For some people, sports activities can lead to a lifetime of happiness. They can improve socialization in children and even in adults. It’s also easier to manage weight when playing sports. But some medical practitioners consider contact sports risky, which leads to some parents prohibiting their children from playing. That shouldn’t be the case. Take a look at these justifiable reasons to let them play the sports they want.
Taking Control Isn’t the Answer
If you’re the parent, you would want to keep your children safe well into their adulthood. That can drive you to ban them from playing contact sports like football. The movie Concussion, a story about contact sports will increase your doubts. But you have to know that contact sports aren’t the only risks your children will take in their lives. Children are natural risk-takers, so they’re bound to make some impulse decisions. That said, if they like football, you should still let them. The sport is not as risky as other sports like skateboarding.
Children will learn at a young age how to protect themselves. They can feel safer with their coaches and teammates. This is something they need to learn by themselves to improve their skills. All the skills they learn will be useful when they grow. Safety is still a concern in adulthood. For this reason, a football mouthguard is a good product to keep safe. Professional athletes are using these to protect themselves.
There may be studies indicating the dangers but not reason enough to stop playing. Children will get a concussion, and it’s hard to avoid that. But those aren’t serious, and they will get better over time. Besides, those concussions don’t have lingering “health effects.”
How to Keep Your Children Safe
Parents should play active roles in ensuring the safety of their children. They can talk to the coaches about safety regulations in a particular sport. They can watch them as they play so they can be more at ease with their children playing. Protective gear is also important in sports. Children should start wearing those at a young age.
They must know the coach well and find out if the coach has proper training. The coach must be someone who wouldn’t force the players to get on the filed even when they aren’t feeling well.
Parents should always check their children if they’re hydrated. A speedy course of action in case an injury happens can also save a child’s life. Even when you’re trying to be lenient, you can still say no, depending on a situation. For example, you can tell them they can’t play for this day if the weather is bad. Proper communication with them can help you during those times. You’re still the parent, so you have a right to make smart choices for them. After all, they have an entire lifetime to play the sport they want if they’re healthy.
Bottomline
Playing contact sports comes with risks, but in general, life is full of risks. People can get into accidents in any situation. Of course, you want to keep all members of the family safe, but banning an interest is not a solution. Try to compromise with your children so they can pursue something they love. They can use your support for encouragement and try their best to be safe.