Call Me Paranoid If You Want—I’m ‘That Mom’ When It Comes to Sun Safety

I strive to be a relaxed mom whenever possible. We don’t stick to strict schedules, and if my kids aren’t fond of the dinner I make, they can have a peanut butter sandwich instead. We’ve been known to stay up late on weekends, indulging in movies, games, or baking. I don’t enforce rigid screen time rules; we often follow our whims, exploring new streets or playing outdoors in the rain. If the kids crave snow cones right before bedtime on a hot summer night, you can bet we’ll hop in the car and race to get some before the shop closes.

However, I do have my non-negotiables. In our home, there’s no tolerance for poor hygiene, dishonesty, or any form of hitting. Everyone has their chores, and my kids must give their best effort in school, no matter how that looks.

But my ultimate rule? I absolutely refuse to compromise on safety. We cut grapes into quarters and slice hot dogs into strips. Cleaning supplies are locked away, and I always supervise interactions between the kids and our pets. We even have a fire safety plan and a routine for tornadoes.

And above all, we always wear sunscreen.

Some may call me paranoid, but I prioritize my children’s sun protection just as much as I do their seatbelt safety. It’s a crucial part of my parenting role. If we’re going to be outside for more than a few minutes, sunscreen is a must. On days when they have outdoor recess, I apply sunscreen to my kids in the morning before school.

In our backyard, we’ve designed shaded areas where the kids can escape the sun. For example, they’ve transformed our under-deck space into a pretend fossil dig site, complete with a mud pit and a slab of granite my husband saved during our kitchen remodel.

My father has a lovely pool, but we typically avoid peak sun hours. We make the most of mornings and late afternoons for outdoor play, reserving indoor activities for the hottest parts of the day. If we do swim during midday, my kids wear long-sleeved rash guards and sun hats. We have a large umbrella by the pool that we can position to create shade, and we take breaks to cool off. Every couple of hours, we reapply that precious SPF.

Once the sun begins to set and the pool is shaded, they can remove their rash guards and hats, enjoying a few hours of water fun before darkness falls. They don’t miss out on summer experiences; we simply ensure our pool days don’t lead to painful sunburns.

While sunburn is the immediate concern of too much exposure, the long-term risk of skin cancer is an equally compelling reason to protect delicate skin from harmful UV rays.

May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month, making it a great time to evaluate your family’s sun safety strategies. It’s essential to know that melanoma isn’t just a concern for adults. Each year, around 300 children in the United States are diagnosed with this dangerous skin cancer. Melanoma can spread rapidly, so prevention is critical. According to skincancer.org, even one blistering sunburn in childhood can more than double the chances of developing melanoma later in life. That’s motivation enough for me to prioritize skin protection while I can still influence my kids. My husband and I also model good habits by applying our sunscreen regularly.

Of course, I’m not infallible. Occasionally, I miss a spot, and my kids end up slightly pink. I might feel guilty, but I remind myself that I’m doing my utmost to spare them from the severe, painful sunburns I experienced as a child on the Jersey shore. Back then, I was stubborn, believing that a tan for prom was worth risking my health. Despite my youthful insistence that tanned skin was a “healthy glow,” there truly is no such thing as a healthy tan.

My children are fair-skinned and light-eyed, making them more susceptible to sunburn rather than tanning. However, all skin types require protection from the sun. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends that everyone use sunscreen with broad-spectrum protection (against UVA and UVB rays), SPF 30 or higher, and water resistance.

My kids may never have that sun-kissed glow; they remain pale at the season’s end. Ultimately, it’s not my responsibility to ensure they look like surfers with golden skin. My job is to keep them healthy, which includes safeguarding their skin from overexposure to the sun.

If you’re interested in further reading about skin safety and related topics, check out this post about skin care strategies and sun safety, or visit this link for insights on family planning.

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In summary, while I embrace a relaxed parenting style in many areas, sun safety is a non-negotiable priority. I believe that protecting my children’s skin from harmful UV rays is as crucial as ensuring their safety in a vehicle. As summer approaches, it’s vital to have a sun safety plan in place that prioritizes skin health without compromising fun.

Keyphrase: sun safety for children

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