Sunscreen

[Fun&care]

I'm wondering what everyone else does for sunscreen. I recently told my DC parents that they had to provide their own bottle. But my question is do I have to put some on their faces? I can just picture it already...skirmy kids getting sunscreen in their eyes etc. I require that they all have a sun hat so I'm wondering if sunscreen on the face is really necessary. I personally don't put sunscreen on my own kids except when we go to the beach. I just make sure they always have a hat on, and short sleeves so their shoulders don't burn...and they have never had a sunburn or anything.

So where do you guys put sunscreen?

Thanks!:D

[mimi]

my daycare parents are required to supply their own sunscreen. Even though the kids have sunhats on, I do apply it on their faces as well. Even ears and back of neck and any other exposed skin. I don't put globs on, just a light covering and am careful around their eyes of course. The kids quickly learn this is part of our going outside routine and are good about letting me apply it.

[Crayola kiddies]

My families all provide their own sunscreen and yes I put it on their faces ... I've never had a problem with getting it their eyes. I do ask the parents to try to buy sunscreen that says either "photostable" or "helioplex" or green beaver

[Wonderwiper]

I slather sunscreen on every bit of visible skin!!!!!!!

[Skysue]

We need to put it on there faces, not too many kids like to keep there hats on! The only spot I'm never to concerned about is legs. We usually only put that on once a day, every where else a few times! Costco has an all natural one for kids that's amazing. You can spray it on and it doesn't hurt the eyes.

http://t.costco.ca/KINeSYS®-SPF-30-Kids-Sunscreen.product.10 335480.html

[Fun&care]

I guess I'm just going to have to get used to it...it just seems like a bit much to me to put it on every single day....seems pretty unnecessary to me but guess I am just going to have to suck it up.

[Wonderwiper]

You think preventing skin cancer in unnecessary????

[Skysue]

Do you not put it on yourself? Kids can get burnt very easily and they also can get sun stroke even easier which is life threatening.

For prevention don't go out at peek times 12pm-3pm but don't ever underestimate the sun.

[Crayola kiddies]

I may take my life into my hands with this comment but here goes......
Who says its not the sunscreen that's gives us cancer ? After all we put it on and it soaks into the skin and then we reapply over and over again. I have never heard of skin cancer so rampant as we have since the push on sunscreen. Just sayin!

[Wonderwiper]

When I was a child....there was no such thing as sunscreen. The push for sunscreen is so big now because people my age now have skin cancer.

Smoking used to be cool. Now we know it causes cancer.

[Skysue]

That's why we need all natural sunscreen!

[apples and bananas]

I am so afraid of sending a child home with a sunburn. Its one of my biggest fears because it seems neglectful in my mind. I sun screen them after snack in the am then outside we go and again after pm snack and outside we go. All kids must have hats to protect the tops of their heads.

I supply the sunscreen unless a parent objects. I'd just prefer to buy my own and slather them all out of one bottle rather then going through one bottle at a time.

I tell them to stay still and close their eyes and I haven't gotten it in an eye yet.

I hate sunscreen. I hate putting it on, it's greasy and messy and a big old pain in the butt! But it's nessasary.

[Artsand crafts]

I hate sunscreen too, but it is necessary. I have a skin condition due to lots of exposure to sun without protection (thank God it did not go as far as cancer)... but I have been with lots of dermatologist from Canada on 2 other countries and the diagnostic is always the same: too much exposure to sun without protection. So, while my son and DCK are under my roof they are using sunscreen when out. I am thinking on buying my own, too. Maybe from Costco as someone suggested. Currently I have to go one bottle at a time...

[Trace of Angels]

I ask all my parents to donate a bottle at the beginning of the summer (usually May 1st) then I use these one at a time until all bottles are fininshed (this way I am not opening, closing, switching and bringing with me five bottles) I do put it on all the children face and just be extra careful around their eyes.
I also ask that parents bring them to daycare already sunscreened in the morning so I only have to do the afternoon lather up :-)

[cfred]

I provide the sunscreen for the daycare. It's just easier than having 5, 6 or 7 bottles floating around. I use baby sunscreen myself, so it works out fine. And really, one big bottle will do everyone for most of the season, so it's not a huge financial expenditure. If someone needs specialty cream, they can provide that.

So far as it being a pain in the arse.....well....jus t compare it to the odyssey of putting on snowsuits all winter! Sunscreen is much easier. You'll get pretty good at doing it quickly as time goes on. For the face. put a small amount on your hand and rub both hands together...then smear (avoiding eyes, of course). Don't forget the ears and back of neck, which that one dollop should cover. Do all areas of exposed skin. It's pretty important and parents aren't thrilled with kids coming home with sunburn patches.

It's not so bad, you'll get used to it :)

[Daycare123]

I agree with Skysue- MOST Sunscreens are full of chemicals (which is one f the reasons most of them are not recommended for babies under a year old). I use natural sunscreen on my baby because of this. However, my daycare parents supply their own sunscreen. I also ask that they appy it in the morning and I apply it before afternoon outdoor time.

[sunnydays]

We need to put it on there faces, not too many kids like to keep there hats on! The only spot I'm never to concerned about is legs. We usually only put that on once a day, every where else a few times! Costco has an all natural one for kids that's amazing. You can spray it on and it doesn't hurt the eyes.

http://t.costco.ca/KINeSYS®-SPF-30-Kids-Sunscreen.product.10 335480.html

Is it actually natural? I use natural sunscreen when needed for my kids and I apply whatever sunscreen parents send for their own kids (I gave up on trying to get them to buy the natural kind). I am quite concerned about the chemicals in sunscreens, but also understand that the sun poses danger as well. I would love to be able to get it more cheaply at Costco and to recommend it to parents...I looked at the link and read the description and saw that it is environmentally friendly and alcohol free and ethically tested (all good things), but nowhere did I see a claim of all natural ingredients. I guess I will have to check it out next time I am in Costco and read the ingredients on the back.

[Skysue]

Here's a link to the all natural one: http://www.drugstore.com/kinesys-sunscreen-ointment-with-pure-zinc-oxide/qxp353373

The spray one actually doesn’t claim to be all natural but is not harmful to the environment.

[playfelt]

I moved our outside time to after nap so from 3-4:30 and kids are picked up from the back yard. The yard is about 3/4 shaded by mid afternoon. I am not fanatical about sunscreen on the kids as I also believe we need exposure to get vitamin D and the other good things the sun gives us too.

I ask parents to supply whatever brand they want and then it is up to them to choose natural, SPF etc that they are happy with. I do arms, squirt some on my hands and then rub on faces, ears, back of neck. For legs do usually apply to the area just above the knees if at all in the sense that area burns the worst but only if you are sitting which the kids aren't.

[Artsand crafts]

Sunnydays, there are several brands of all natural sunscreen for kids at Ambrosia Natural Foods or Whole Foods Market. I usually buy it there for my son.

[Fun&care]

I guess I am just one of those people who doesn't believe that sunshine=cancer. We have been living under the sun for thousands of years now. It makes no sense that suddenly we get skin cancer from something we have been exposed to for eons.

And like I said, I NEVER put sunscreen on my kids unless its REALLY necessary. They have NEVER had a sunburn, ever. I dress them in clothing that protects their skin, they wear rash guards when swimming in the summer, hats are on at all times and they know to play in the shade as much as possible.

I don't feel comfortable slathering my kids in something I consider chemical soup. And I could go on and on about side effects of sunscreen such as the fact it is killing coral reefs because of the scuba diving etc....

[Crayola kiddies]

green beaver brand is a good one

[JennJubie]

I also ask parents to provide sunscreen for their children. I apply it sparingly, but I do put a small amount on their faces. I usually do most of our outside time in the morning before the sun is at it's strongest.

[Momof4]

I started out with the parents providing their own bottles of sunscreen but I didn't like having 5 bottles around so a few years ago I started asking the parents for $5 every May to pay for the Green Beaver organic sunscreen that I can keep in my park bag and put on all 5 of the children. I put it on their chins, cheeks, necks, arms & legs and they wear sunhats so I don't have to put it all over their faces. We also spend all our outside time from 9am to 11:30am before the UV rays are bad and we don't go back outside in the afternoon in July/Aug.

[sunnydays]

I guess I am just one of those people who doesn't believe that sunshine=cancer. We have been living under the sun for thousands of years now. It makes no sense that suddenly we get skin cancer from something we have been exposed to for eons.

And like I said, I NEVER put sunscreen on my kids unless its REALLY necessary. They have NEVER had a sunburn, ever. I dress them in clothing that protects their skin, they wear rash guards when swimming in the summer, hats are on at all times and they know to play in the shade as much as possible.

I don't feel comfortable slathering my kids in something I consider chemical soup. And I could go on and on about side effects of sunscreen such as the fact it is killing coral reefs because of the scuba diving etc....

I am the same, but my kids are dark skinned, so they never burn. I put sunscreen on them if we will be out for prolongued amount of time or at the hottest part of the day etc (I use Green Beaver). But with other people's kids, I am much more worried...all the kids in my care are so fair skinned and I don't want a burn to happen on my watch! I also make sure they all keep their hats on no matter how many thousand times I have to put them back on ;)