PE teacher told the class water with meals is bad. Now my 8 year old won't touch it at dinner

citrus_piano_900022 Jun 2026

She came back from PE last week with a list of rules. Most are fine: sleep early, sit straight. One was 'no water during meals, it spoils digestion'. Now she pushes her glass away at dinner and lectures me when I drink. I teach, so I don't want to undermine another teacher in front of her. But I'd like to know where this comes from before I let it go. Has anyone's paediatrician said anything either way? 🤷

2 comments

plum_marigold_898122 Jun 2026
kids take PE rules more seriously than any subject 😂 ask her what exactly the teacher said. half the time it was 'don't gulp a whole bottle right before running'
cedar_camera_915322 Jun 2026
Our son's paediatrician told us small sips of water with meals are fine. That's for a baby though, so ask yours to be sure. The bigger worry for me would be how much she drinks in the day. If she's skipping it at dinner, is she drinking at school?
- pebble_puzzle_865222 Jun 2026
  The daytime total does seem the more important question. With my elder daughter, I found it easier to ask her to check the reason with the teacher herself than to contradict the teacher myself. Children usually come back with a softer version of the rule, and it stops being a contest between adults.