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Putting your children in the sun is your responsibility!

Lubrication is your responsibility, that sounds rather punitive, doesn't it? Frankly, this statement is more against myself, but hey, take advantage of it. Smearing yourself against the radiation of the sun, I sometimes show evasive behavior in this. Why? Actually there is no reason, other than that the kids hate it. Where I used to rub my babies very well from head to toe, nowadays I sometimes fail. But no more!

Even if it isn't enough in my system, after watching these videos I'm hooked. Applying cream may not be so much fun, but it is my responsibility that the children grow up healthy. And that includes good rubbing and sun protection.

Stupid actually, you do everything you can to give them a safe base. Feeding healthy food, consciously vaccinating or not vaccinating your children, exercising and 'mandatory' self-protection by Krav Maga (in our case), but rubbing against the sun, okay.

Table of Contents

Why is rubbing so important?

I don't have to tell you that anymore, do I? If you are still in doubt, watch the video below. You can see here how the sun sees you and what sunscreen actually does for you.

Now that the summer holidays are around the door and kids are playing outside, it is of course very important to protect them well from the sun. So I obediently intend to enter into daily discussions with my children. But first I'll show them the video above, see if that also works for them 😉 .

Okay. So rub in.

To get straight to the point… if you still want to be busy, then also lubricate your child with mineral sunscreen. Just read this article and you will understand why it is better to use a natural sunscreen instead of the usual ones you find all over the shelves. Don't have anything else available? Then you smear what you have, of course, because rubbing is still more important than doing nothing.

Well, that can sometimes be quite a challenge. Kids are not looking forward to that at all. They don't have the patience to stand still, they don't want stickiness on their body and they think it's all a hassle. Recognizable? This year, the Melanoma Foundation has based its campaign video on this and has listed a number of tips to make it more fun and easier. Not a smashing video to watch, but very recognizable faces 😉 . The sight and that pushing away took me back in time, haha.

In the video you can see the struggles of the parents, but you also see why sun protection is so important. The cell division in children and young people is much faster than in the elderly. So fast that with sunburn the damaged skin cells cannot recover before they start dividing again. Oh dear. This doubles the risk of melanoma later in life. So protection is really necessary! And after that… they can play outside optimally and it's time for Fun in the Sun!

What does the dermatologist say?

Should you be afraid of the sun? Certainly not! The kids of dermatologists also enjoy the warm weather and playing in the sunshine in the summer. We asked dermatologist and also father Jorrit Terra (University Medical Center Groningen) how he approaches this.

Jorrit:“I involve my son in the application and I turn it into a game. In addition, I also lubricate; it shouldn't take too long. For example, I put sunscreen on my own arm, which he then likes to smear. Then I grease his arm and he helps. Or I put sunscreen on my nose, he thinks that's funny. Then he wants this too. I also let him play with the cap as a distraction. Next week we are going on a sunny holiday to Greece. I bought UV-resistant suits for my son and take factor 50 with me.”

Very handy of course from father Jorrit, but this only works with the little ones 😉 . I no longer see my adolescent laughing at some sunscreen on my nose and rubbing me with sunscreen? no way! So we have listed some other tips for you, which also include smart tips for older children.

Tips to make the application easier

  • Put the sunscreen next to the toothpaste. Applying cream should simply be part of your morning ritual.
  • You have to set a good example yourself. Put sunscreen on yourself in front of your children.
  • Lubricate your children before they put on their clothes. Or have them lubricated yourself. You don't forget any edges or spots that half disappear under the clothing. In addition, regular clothing allows UV radiation to pass through. For example, a white T-shirt has a protection factor of 10. That's not much!
  • Make sure you lubricate everything well, but do lubricate; it shouldn't take too long.

Remember the following too!

  • Don't forget the hidden places, such as the neck and ears. And keep short hairs in mind; For very short hair, also apply the skull.
  • Realize that UV-resistant suits really don't let the sun through. As soon as the package is out, those spots are more sensitive to sunburn than skin that has already been in contact with the sun.
  • Apply 7 teaspoons of sunscreen per turn and remember that after swimming and drying, some of it is gone.
  • The eyelids are often a sensitive part. Burning eyes from sunscreen is not good for anyone. Sunglasses with UV-resistant lenses are an option, but for many children it is a challenge to keep such glasses on all day. An alternative is to use sunblock (which you normally put on your lips). The cream is thicker and stiffer and therefore also suitable for the eyes.

tip:When you go out, prepare a picnic basket full of goodies and have a picnic in the shade during the hottest hours.

The bottom line is:enjoy the sun, but sun wisely. Make sure you don't burn and grease yourself and your children well, it's your responsibility!

Fables about rubbing and sunburn

  • You only need to apply waterproof sunscreen once
  • I put on a t-shirt for my child so that he does not burn
  • If you put a lot of sunscreen on your child, they run a risk of vitamin D deficiency
  • I'm going to sit in the shade, so I don't burn…
  • It's cloudy so nothing to worry about… (the radiation just comes through the clouds)

For more tips, facts, fables and information about sun protection, visit the Melanoma Foundation website

What is melanoma cancer?

We already indicated above that cell division in children is much faster and that the application of the product is therefore also extremely important. If you don't, the risk of skin cancer is greater. Last year, 6800 people were diagnosed with melanoma, the most aggressive and deadly form of skin cancer. Did you know that melanoma cancer is in the top 3 of most common forms of cancer among young people?

A melanoma often arises from a mole, so it is very important to keep an eye on your moles. Is there a change in shape or size? Consult your doctor!

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