Our Five Ring Circus: Sun Safety

Friday, July 3, 2009

Sun Safety

When the weather turns warm, we spend at least half of the day outside. There are a few things that we simply can't live without in the summer.

I am a stickler for sun safety. I know too many sun worshipers who have had skin cancer or had cancerous moles removed. As a teenager/young adult, I had several bad sunburns accompanied by sun poisoning. My parents never pushed sunscreen, but I most certainly am a sunscreen mama!

I realize there are some people who are against sunscreen, and think it's worse for you than the sun, but I've researched it, and I feel that sunscreen is right for my family. I also trust the judgement of our pediatric dermatologist, and he recommends sunscreen.

My most favorite new sunblock is Neutrogena Pure & Free Baby Sunblock SPF 60+. I first heard of it when I did a campaign for it, at BzzAgent. Most baby sunscreens irritate Lexie's eczema/sensitive skin, but this one works wonders for her. It doesn't irritate her eczema, is non-greasy, and it really protects her skin. I have some in my diaper bag at all times.

I often use the baby sunblock on Dylan as the first base. For reapplications, I currently use Banana Boat Kids Continuous Spray Sunscreen. I'm not brand loyal for him...I just stick with a kid's sunscreen with a high SPF. I use what he uses, because I don't want to buy 3 different sunscreens! ;)

I use the Banana Boat Kids Sunscreen stick for faces, and Banana Boat Sunscreen Lip Balm for their lips. Everybody gets "sunscreened up" about a half hour before we head outside. I reapply every hour.

For extra protection, I push the hats and sunglasses rule. Dylan is happy to oblige. Lexie...not so much! I bought her the cutest sun hat from Old Navy, but it only lasts about 10 minutes before it gets thrown to the ground. Any tips? ;)

I wear a daily face lotion with SPF, even in the winter. If I'm spending hours in the sun, I also use a sunscreen formulated for the face, in a higher SPF. I wear sunglasses all the time-the bigger the better! I'm 29, and still wrinkle-free, so I'm sticking with it!

As for the vitamin D deficiency argument, I feel that my kids get plenty of exposure in the winter, when we skip the sunscreen, or the few minutes they get in the sun without sunscreen, while running errands.

We are often inside during the peak afternoon hours, due to Lexie needing a nap. While we are outside, I make sure my kids drink plenty of water.

I also keep the fridge stocked with "Huggies" (that would Little Hugs, for those of you not from Pittsburgh) and Popsicles. With a plethora of nieces and nephews, there always seems to be somebody stopping by to play. It's my personal belief that these items make summer more fun for them. :) And, keep them hydrated!


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7 comments:

  1. Great tips! I'm also a big sunscreen-pusher. My boys don't go outside in the spring/summer/fall for playtime without their hats on, either. And yes, they did try to take them off when they were younger, but only twice. Yep, twice. Because I took them directly back inside when they did that and showed them they weren't going to play outside without their hats on. They learned very quickly that they preferred wearing the hat to staying indoors. :) Not a problem since!

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  2. NO WRINKLES ... I am very jealous! I am totally into sun care now, but as a teenager I tanned and laid out all the time. I love the Neutrogena products; they all really work!

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  3. I like that brand. i like the spray on varities alot. I find myself buying the NO-AD brand if you know that one?

    For some reason sofia likes hats but not bows--go figure.

    I am not a sunworshipper either. too much sun makes me feel sick and nauseated.

    Just wanted to add that i wonder if 'huggies' are a regional thing? i know what you mean since i buy them too but i call them "lil' hugs juice" but for a min i was thinking huggies diapers..like why would you keep huggies diapers/wipes in the frige??? LOL

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  4. Haha, Kimmy! Yeah, it must be a regional thing. I was talking about the Hugs drink. :)

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  5. Great tips....Enjoyed reading your blog tonight...had some time to do some blog hopping...Have a Happy 4th!

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  6. Very true, isn't it? I slather my boys all the time!

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  7. I have researched the Vitamin D thing, too, and I make sure that my kids get 10-15 minutes of exposure several times a week...that's all they need (and that's all they'll get!). We religiously use sunscreen apart from that - it's just not something to mess with. Doctors are recommending that everyone - adults & children - get Vit D supplements now, anyway...it can only help.

    Great post!

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