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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think it's outrageous to not put suncream on your child in this weather

166 replies

BornSicky · 25/05/2012 20:50

a little girl aged 3/4 was playing out front this afternoon wearing barely any clothes, no parent in sight and was bright red everywhere. SHe was out there for a good while. her poor little face was glowing with the heat.

i'm sooo angry. had it been remotely appropriate, i'd have slathered my suncream all over her.

AIBU to think it's really not that fucking hard to cover your child in suncream before they go outside, especially when it's this hot?

OP posts:
VickityBoo · 25/05/2012 21:29

Savers also have good prices

accountantsrule · 25/05/2012 21:29

Asda and the like sell 4* suncream for about 1.99 so theres no excuse!

I agree you can't actually know if she was burnt or just hot but there is no way that my 3/4 year old would be playing outside on their own, I live in a city and there is no way my 6 year old would either!

Duckypoohs · 25/05/2012 21:29

I'd be more concerned a 3/4 yo was playing outside alone I think. My dc's often look sunburnt/very red in the heat, even arms and legs, it looks exactly like sunburn but goes away after cooling down.

None of them have ever burnt, and I'm not exactly religious with the suncream, I put it down to the more Mediterranean genes on dp's side. YANBU though if the poor thing was burned, it's not nice (memories of calamine lotion).

NannyPlumIsMyMum · 25/05/2012 21:31

The very cheap ones are no good for sensitive eyes / skin kitty.

ivykaty44 · 25/05/2012 21:31

Children need Vit D, and adults need vit d to - but we are not getting enough as people wear to much sun cream all the bleeding time

AThingInYourLife · 25/05/2012 21:31

"I prefer thin cotton clothes & hats."

Better for them anyway than having exposed skin with suncream on it.

Original poster
BornSicky · 25/05/2012 21:31

to clarify... she was wearing a little tank top/short vest and a pair of shorts. no sandals/shoes and no hat and the burn lines went round the clothes lines.

OP posts:
ReindeerBollocks · 25/05/2012 21:32

TBH in this heat I keep DD and DS out of the sun and in the shade during peak hours, then slather in sun cream and they carry on. They still get red cheeks but that is overheating, not sunburn.

I can't tell if YABU or not because theres not enough info, for example, how long were you outdoors with the child and whether or not it could have been applied before you had got there.

But YANBU in thinking that children should be protected adequately in this weather.

AmazingBouncingFerret · 25/05/2012 21:32

I either chew or suck the chocolate off first then chomp on the malty bit.

I especially like it when you get one with really thick chocolate on it because it comes off 'cleanly' [sad emoticon]

TheHouseOnTheCorner · 25/05/2012 21:35

Cheap suncream is crap and as Nanny says is terrible for those with sensitive skin which lets face it is MANY toddlers and young kids....I have never seen a cheap one that is factor 50....can you get it? It also stinks!

The NHS should at the very least provide GOOD brand suncream to families on low incomes. I am lucky and can buy it but I do wince at the price...

NannyPlumIsMyMum · 25/05/2012 21:36

The only suncream you can buy in our Asda for 1.99 is a trial size pot.

Slightly off track , I was very Angry at my DDs primary teacher yesterday who told DD off for applying suncream at lunchtime.
Said teacher is quite stressy and does not like time wasting.
Reinforced to DD that she did the right thing applying her sunscreen and hat.
But am still cross!

Original poster
BornSicky · 25/05/2012 21:37

now, i feel like i'm drip feeding!

reindeer she was out in the morning before I went out, just playing in the gardens. Went out for four hours and she was back again, hovered around the car while I unloaded it and then I saw her for a while longer when she started playing out front. 15 mins, maybe?

you, and others, are right, I can't KNOW she didn't have cream on at all, but she was definitely burnt and I reckon it highly unlikely that her parents did bother to put cream on her.

OP posts:
madmomma · 25/05/2012 21:39

YABU
I can count on the fingers of 1 hand how many times my kids have worn sunscreen over 14 years, and none of them have ever burned. Tshirts, hats, shade, and sensible amounts of exposure.
Sunlight is good for the skin in controlled amounts.
If we were on the beach all day then yes, but we wouldn't spend all day at the beach , because sunscreen or not, that would be too much sun.
I've seen so many people covering their kids in sunscreen and then thinking it's ok for them to have unlimited time in the sun. They mayn't get burnt, but they're likely to be dehydrated and overheated.

NannyPlumIsMyMum · 25/05/2012 21:40

thehouse yes your right it does stink.
Our DS toddler had such a nasty reaction to unbranded sun cream that we had to take him to the doctors. His eyes were swollen ,red and streaming with tears and he cried not stop.
It took AGES from then on to get suncream on him without a major war.
I have to buy very sensitive cream which is very expensive IMO .

FallenCaryatid · 25/05/2012 21:42

Lots of children in my school this week, no water bottle, no hats and no suncream.
It's been 25 degrees and cloudless for days.

VickityBoo · 25/05/2012 21:42

Aveeno. Great for sensitive skin. My daughter is with dermatologists galore and consultants for her eczema and Aveeno £2.99 in savers doesn't bring her up.

Factor 50

TheHouseOnTheCorner · 25/05/2012 21:42

AND I just read that the cheaper creams do not protect against both UVA and UVB light. Angry

lockets · 25/05/2012 21:43

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

VickityBoo · 25/05/2012 21:44

If it weren't for the Aveeno one we would struggle to buy decent sun cream as we have in the past. Green baby is one we used and also sun sense which is from a pharmacy. So I was chuffed to discover this one.

mercibucket · 25/05/2012 21:44

No need for suncream for mine atm but then they haven't burnt. Maybe they put suncream on earlier and thought that made it ok for her to play out all day. Can give a false sense of security. Poor thing if she has burned

BobblyGussets · 25/05/2012 21:44

My DS2 has just turned four and I can't imagine leaving him playing out unsupervised for 5 minutes, and he is quite a sensible one.

That is shit parenting. I am no saint. My DSs go brown, whereas I burn, so I rarely put sunscreen on them now. I also nip to the loo whilst watching DS2 playing out with DS 1 (nearly 9, allowed out unsupervised), absolutely bricking it. If I consider myself a bit slack, that, what you have described OP, is neglect Sad.

Moln · 25/05/2012 21:46

the full sized asda kids stuff id factor 30 and i think (will have to double check this) it's rated high in the ranking by Which Magazine.

Boots also so an own brand (factor 50) which isn't expensive at all.

Neither stinks anymore than the pricer stuff and it does work. Neither of my two have burnt with them on.

ReindeerBollocks · 25/05/2012 21:50

Well actually then OP, maybe you're not being so unreasonable in caring about her general wellbeing. Not just the suncream but the whole picture.

Mine go red faced but not burnt. Poor thing will be aching tonight if she is burnt though :(

Original poster
BornSicky · 25/05/2012 21:50

i think the fact she was left out unsupervised is also what makes me so cross and sad (in equal measures).

OP posts:
WestYorkshirePudding · 25/05/2012 21:51

Hmmm. My DS's had sun cream put on before they set off for school, took their water bottles (most of the water came back) and refused to wear a hat not that they have one anyway

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