to not put suncream on DS3 today?

[5inthebed]

Took DS3 to nursery this morning for a 3 hour session. Weather was overcast and drizzly so did not put suncream on him.

When I went to pick him up it was still overcast. Nursery worker pulled me to one side and told me that if he did not have sun cream on him at the next session then he would not be able to attend as to their new sign on the door states "all children must have suncream on them for the summer sessions"

Now I always put suncream on my kids when the weather requires it, but really, did I really need to be told off for not putting it on him for a wet drizzly summer day?

I used to get annoyed by this. Even if it was pouring with rain they'd insist they were covered in sun cream. I think their argument was that the sun could come out later. I dread to think what chemicals are in sun cream and being slathered in it from May to September whether they need it or not, I don't think is a sensible policy. Perhaps if you have a very fair skinned child maybe. But for others, surely they're meant to get sunlight on their skin sometimes to get the vitamin d.

It was overcast here yesterday. I sat out for 30 mins. I can't say I've burned, but I am bright pink this morning.

You can still burn if it is overcast and drizzly.

It is probably the Nursery not wanting to have any liability if a child gets burnt.

I think we are so blasé about sun safety in this country, the amount of burnt people I have seen over the past week is shocking. It's almost a badge of honor to have sunburn.

So do all the you can still get burnt lot still apply lotion all winter too?

How do they know which children have suncream on each day?

i dont think it should be up to the parents (a Dr is a different case). Childcare workers are in loco parentis and expected to keep children safe according to reasonable standards of care.

I know we are closer to the equator in California but heavy grey skies and dark days can still produce sunburns here.

Bubbaluv - they used to ask ours at pre-school and if they said no, they wouldn't let them go outside.

Sounds like a good way to teach them to lie about it!

I totally understand the importance of providing protection from the sun's harmful rays during the summer months but it does make me chuckle a bit. When I was at school, we would spend hours at a time out on the field in the nice weather with not a drop of suncream on us! We would even have classes outside on the really exceptionally hot days.

Times have certainly changed!!