How to Keep Your Kids Healthy (and How Health Insurance Helps When They Definitely Get Sick Anyway)

If you have kids, you already know two universal truths:

1. Kids are tiny superheroes with endless energy.

2. Kids are also tiny germ magnets with zero fear.

One minute they’re doing cartwheels in the living room like they’re at the Olympics… and the next they’re coughing directly into your soul.

So today, let’s talk about how to keep your kids healthy most of the time — and how health insurance helps when your kid’s immune system takes a vacation.

Step 1:

The “Keep Them Healthy” Game Plan

(also known as your daily mission, should you choose to accept it)

✅ 1. Build a “boring but magical” routine

Kids thrive on routine. Their bodies do too. The basics matter way more than we want to admit:

• Sleep (yes, even when they claim they’re not tired)

• Meals that include something green (no, green gummies don’t count)

• Water (not just “three sips” before sprinting away)

Pro tip: A consistent bedtime is like insurance for your sanity.

✅ 2. The secret weapon: handwashing

Kids touch everything:

• shopping carts

• playground rails

• the dog

• the dog’s food

• the mystery sticky spot on the kitchen table

• and somehow… your face

Teach them the classics:

• Wash hands after the bathroom

• Before eating

• After school

• After playing outside

If you want to make it fun: tell them to scrub while singing the “Happy Birthday” song twice. If they refuse: tell them “Germs hate soap” and let their imagination run wild.

✅ 3. Food: aim for “balanced-ish”

You don’t need Pinterest-perfect lunches shaped like woodland animals. You just need good fuel.

Try to hit:

• fruits

• veggies

• protein

• healthy snacks

And yes… sometimes they’ll survive on crackers and vibes. It happens.

Parent rule: If they eat one actual vegetable this week, you’re winning.

✅ 4. Keep them moving

Movement builds strong immune systems—and also helps them burn off the energy that makes them treat your couch like a trampoline.

Even 30 minutes a day helps:

• playing outside

• riding bikes

• sports

• dance parties in the kitchen

Honestly, kids will run for no reason. Just let them.

✅ 5. Stay on top of preventive care

One of the best ways to keep kids healthy is regular checkups and vaccines.

This includes:

• annual wellness visits

• vision and hearing screenings

• recommended immunizations

Preventive visits help catch issues early before you’re googling symptoms at midnight like:

• “Why is my child blinking weird?”

• “Is sneezing 12 times in a row normal?”

• “What is this rash and do I need to move?”

Step 2:

The Reality Check — Your Kids WILL Get Sick

No matter how many vitamins they take, how clean your house is, or how hard you try,

kids will still get sick because they spend all day in close contact with other children who treat personal space like an urban legend.

Common kid illnesses include:

• ear infections

• strep throat

• stomach bugs

• fevers

• mystery coughs that appear at 2:00 AM

• “I don’t feel good” (but they’re sprinting again 10 minutes later)

This is where health insurance becomes your best friend.

Step 3:

How Health Insurance Helps When Your Kid Gets Sick

✅ 1. Doctor visits become much more affordable

When your child gets sick, insurance can help cover:

• primary care visits

• urgent care visits

• pediatrician appointments

• specialist visits (like allergy or ENT)

Without insurance, even a quick visit can feel like you just bought a small used car.

With insurance? You’ll usually pay a copay or a portion of the visit depending on your plan.

✅ 2. Prescription medications get discounted

Kids don’t just get sick — they get sick and then need medication that tastes like strawberry-flavored regret.

Health insurance helps reduce the cost of:

• antibiotics

• inhalers

• allergy meds

• fever reducers (depending on what’s prescribed)

So instead of paying full price, you usually pay a set copay or a reduced cost under your plan.

✅ 3. ER visits are covered when it’s actually serious

Sometimes it’s not “just a cold.”

If your child has:

• trouble breathing,

• high fevers that won’t come down,

• dehydration,

• a bad injury, or

• severe allergic reaction... You may need the ER.

Health insurance can help cover those big-ticket emergencies that would otherwise be financially painful and emotionally stressful.

✅ 4. You’ll have access to preventive care (often covered)

Many plans include preventive services like:

• well-child visits

• immunizations

• screenings

These visits are huge because they help reduce bigger issues later.

Think of it like routine maintenance for your child… like an oil change, but louder.

✅ 5. Telehealth can save your schedule (and your patience)

Some insurance plans offer telehealth, which is basically:

“Talk to a doctor from your couch while your kid is wrapped in a blanket burrito watching Bluey.”

Telehealth can be great for:

• mild fevers

• colds

• pink eye

• basic questions

• medication refills

Bonus: no waiting room full of other sick people.

Step 4:

The Parent Pro Move — Know Your Plan BEFORE You Need It

The worst time to figure out your benefits is when your kid is sick, and you’re running on caffeine and panic.

Here are a few things worth checking ahead of time:

✅ What’s my copay for urgent care and doctor visits?

✅ What’s my deductible (and how close am I to meeting it)?

✅ Do I need referrals to see specialists?

✅ Are my doctors in-network?

✅ Does my plan include telehealth?

If you don’t understand those terms, don’t worry — you are extremely normal. Insurance language can feel like it was written by robots who hate joy.

Final Thoughts:

Healthy Kids + Smart Coverage = Peace of Mind

The goal isn’t perfection. You’re not going to keep your kids healthy 100% of the time.

But you can:

✅ Build habits that help them stay strong,

✅ Catch problems early with preventive care,

✅ Avoid major financial stress when sickness strikes, and

✅ Get the care they need without hesitation.

Because kids are going to be kids…and kids are going to get sick…and somehow, they will always do it right before a holiday weekend.