Need-To-Know Summer Sun Safety Tips for the Whole Family
Summer Sun Safety
Summer is here and, if you are like my family, you love to spend as much time as possible outside. We know that sun exposure is the best source of Vitamin D. However, with skin cancer being the most common type of cancer (and a preventable one) in the United States, it is important to protect the delicate skin of our little ones (and ourselves) from the damaging impact of the sun’s rays.
Seek out shade. The experts tell us to avoid being outside between the hours of 10 AM to 4 PM. However that is not realistic at all for kids. While it is great to be able to get out early in the morning and during the later afternoon hours, during these peak sun hours, try and find more shady activities to do. Shady playgrounds, indoor fun places (play gyms), and educational places (library activities and museums) are all great ways to get out of the house while also being safe from the intense heat.
Use clothing and sunscreen to protect yourself. Every summer I buy long sleeved swim shirts that contain SPF protection for my kids to wear, in addition to using sunscreen. Make sure your child is wearing a wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen. Put on sunscreen 15-30 minutes before going outside, and reapply every 2 hours, especially after swimming or sweating a lot. Even kids with darker skin need to wear sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30.
Stay hydrated. During the heat of the summer, the other most important thing you need to do is to drink enough liquids. In addition to drinking lots of water, having juicy fruits and veggies like watermelon, cantaloupe, cucumber, and grapes helps you to get additional liquid into your body. Beware of all of the “athletic” drinks out there. I read the ingredient list of one of the popular ones that you see many places and the second ingredient was high fructose corn syrup. This is not something I want to feed my little athletes! To insure that my kids drink enough water, I add fun flavors naturally. I slice cucumber, lemons, limes, or oranges into water and bring it along. The refreshing flavors make my kids want to drink more.
While of course, we are all going to spend lots of time outdoors this summer, we can be aware of making it a bit safer for our families by following these tips.
Meet The Bella Behind the Blog: Kristen Farley is a mother of three and a domestic goddess. She is a former teacher who enjoys spending lots of time with her kids, healthy eating, volunteering at school, and mommy blogging for the masses.
Be on the lookout for more of Kristen’s expert advice and brilliant tips!
