mount for the bulb for a few dollars or you can order them online.

Kidswitch makes a light switch extender that mounts on wall-switches that are too high for your child to reach. You can order one through Amazon for about $9. Jeremiah and Jenni used one of these for Z in her bedroom for a while, and swear by it.

I’ve never before taken The Clapper seriously as a product, but it might work for a child. The novelty of clapping a light off and on might remind them to clap it off. Alternately, it might remind them to turn the light on and off incessantly.

Once the physics of lamp illumination and cessation are mastered, conservation can begin. At that point, traditional avenues, like docking allowance, might be helpful. And your savings could be applied to your power bill. Let us know if you figure out how to use pinwheels to generate wind energy!

Long summer days, poolside lounging and day trips to the zoo are coming to a gradual end. But maintaining adequate hydration is just as important during the winter months for everyone in your family.

Water intake: A challenge for kids

Here are three reasons why you should take an active interest in how much liquid your child drinks.

• Children are actually at an increased risk of dehydration and heat-related illnesses because their bodies react differently to physical activity and heat. Their sweating mechanisms are less efficient, and they often don’t react or respond to thirst in the same way as adults.


• Children often have routines that make drinking enough water more difficult (school schedules, less control over their time and environment).


• Additionally, overconsumption of salt, especially when combined with insufficient drinking of (non-salty) liquids, are implicated in rising incidences of kidney stones in children, even quite young ones. This disturbing trend can best be combated by helping children avoid overly salty foods and drinks and making sure they are drinking enough water. You can read more about that trend in this recent New York Times article.

Determining children's water needs

As a general guideline, children require about 4-6 cups of fluid per day. (If you are breastfeeding or formula feeding your child less than a year old, you will not need to give supplemental water or other fluids.)

The best way to determine if you or your child is staying hydrated is to check the color of urine. If your child’s urine is pale in color and plentiful, he is well-hydrated. If he is not urinating frequently throughout the day or his urine is dark yellow or tinted brown, he is not getting enough fluids. But to find out exactly how much fluid your child needs, you can follow this simple chart based on body weight. So if your child weighs…

• 15 lbs, give 3 cups per day of fluids


• 22 lbs, give 4 cups per day of fluids


• 33 lbs, give 5 cups per day of fluids


• 44 lbs, give 6 cups per day of fluids


• 55 lbs, give 6.5 cups per day of fluids


• 66 lbs, give 7 cups per day of fluids


• 77 lbs, give 7.5 cups per day of fluids

How to set the habit

Here are a few tips to help keep those little ones happy and healthy and hydrated:

• Avoid caffeinated beverages.


• Offer water and/or diluted juice.


• Diluted sports drinks are OK in limited quantities, but have high salt.


• Encourage snacking on fruits and vegetables,as they have a high water content.


• If you are travelling to high-altitude destinations, make sure you and your child are drinking plenty of fluids both before and during the trip.


• Set a good example by drinking plenty of water yourself!

Give your child his own BPA-free water bottle such as the Klean Kanteen or Sigg Kids' bottle so you can track how much he actually drinks. It is best to monitor your child's liquid intake in some way - thirst is not sufficient - and a bottle you need to refill when empty is one easy way to estimate consumption. You will likely need to continuously remind him to keep drinking all day. Consider a reminder schedule throughout the day, maybe every 30-45 minutes.

Speaking of setting an example...

There is a simple equation to help adults figure their fluid needs: 0.5 ounces per every pound of body weight.
For example, a 150 lbs male/female would need 75 ounces per day (150 x 0.5 = 75). Then divide by eight to estimate your fluid needs in cups per day 75 ÷ 8 = 9.5 cups fluids per day.

Why not figure out your water intake needs now?

You have likely heard that you need fiber in your diet, but do you know why? How much do you and your children need? Do you know which foods are the best sources of fiber?

Fiber is found in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds, beans and lentils (not in dairy or meat products). A high fiber diet helps to promote regular bowel movements and gives your body a sense of fullness after eating it, thus helping to prevent obesity. By offering high fiber food choices to our children, we are encouraging them to establish eating patterns that may help reduce their risk of developing heart disease and some types of cancer later in life.

If you are 18+ years, aim for 25-35 grams fiber per day. For your children, follow this rule: AGE + 5 GRAMS FIBER PER DAY (Example: A 7-year old would need 12 grams fiber per day).

If you want to increase your daily fiber intake, do so slowly to allow the intestinal tract to adapt. If your current intake is only 10 grams and you are aiming for 35 grams per day, increase this gradually over 2-3 weeks. And be sure to drink plenty of fluids with high fiber intake.

You can easily read food packaging labels to determine the fiber content of specific foods. A “high” fiber food has 5 grams or more of fiber per serving and a “good” source of fiber is one that provides 2.5 to 4.9 grams per serving.



Fiber Content of Foods:

• 1 medium apple, orange, banana or pear: 3-4 grams


• 1/2 cup raspberries: 4 grams


• 40 grapes: 2 grams


• 1/2 cup beans (kidney, black, pinto): 5-8 grams


• 1/2 cup green beans: 2 grams


• 1/2 cup corn: 5 grams


• 1 ounce (20-25) almonds: 3 grams


• 2 tablespoons peanut butter: 2 grams


• 1 slice whole-wheat bread: 3 grams

Try some of these creative tips to incorporate fiber throughout the day into your family’s diet:

• Use whole grain breads and crackers (look for whole wheat flour to be the first or second ingredient in these products).


• Top cereal, yogurt and ice cream with berries, nuts and/or wheat germ.


• For baking, use half whole wheat flour and half white flour instead of 100% white flour.


• Add canned pumpkin to homemade waffles, pancakes and breads.


• If your children are old enough, encourage them to eat the skins of vegetables and fruits. (The skins are the high fiber part!)


• Add almonds, chickpeas and beans to salads or vegetable casseroles.


• Make a smoothie at home with frozen fruits, milk, honey and wheat germ.

Remember that good eating habits for your family today…will lead to a lifetime of healthy habits for your children!

Photo by The Wandering Angel, shared via Flickr