Kids Summer Sports Safety Preparedness Tips #SummerSafety

 

My kids and I love this time of the year. Our homeschool curriculum and other school related functions are completed for the school year which free’s us to do more activities. Instead of school work we are going to the pool, park, summer camps and other fun summer activities! Even though my kids play sports during the school year, one of the things my boys look forward to every summer is soccer camp. This summer was a big deal because not only did my older boys attend but my daughter and four year son participated!

luke soccer

As a mom I am concerned when they play sports because I do not want them to get hurt. My husband thinks I am overprotective but I can’t help it, they are my kids. During soccer camp one of the coaches told me that my son is a great soccer player but he falls for no reason, this is just him – clumsy. So this gives me extra concern for injury.

seth soccer

When my kids have not been well or have gotten hurt in the past I felt helpless. No mom wants their kids hurt. With five kids accidents will happen whether they be in everyday life or while they are playing sports. Knowing this is the case I take the following precautions when they play sports:

sports safety button

I pack my kids iced bottled water so that they stay hydrated. With all the running around in the heat they tend to sweat a lot so I make sure they are constantly taking breaks to re-hydrate so they do not overheat.

 

Make sure they learn the rules of the game. For instance I have seen kids on the soccer field pushing other kids which have resulted to injury.  This frustrates my kids because they have been the one’s who have been pushed.  I am sure if all children listened and followed the rules of the game there would be less kids getting hurt. 

 

I always keep a first aid kit in my van.  Keeping it fully stocked with all the necessities for any scrapes, cuts and quick simple fixes on the go. 

 

Teach kids to listen to their bodies. If they feel pain or discomfort while playing, they should alert their coach and get out of the game. Most kids do not like sitting out on the sidelines but if pushing through the game injuries may become more severe.

 

Checking all sports gear prior to playing. Making sure shoes, helmets and other gear are not broken and fit securely. A big one that is overlooked is shoelaces, I have my kids double knot their’s so they do not come untied while playing and they do not trip over them.

 

Kids are kids and things happen so consider Supplemental accident insurance.  It is not just the injury I worry about but the hospital or doctor bills which can be quite costly. I was amazed when I read these statistics: more than 2.6 million children are treated in the emergency department each year for sports and recreation-related injuries.  Plus the total cost of unintentional injuries in 2011 was $753 billion. Those numbers are astounding! 

seth scccer camp

Aflac’s individual accident insurance is a way to stay ahead of the medical and out-of-pocket expenses that add up so quickly after an accidental injury. Not just for emergency treatment, but they can help with hospital stays and medical exams, as well as other expenses you may face, such as transportation and lodging needs.

aflac logo

Some insurance companies will try to tell you how much money they’ll save policyholders on premiums, but people buy insurance to get paid when they need to file a claim. Aflac understands this need of urgency and importance of this so they have recently introduced One Day PaySM. Which is an initiative that allows Aflac to process, approve and pay eligible claims in just a day so that you can focus on the injury and not the finances.  As a parent I do not want to be worrying about medical bills and finances, I want to focus my kids getting better.

 

When was your child injured last? Aflac can have you covered! Be sure to check out the One Day PaySM and familiarize yourself before it’s too late! 

 

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.   Mama to 5 Blessings is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.  

Comments

  1. These are awesome safety tips! Thanks for sharing some ways to keep my kids safer.

  2. Well, this sounds EXACTLY like it was made for us. My son is in a lot of sports, even broke his wrist in soccer last season and like you said, as his mom I felt horrible and helpless. Thanks for the recommendation!

  3. These are some wondrous safety tips! I absolutely love the idea of checking out their sports equipment prior to them playing. I would have never thought to do that. Thanks for sharing!

  4. These are great tips! No quicker way to ruin a good time playing sports than by getting hurt.

  5. These are all great tips for keeping kids safe this summer. I always carry a first aid kit in the car and have had to use it many times.

  6. These are great tips. It’s so important to be prepared for emergencies and to have the right insurance.

  7. Accidental insurance is almost a must have these days for people with or without kids! It is so easy to slip and fall-no matter how careful you are being –or in the case of children no matter how many precautions you take.

  8. Both of my sons played summer sports at one time or another. For my youngest hydration is a must, literally 15 minutes of sun and heat would make him sick.

  9. I love all your great tips. It certainly is very important to keep your kids safe during the summer. I need to get myself a kit for in my car. I always forget about that!

  10. What great tips to share today and it is always good to do check lists! In the end, they are called accidents for a reason! While most can be avoided, there are those that are literally accidents!

    • I agree that doing a checklist is something I should implement along with the insurance. I should print them out for the members of my son’s various teams!

  11. We are shopping for different insurance right now and I will definitely check Aflac out. I carry a first aid kit everywhere now. Thank you for the great safety tips.

  12. Kids have the double whammy of not quite being fully coordinated and not in a mental mindset to protect their bodies! It can lead to some severe injuries if they’re not careful!

  13. I have Aflac and I love it. Being self employed it’s come in handy on more than one occassion.

  14. I love that Aflac has been rately so highly for so long. I’ve never used them but if the need for new insurance arose, I would def. consider them.

  15. My son was a dare devil when he was young and did get a few bumps and bruises but luckily it was never anything serious.

  16. These are great tips. I’m a constant worrier and it is very important to keep the kids safe all the time.

  17. Aflac sounds like a great insurance to have. I am going to look into it.

  18. I always have a first aid kid and a busy bag in my backpack that I keep in the car. We also have life insurance and renters insurance and auto insurance. What a arm and a leg it cost to have something we haven’t used but it’s nice to know it’s there just incase.

  19. These are great tips. I have very active kids and they love to participate in sports during summer. Kid safety is very important.

  20. It’s so important to keep kids hydrated. The headaches and crankiness are not something I love to deal with!

  21. These are excellent tips! I keep a fully stocked first aid kit in my van too. Only mine is not just for the kids injuries, I’m pretty clumsy myself and have had to sport a Doc McStuffins band-aid quite a few times. I love that Aflac has such a great policy and rapid response to paying claims.

  22. It sounds interesting. I mean I guess if you have crappy insurance, secondary insurance like this one would be a life saver, but I’d have to know that Aflac is paying for something my first insurance isn’t so that I’m not paying twice for the same coverage. Regardless hospital bills and insurance bills can be a huge nightmare.

  23. These are good tips. It’s very important for kids to learn the rules- that helps prevent injuries. Also, make sure they wear the proper safety gear, no matter what.

  24. Robin (Masshole Mommy) says:

    Our health insurance covers us for accidents, but this sounds like a great option for people whose health insurance is lacking.

    • Robin, Aflac accidental insurance covers other things other insurance companies may not cover like lodging or transportation that may be required for treatment.

      • Robin (Masshole Mommy) says:

        Good to know! We have a federal insurance plan, so ours covers more than the rest. I forget sometimes that we get a lot more benefits that most health insurance companies.

  25. My son is big athlete and teaching him to listen to his body has been so great for us. He wants to push through but kids have to learn when to stop. These are some really great tips!

  26. I love the Aflac commercials .. they are so entertaining. These are great tips .. we somehow forget #1 since we all get so excited about the game

  27. I love reading articles about safety. YOU can never put your guard down. I like to think of my self as safe however its nice to be informed. THanks

  28. Megan @ C'mon Get Crafty says:

    We got our son into soccer this summer for the first time, and I’m really hoping to get him involved in a few more social sports activities before summer is over.

  29. My grandchildren are spending a lot of time at my house over the summer so safety is our number one concern! Thank you for sharing this great information with everyone! 🙂

  30. Our five year old slipped on the boat and cracked open his chin! Not fun and wish we had had Aflac coverage to help!!

  31. Wonderful tips. When my boys were playing soccer I was a wreck. You can never be too safe! I love these tips!

  32. Keeping first aid kits handy is so important. You never know when a kid will get hurt!

  33. These are some great tips! I carry a first aid kit where ever we go, hubby thinks im crazy but with 3 kids you never know when you are going to need it!

  34. All these are amazing safety tips for this summer. I agree that it is very important to be prepared for emergencies too. I always have a first aid kit and we have better insurance plans as well.

  35. Great advice, I can’t believe that many kids are treated in the ER for sports related injuries each year. I wonder why the high number? Over cautious parents and coaches or actual emergencies? Either way, supplemental insurance isn’t a bad thing!

  36. Keeping a first aid kit on hand is so important. I cannot tell you how many times that’s saved me.

  37. Summer sports are fun, and my kids often play until they’re too tired to be careful. These are helpful tips to make sure everyone stays safe and happy.

  38. These are great tips. I think teaching kids to listen to their bodies goes well beyond just sports. It’s an important lesson in general. And yes, learn the rules! That’s soooo important!

  39. I had no idea that Aflac had insurance like this for kids. The cost of injuries can add up fast!! I am going to have to send this to some friends thank you!

  40. It is important to do everything you can to help prevent injuries. This list is great b/c the last thing any mom wants is an injury that could have been prevented if…

  41. These are really good tips, I wrote about many of them when working for a hospital.

  42. Thanks for sharing these awesome tips. I also always keep a first aid kit in the car just in case someone gets hurt.

  43. We homeschool too and that has given us extra time as well to participate in sports. Those are some great tips. One thing I made sure of for my daughter in softball is a small cooler with ice cold purified water and iced up towels to keep her neck and head cool while sitting in the dugout.

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