Are your kids involved in sports?

My boys have been in sports since the oldest was 3 years old. We started out with sports at the YMCA and now they play flag football with Neighborhood Sports and baseball with a youth league. We love it! They play one in the fall and another in the spring, we always take summers off {until one decides they want to do baseball all stars ;)} and as of this upcoming winter we will add in a short season of basketball. This keeps us crazy busy with 4 kids, but we wouldn’t have it any other way. The 11, 8, and 5 year old play and it is the best thing to watch as a parent. We love keeping them involved for so many reasons, but that is a whole other post. In light of the recent three children injured from a lightning strike during soccer practice in Lakeway and a lawsuit that followed, we want to discuss safety during sporting events & practices. There are a few things to always remember.

Sports, Kids, & Safety Tips

austin-moms-blog-sports-kids-and-safety-tips

General Safety

  • Use whatever safety equipment is required. {My boys play flag football and mouth pieces are required for games, but a lot of coaches don’t require them for practices. This mama still makes her boys still wear them, we don’t need knocked out teeth…I have experienced that once and prefer to not go through it again (it wasn’t from sports)}
  • Discuss safety guidelines about the specific sport with your children so they know the “what and why” of the rules to stay as safe as possible.
  • Communication between parents, coaches, and any one that may be helping take your kids to/from practices and games is key. Everyone should know yours & the coaches expectations.
  • Parents and coaches should always have each others contact info, make sure it is up to date.
  • Consistency is key! {my boys argued with me about wearing their mouthpieces at practice in the beginning, but now they do it without even being reminded most of the time}
  • Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! Plenty of water is so important and it is hard to keep track of how much our little ones drink, so a good idea is a big glass of water before and after practice plus a big bottle to take during.
  • A first aid kit should always be on hand at each practice/game.

Weather Safety

  • First rule to remember is your own: You dictate what makes you uncomfortable. You are in control of your child. At the end of the day, if you are not comfortable with the weather conditions, do not allow your child to play or pull them from the game; regardless of the penalty you think they will face. Mother nature shouldn’t be questioned.
  • Always pay attention to your local weather forecast prior to an outdoor extra-curricular activity. No what is predicted.
  • If you can see lightening or hear thunder, typically the storm is 6-10 miles away. Start taking the necessary steps to seek shelter.
  • Everyone should wait at least 30 minutes AFTER a storm has passed before resuming activities, because electrical charges can linger in the clouds.
  • For more information about weather safety check out the National Weather Service.

Always remember that as a parent you are responsible for and in charge of your children! If, for any reason, you feel conditions are not safe for your child to play, practice, or even be in a specific location then make the proactive choice to remove them from the situation. No one should fault a parent for making a choice they feel necessary to protect their child. Some people may not understand why you make the choice you do, some may think you are over reacting, but you don’t owe anyone an explanation. It is ultimately your job to protect them, do it and don’t worry what anyone else with say or think. We can’t protect them from everything but doing what you can goes a long way.

What do you do when the weather conditions are poor and your child is participating in an outdoor extra-curricular activity?

Sports & kids

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