Summertime in Hawaii is a dream come true for many and for my family, we love it and enjoy our paradise home year round.  As a family, we love to get outdoors and experience all that our beautiful islands offer us from the ocean and streams to hiking, climbing and all around fun.  But with the high island heat, deep ocean water and so much to do around us, we must be prepared for anything and everything and planning for a safe summer ahead of time is a must.  Having worked in the tourism industry for years, I have seen many injuries occur and today I want to share some simple tips that will make your summer time here in Hawaii or anywhere a blast and hopefully – accident free.  Here are a few personal summer safety tips that I think every parent should know.

Summer Safety Tips:

Stay Hydrated – Drink plenty of water!  While we are out and about having fun and enjoying our summer, often times we don’t realize that we haven’t been hydrating our bodies until it is too late.  Make sure to have consume/drink the daily intake of water or increase the amount depending on your level of activity/fun.  Drinking water not only helps to keep your body hydrated and healthy, but it will also keep you feeling cooler while you are out and about.  Don’t forget about this important tip.

SPF/Sunblock are Essential – Use it!  Let’s face it, many of us forget to apply sunblock before it’s too late so the key is to be prepared and have it ready and handy before you plan your summer adventures.  SPF or even coverups like hats, etc. can be essential in not only protecting your skin from sunburn, aging, etc – but also cancer.  Make sure to have an SPF you are comfortable using and apply 20 minutes before you get out in the sun.  Reapply every two hours as needed or if you are in the water.  Sunblock is so important to our family that I always carry a small travel size in my purse year round and my sons always wear a hat year round if we are gonna be exposed to the sun and elements.

Update that First Aid Kit!  Since I have very active boys, we have a First Aid kit in each vehicle, a small kit in my purse and a large one in the house to be prepared at a moment’s notice.  Cuts, scrapes, thorns – all things ouch can occur at any time and it’s always best to be prepared.  My son has played basketball for years and each year one of his teammates get hurt on the court, needless to say – Mommy is always to the rescue.

Water Safety is a MUST!  Obviously, we live in Hawaii and are surrounded by water so it is important that we teach our children water safety.  My husband and I are both CPR Certified and have years of water training both in the pool and ocean so it is imperative that you teach your children the dangers of water and how to protect themselves.  While working in the hotel industry, I have seen many tourists drown due to lack of knowledge of the ocean current, waves and tides so it is important that no matter where you go – that you familiarize yourself with the ocean conditions and know that the ocean is unpredictable.  Check signs, posted flag warnings and speak with a life guard on duty when available and make sure to supervise your children at all times.  When swimming in a pool, make sure you are supervising your children and have nice clean fun.  One important thing to also remember… if your child has been taking in water while swimming or gulping water while playing – monitor your child several hours after water play as that can result in Secondary Drowning – this goes for adults too.

Know Limitations!  Teach your kids to listen to their bodies.  This may not seem like a big deal, but it can turn into a disaster if not taken into consideration.  Teach your children that if at any point they feel pain or discomfort while playing, they should notify their coach and get out of the game or tell a parent or adult while playing. While sitting on the sidelines is one of the most difficult situations a player can face, pushing through injuries increases their severity and keeps you out of action longer.  This goes for regular outdoor play, swimming, etc – not just during a game or game play.

Be prepared with accidental & supplemental insurance coverage and Plan for unexpected expenses!  Let’s face it, accidents happen and while children are still learning and growing, things can always happen at a moments notice without warning.  If you keep busy during the summer months, whether a vacation trip or just lounging at the beach or pool, it is always best to be one step ahead of it all and get that extra insurance to help with expenses.  Between sports (which occur often during the summer for my boys) or outdoor play and activities, it’s best to be prepared.  Accidents happen. When unexpected injuries happen, make sure you’re prepared with supplemental insurance like Aflac’s accident policy to help cover out-of-pocket expenses.

Should the need arise where you need that extra insurance benefit you’ll have it ready.  Submitting health insurance claims isn’t something people necessarily look forward to doing – with claim denials and waiting up to a month for payment, it can be a long and difficult process. And while 30 days may not seem like a long time, for families struggling to pay medical expenses, it can feel like a lifetime.  Therefore, Aflac recently introduced One Day Pay^SM – an initiative that allows Aflac to process, approve and pay eligible claims in just a day.  By being prepared, you’ll have a back up plan should you need it.

Visit Aflac’s Accident Insurance page for more information on their accident policies here.

Last but not least, the most important tip for Summer is to Enjoy life and have lots of fun. Children grow up too quickly so make sure you cherish every moment and make lots of memories!

Happy Summer!

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.