Under A Shady Tree: Sun Safety Tips

Don't we all love Laurie Berkner's music? Well, one particular song "Under a Shady Tree"  has a great message. Enjoying a glorious day filled day of activity at the park or beach under the shady tree. She gets kids to sing it and become aware of the given message to stay under the shady spot. As parents we always need to be mindful of what is safe for our kids and just how much sun is ok for them. For years I have loved sitting in the sun. Well, now I see the sun spots and wrinkles and I understand the damage that’s been done. For my families sake it is time to purchase a beach umbrella from Ikea, and make sun safety a part of my family and healthy living.

It is awful reading the statistics that skin cancer remains the most common type of cancer in the U.S. This fact is scary given that skin cancer is a preventable disease. It is also a fact that sun exposure plays a role in developing skin cancer in the future. There are so many measures you can take to teach your children to be more cautious around the sun. Here are some tips for you to follow this summer and discuss with your kids. And always remind them that playing in the sun is fun but too much sun can be harmful!

Sun Safety Tips 

• Avoid Sunburns. Always use sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher. Apply sunscreen 15-30 minutes before going outdoors and reapply after swimming and throughout the day.
• Cover up! Get used to wearing protective clothing like sun glasses, hats, swim shirts and long sleeves.
• Protect your eyes. Overexposure to the sun’s UV rays can damage your child’s eyes. Children should wear sunglasses that are labeled “99%-100% UV protection.” Teach children that they should never look directly at the sun.
• Seek out shade. Infants should stay in the shade.
• Watch the time! Minimize sun exposure between 10 am - 4pm when the sun is the strongest. 
• Drink water. Be sure to replenish lost fluids and to avoid dehydration.
• Things that get HOT! Slides, seat belts, decks, pavement, cars and other things sitting in the sun can heat up and burn your skin.

A couple of fun and positive ways to raise awareness of sun safety is to build this theme into your activities. Have a “shade hunt” in the yard or park or poor a small bit of water into a tray or bowl and see how long it takes to dry up in the heat. Visit EmbracingHome.com for additional tips, video games and worksheets about sun safety.

Lastly, caution around safer sunscreens is another topic of concern. Environmental Working Group's 2011 Sunscreen Guide's 5th annual sunscreen report analyzed more than 600 beach and sport sunscreens and the unfortunate news is that they only recommend one in five sunscreens for this summer. Eeeks! It is worth checking out which is the safest sunscreen for your family. Sunscreens should be replaced every year so do your research before replenishing your supply. Click here to check out this year's Sunscreen Guide!

It feels like all of risks associated with the sun are so scary. It is important that we all keep calm and keep sun exposure to moderate amounts. The best we can all do is be sure to teach regular use of sunscreen to the kids and cover up. The benefits of enjoying the outdoors are worth the simple steps that are needed to be safe in the sun.