Sadly the pandemic isn’t ending as soon as we would like. {Tomorrow– please!). This means we have to continue to figure out how to live, work, nourish and raise our children to the best of our abilities…When seemingly the only consistency is learning to pivot without falling over or losing your sanity. Despite all of this, our kids are playing sports despite the pandemic.
At this point, you’ve likely catapulted your kids into their academic schedule. {Hope it’s going well!) And you might be evaluating the pros and cons of enrolling your children in team sports for the fall season. If you are still on the bench, maybe my perspective will help you with your decision. Or maybe it won’t! Only you know what’s best.
You do You- Mama!
First things first. Is there a risk factor in allowing your children to play fall sports? Absolutely! Does the risk factor exceed the benefit of playing a physically active, outdoor, team sport with peers?
It depends!!!
One overlying factor you might consider is the incredibly positive impact sports have on the psyche of children. Not only do team sports keep kids active, outdoors & OFF SCREENS, but they play a major role in their physical and social development! All of which reduce a child’s risk of anxiety & have a positive impact on their mental health.
Team sports have been a savior in our home!!
Our son (Zander) rekindled his 2020 sports season in June. This notion may sound inconceivable to you, but we weighed the pros and cons, and the benefits far exceeded the risk for our family. Even if that meant I’d never be able to watch a live game per COVID-19 regulations.
Let me start by saying, our familial risk of having complications with COVID-19 is low. Our children do not have asthma, or any underlying condition that would complicate the symptoms. Overall we take health VERY seriously. We eat, real, nutrient dense food every single day. We very rarely eat processed or fast food, we hydrate with water, we sleep well and we move our bodies in the sunshine every single day! So based on physical health, we were all in!
Another deciding factor for me was based on mental health. Zander, our ultra extrovert & accomplished young athlete formed a mild case of depression from his experience with an isolated spring semester. It was a hard pill to swallow! Virtual school, coupled with the abrupt vacancy of spring soccer, swim and basketball impacted him far greater than we bargained for. We went from a full calendar of sports practices, games and tournaments to quarantine at home. Everything that brought him joy and excitement was stripped in an instant. It was a dark time for Zander, and as a Mom that was hard to see.
Weighing the pros and cons for YOUR child is always the best route. Whether that work leads you to the athletic field or your private backyard is your decision! A decision that may even change as the fall season progresses.
If your decision needs to come from research, The CDC has a full panel of Considerations for Youth Sports. There is great information around assessing risk and promoting positive behaviors to mitigate risk. I also liked this handy fact sheet with tips on how to keep athletes safe–youth-sports-fact-sheet-covid19
Sending Positive Vibes Your Way~
Cortney
Photo Credit :: Lindsay Herkert Photography
