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Thread: Sunscreen?

  1. #1
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    Sunscreen?

    When do you all start applying sunscreen on your kids? Seems like a stupid question but I have been having the children dress in thin long sleeve tops and long pants with a hat to avoid the sun. We only make it out once a day right now, around 4pm till closing/home time. I figure with it being after peak sun time and being covered I am okay to continue for awhile?

    Also, I've noticed we have a good number of mosquitoes out back. What do you do when they are bad? Do you stay in? Just let the kids get bitten? I don't want to use bug spray since my group is so young but they are slow moving and seem like perfect targets for the mosquitoes!

  2. #2
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    Sunscreen should be used year round but I'm guilty of slacking off! I will start using it this week as I think we are finally in for some sunny hot days!!

    I don't use bug spray either but last year I made a homemade repellent of tea tree oil, water and mouthwash. I found it was effective for the amount of Mosquitos in my yard. I took it camping too and sprayed it a lot and others seemed to think it worked too.

    If they were really bad, yes I would stay in. I also try to stay in between 11am-4pm but will sometimes have pm snack outside at 330 and stay out till noon if we are at the splash park or if it's not too hot in the yard.
    Last edited by 5 Little Monkeys; 05-20-2014 at 07:35 PM.

  3. #3
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    I rarely use sunscreen on my dckids because we go outside from about 9:30-11:30 every morning so we miss the harmful UV rays. I don't take them out in the afternoon, they freeplay inside after snacktime because it's only about 1/2 an hour or less until the parents start to arrive. I've never had a child with a sunburn. Since you are taking your children out at 4pm I would definitely apply sunscreen.

    For the mosquitoes, can you plant Citronella plants, marigolds, and there are quite a few other plants that are supposed to repel mosquitoes. Check at the nursery and they will know.
    Frederick Douglass
    It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.

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    If I wasn't closing, I would have requested it already. We are still in long sleeves, even coats most days, and all kids have a good hat, plus it's been overcast and raining, but I would still be putting it on faces. Parents haven't sent it but they know it is their responsibility to make sure that their child is prepared for outdoor play. If I really thought it was going to be an issue over the next 13 days (YAY!) then I would be requesting it by now.

    Once the weather warms, I have applied at snack times so it has a chance to absorb before we go out. Once the really nice weather hits (which may be never the way our spring is going) we spend most of the day out so parents apply in the morning and I reapply as needed.

    As for bug spray, I don't use it, period. When the bugs are bad in the grass, we play on our huge deck. Otherwise, long pants, long sleeves and we deal. Thankfully they don't get too bad here, otherwise I would have to reconsider my policy and outdoor schedule.

  5. #5
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    I have the parents apply sunscreen before the kids arrive in the morning, so that they are good to go for them morning. This saved me an extra 20 minutes getting out the door with 6 kids. They also send the sunblock so I can reapply in the afternoon as needed.

    Last year we used those clip-on bug repellant fans. They worked really good, I would stick them on the back of their shirt so they wouldn't play with the (which none of them did).

  6. #6
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    For me personally I much prefer that my kids and I get lots and lots of vitamin D and then play in the shade when we've had enough sun vs slathering on sunscreen lading with all sorts of chemicals and unpronounceable ingredients and letting it bake on our skin in the sun. That being said, I do use it when we are places where shade is limited like at the beach or when the UV rays are particularly strong but it's really only a handful of times per summer.

    For my dckids I generally ask the parents what their preference is whether always sunscreen, sunscreen only when necessary or rarely sunscreen and I go from there. This year I have a group of parents who are sunscreen lovers and that's ok. I prefer to supply the sunscreen since I don't find it to be a huge cost and it makes application so much easier. I start applying it when it gets warm enough that we are in short sleeves.

    I honestly don't ever see myself applying it year round. Total waste IMO.

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by Fun&care View Post
    For me personally I much prefer that my kids and I get lots and lots of vitamin D and then play in the shade when we've had enough sun vs slathering on sunscreen lading with all sorts of chemicals and unpronounceable ingredients and letting it bake on our skin in the sun. That being said, I do use it when we are places where shade is limited like at the beach or when the UV rays are particularly strong but it's really only a handful of times per summer.

    For my dckids I generally ask the parents what their preference is whether always sunscreen, sunscreen only when necessary or rarely sunscreen and I go from there. This year I have a group of parents who are sunscreen lovers and that's ok. I prefer to supply the sunscreen since I don't find it to be a huge cost and it makes application so much easier. I start applying it when it gets warm enough that we are in short sleeves.

    I honestly don't ever see myself applying it year round. Total waste IMO.
    I'm more along this side of things. All my current families were receptive when I explained I preferred to avoid the chemicals right now by being out after peak sun and wearing a thin layer over skin and hats with good brims. With my whole crew still doing 2 naps we really only can get outside for 1-1.5hrs at the very end of day and it just seems a bit unnecessary at this point to put the sunscreen on.

    Maybe it doesn't help that I don't bath my 14month old nightly so the idea of slathering the chemicals on and leaving it on makes me hesitant!

    We will start to use it when we can't be out with long sleeves and can't avoid the sun but I'd prefer to hold off as long as possible. I was wondering what the others are doing...none of the children have gotten sunburned or even slightly coloured yet so I figure it's all good.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by AmandaKDT View Post
    Last year we used those clip-on bug repellant fans. They worked really good, I would stick them on the back of their shirt so they wouldn't play with the (which none of them did).
    Are the clips reasonably priced to have 5 kids (and my self) using them?

  9. #9
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    Another thing is that I find a light tan is actually a good thing and will protect the skin from sunburn actually quite well so if you expose the skin gradually early on in the summer to build a light tan you will almost never need suncreen after unless you are going to be under the sun with no shade for an extended period of time.

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Lee-Bee View Post
    Are the clips reasonably priced to have 5 kids (and my self) using them?
    Amanda, I'm curious about these, as well. Do you have a brand name for them?

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