Toddlers and sun protection.

[mandybagpuss]

Hello I live in Milan, and I have twins of 16 months. Last summer when they were tiny I protected them by keeping them covered in their pram, sun cream on their faces, but as they were totally covered and would go to sleep I had no problems. Now they are older and very willfull, how can I keep them safe in the very harsh summer sun? I doubt they'd even keep a hat on.
Any tips? It gets really roasting here and one of my boys has red hair and very white skin.....help!
Also Dh wants to go to Sicily for a month in summer.. mistake?

[sandcastles]

I think you are going to have to make them keep a hat on or keep them in the buggy under an umbrella, tbh.

We are in Oz & dd (3) knows she can't go out if no hat & that often means wearing at hat at 7am, to do the shopping (we walk).

We use factor 35, as I got sunburnt in 25. We now apply it as a matter of course, when we get up. Although now, hopefully as Autumn is here, we can stop doing this soon.

We carry bottles of water EVERYWHERE & avoid being out in the open, in the midday sun. She is only allowed to play in the garden when the shade starts to fall over it.

[meowmix]

Ok my experiences from a 3yo and the middle east:

Buy a good suncream and slather them before you leave the house, carry it with you and reapply regularly. Get long sleeved cotton shirts rather than skimpy t-shirts, cover up where possible. Hats mandatory as are sunglasses - no hat, no play outside. Don't go out in the middle of the day if you can avoid it (we use midday for reading and naps). Swim in the evenings if you can.

Carry water everywhere and if you stop at a cafe then order a glass of ice chips for them - its about getting liquids in them.

Get screens for the car windows and car seat covers for their childseats - in bad heat then the seatbelt can actually burn them. Make sure you always have water in the car in a cool box.

I've tried those UVA suits (nightmare to get on and off) and normal swimwear - jurys out on both.

Sicily should be heaven in summer - but then its 50 degrees plus here then so I could be biased!

[Brangelina]

Ha ha I wish you luck.... My DD was 13 months when we went to Sardegna last summer and I had such trouble covering her up and keeping her out of the sun as she was having none of it. I used factor 40 and slathered it on whenever she was near but had to get her in a headlock to put it on her face. I never managed to get a hat on her either.

The only advice I can give is keep them out of the sun from 11am to 4pm (most Italians do that anyway) and let them run around on the beach in a Tshirt.

Sorry, not much use am I? Whereabouts do you live in Milan? I used to live near Navigli, but that seems do long ago now. Sigh.