When do you slip slap slop for your kids?

[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)