There are wonderful things I could say about having a daughter with a fair complexion. The fact that her skin comes in two shades -- casper and lobster -- is not one of them. Which isn't a problem at home where I slather the sunscreen on before she steps outside. The problem, oh fellow parents, is when she goes to school.
And if you happened to catch a glimpse of the photos one Washington State mom snapped of her sunburned elementary schoolers the other day, you'll be scared for your kids too. Jesse Michener's daughters baked to a crisp during their school field day. Why?
Because no one bothered putting sunblock on her daughters before they were sent outside. In fact, the teachers aren't allowed to put any sort of sunscreen on the kids at their Tacoma school! The rules state that the only sunscreen that can be put on must be done by the kids themselves, and then only if they have a doctor's note on file. And now that I've done some asking around, I'm finding out this is how it works in a LOT of school districts!
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Come on! In 2012, knowing the immense damage that the sun can do to kids in just a few hours, there has to be a better way people!
For starters, let's just strike "putting it on themselves" off the list right here and now.
I'm sure I don't have to tell you that most kids do not actually enjoy having sunscreen put on them. At least, my 7-year-old doesn't. Nor does her 8-year-old buddy. And although both are smart, capable kids, neither one is able to put the stuff on themselves ... there are too many places they can't reach, they're still not really aware of what has to be covered, etc.
And let's talk about the "doctor's note," shall we?
I didn't know my daughter was going to have her "fun day" until a few days before it actually happened. That's when I learned that A) Field Day has gotten much, much cooler since we were kids (Did y'all have bouncy houses? Me neither!), and B) at some point during the day, my fair-haired princess was going to be outside in the bright sunshine. When, exactly, was I going to make an appointment with my pediatrician? OK, so maybe I could have gotten a note at the beginning of the year, but I bet you it would be tied to an exact bottle/brand of sunscreen. And as luck would have it, we changed brands again this spring after the latest warning about sketchy chemicals.
I think Michener's photos really scare me because I actually fretted about this on the morning of my kid's fun day. Here I was at 7:30 in the morning wondering if I should bother because if she didn't go out until noon, the stuff wasn't going to work anyway.
That's the problem -- we, the parents, can't do this for our kids! We aren't there, and whatever we do in the morning is pretty useless!
I know teachers have a lot on their plate, and gooping up our kids is going to take a lot of time, and won't exactly be fun. But kids should not be coming home from school looking like lobsters because they don't have sun protection.
What do you think would fix this problem? Have you had a sunburned kid come home from school yet?
Image by Jeanne Sager
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Comments 171
we're told to put it on them before they go to school
The one valid point I see the mother making about this event, and I'm with her on this, is that her daughter should have been obviously burned at some point, and if it's true that she is documented with a 'medical condition' that the teachers and aides are already aware of, she should have been removed from the exposure - even if that meant calling Mom to come get her and take her home, back to school...
I still insist that the mother should have applied sunblock, or are we not all knowing that someone can still get a sunburn on a cloudy day and that temperature has nothing to do with it?
And after going back through the many comments, I noticed one that argued about heatstroke and associated that with long sleeves. The kids, if need be, could wear rash guards, or some sort of tissue weight shirt with sunblock underneath...an SPF treated garment...there are options for those who need that extra protection. I favor the brimmed sunhats with tails to cover the neck. Goofy, but it works.
I naturally glow in the dark, and after years of southern exposure have only turned a darker shade of spotted pale -after reddening- so I'm familiar with the struggle not to do permanent damage.
She did not apply because it was raining and it only got sunny like around the time field day was supposed to start.
I agree even if there is rain apply sunscreen but this was her reason.
I can understand the frustration with the daughter who has alinoism. (sp) because that is a medical condition and the burn is much worse on her (according the link) but the other daughter didn't look that bad compared to what i as an adult do to myself. School nurse is the only adult at school I would want putting sun.screen on my kid, and I would gladly get note to have her do it from the dr. For our Rondevue (similar to their field day) the class mom's who were volunteers did the sunscreening for the kids whose parents had talked to them prior, I know because my mom was one of them. There are ways around this issue .
days. Paremts need to take responsibility for their children, it's bad enough The schools are expected to teach kids manners, discipline , and provide healthy meals. They barely have enough time to teach these days , let alone all the other stuff. oh and my kids came home from school that day, with out 1 speck of pink, There are long lasting sunblocks out there with high SPFs that work fine for my pale kids.
When I worked in a daycamp we had to put the sunscreen on the kids that brought it multiple times a day because sunscreen is only good for so many hours of swimming or sweating. I am as pale as they come and so is my DD, we HAVE to reapply all day long otherwise we burn. BUT, the kids had to bring their own sunscreen, and some didn't because they wouldn't burn. (that did backfrie sometimes, a few kids got it that never brought sunscreen) I understand the school not doing it if the kids don't bring it, but it really doesn't take that long to put it on especially with new spray kinds they have that don't require any rubbing in or touching the student at all. I don't think a doctors note should be required, if I asked my doctor for one she would be like, "really?"
Our school applies it before field day. As long as I pack it they apply it