Tips for Being the Best Sideline Parent

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Both of my boys play baseball this season. As parents we always make sure our kids have everything they need for their games but sometimes forget to take care of ourselves. Washing their uniform, packing their game day gear, making sure they stay hydrated during the game and bringing snacks for the team has become part of our routine. Today I’m sharing tips on how to be the best sideline parent – for yourself.

Tips for Being the Best Sideline Parent

Get Comfortable

As parents we spend many hours sitting in the bleaches at games. Invest in a seat cushion. They are easy to carry, usually fold-up to store right in your car and well worth keeping your tush from going sore. My husband even uses one with a back to rest against while he takes photos of the game. 

Stay Shaded, Cool or Warm

Some of the fields that my son plays at do not offer shade. If we know we are going to be in the playoffs all day, we take our foldable canopy to sit up. If you have a 10×10 popup canopy other parents will thank you. Don’t forget your chairs for those parks without enough bleachers. Who wants to sit on the metal stands directly in the sun? Toss in a blanket for windy days, a hat for sunny days and always bring the sunscreen!

Stay Hydrated

Some of the tournaments that our son plays are over an hour from home and last all day. Make sure to pack plenty of drinks. POWERADE® keeps us refreshed and fueled to cheer on our boys. My favorite flavor is the Mountain Berry Blast but there are several options at your local Walmart.

While picking up your 8pack of 20oz POWERADE® look for the coupon hanging above to save $1.50 on NABISCO 20-pack Multipack for snacks.

Capture the Plays

I love being able to take photos and videos of my son playing. Not only is it nice to have the memories to look back on but he enjoys watching his plays after the game to critique himself. Plus, there is something magical when you can share those awesome plays with your family and friends that missed the game. 

Have you ever heard someone at a game saying “did you see that?!” Setup a mini tripod to hold your smartphone or camera to record your child up to bat or in our case, playing as catcher. You can easily turn it off and on to only record when your child is on field. Share the photos and videos you take that include other teammates with their parents for sideline parent bonus points!

Edit Photos

I have a few editing apps I use on my smartphone when my photos or videos come out a little too dark or shadowed. My go-to editing app is Camera+ but PicMonkey is another good one. We have downtime between games at my son’s tournaments so it’s fun to edit a couple of shots from the game to share instantly.

Snacks

Pack enough snacks to hold you over while at the ball field. The top of our cooler has a nice pouch to put items that do not need to stay cold. This makes it easy for us to carry multiple packages.

When shopping at Walmart I saw the NABISCO Multipack has a coupon right on the box. You can save $0.75 when you purchase a 12-pack or larger. 

We love these RITZ Bits Cracker Sandwiches – 12 count. Since we use a coupon to save on the snacks, we purchase enough to share. Trust me, the other parents at the game will thank you later. I guarantee at least one mom forgot to pack something for herself.

How do you make being a sideline parent easier?

Be sure to check out other ideas for being a sideline hero here!