When do you slip slap slop for your kids?

[SammyRo]

Thanks ladies. I was just wondering if I was being negligent!

and ss storm...yep, it inhibits the body's ability to absorb vit. D from the sun. Apparently there's a rise of people who have Vit D deficiencies due to them using sunscreen so vigilantly (ie every time they step foot in the sun!).

I'm another one who didn't know this! And there I was thinking I was doing the best thing for them by using sunscreen all the time!

What I normally do is put sunscreen before we put clothes on for the day if I know we will be out for the most part of the day. Its just easier when they have no clothes on. I'll then normally re-apply it if we're out in the arvo too.

What do you do on the days when its a high UV level? It can still be a high UV level even when its cloudy?
I might just do the sunscreen between 10-4, although soon it will be too hot to go outside between that time anyway!

[Lulu]

Absolutely sunscreen on a cloudy day - between those hottest hours. Otherwise let them be a bit nudie in the softening rays of the day.

[Nettie]

I sometimes wonder if the suncreen is more damaging than the sun All these reports you hear of nanoparticles and the like...

I tried to get some more natural sunscreens, but they're so thick and clogging :P I've now got the 'invisible zinc' one - which I believe is the simpliest type you can get. I only put it on DS if we're going for an outing in the sun (like a long walk or playing in the yard for an extended period). It says on most packets that you have to apply it about 20 mins before you get out into the sun - do people do this??

Unfortunately DH (who is a SAHD) doesn't remember to use the sunscreen very often at all. And be blowed if I can keep a hat or sunnies on the kid!

[Indadhanu]

I have an issue with sunscreen... not just the chemicals but also the idea that it's an excuse to be a bit lax on other things like hats, sunnies, sleeves etc. So I prefer to just leave the sunscreen unless Jazz will be in the sun between 9am and 3pm in summer (or 10am-3pm in winter), and anything outside of thse times we just make sure we are vigilent about staying in shady spots that the sun isn't hitting or is hidden by the house, or we do the sleeves/hat/sunnies deal. Not ALL sun is bad, you just have to be smart about it I think. Theres a balance, because you do need some sun on your skin, without sunscreen, for your daily vitamin D dose (lol) but it doesn't have to be your whole body unprotected in the sun for hours KWIM. Plus I'm pretty sure its cumulative and it doesn't have to be done in one stint of sitting in the sun.

[~Kim~]

We put sunscreen on in the morning on our faces and ear and necks along with the toothbrushing/hair routine since we walk to school and the UV index is always high here (like you Kell). Hats and glasses are just a part of our lives.
DS has a UV sunshade on his pram. Anytime larger areas of skin are going to be exposed in the glaring sun then I use ss on them but other times no.

[kelebek]

I am also concerned about the use of religious sunscreen all the time, it is after all a chemical that we are putting onto the biggest organ of the body. DS is just over 2 and 1/2 and we have tried to stay out of the sun during the 9am - 3pm in summer. I am lucky DS loves his hat and is starting to get use to sunnies.

I do have a delimma with childcare though as they want to apply it as they go out to play. My issue with this is that it does need 20 mins to be properly absorbed, they seem to be not letting the kids outside when DS is there cause they don't want to risk him being burned (even though there is plenty of shade) and don't want to be unfair on him. So cause I don't want the other kids to miss out I am going to supply them with the invisible zinc so that they can go outside. (sorry for the hijack)