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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to be cross about dd getting sunburnt at school

79 replies

iloveithere · 17/06/2014 22:21

Dd is 10, in year 6. she had a school trip today, and has come back burnt.
AIBU to think that even at her age the school should have reminded the children to get and apply their cream, and given them time to do it.
I didn't tell her this morning, as I didn't know they were going out, it was just a local walk, we have signed blanket permission for this type of thing.

Should the school remind children of this age, or should she have done it independently?

OP posts:

AnyoneForTennis · 17/06/2014 22:22

How do you know they didn't remind them?

Jollyphonics · 17/06/2014 22:23

I'm not sure what other people do, but I cover both my kids with all-day sun cream every morning when it's going to be a sunny day. I wouldn't assume the school would remind kids.

Original poster

iloveithere · 17/06/2014 22:25

She told me. they were told to get there water bottles, no mention of sun cream. If the teacher had said "now all go and get your sun cream on" she would have done so.

OP posts:

specialsubject · 17/06/2014 22:25

it's a few days off peak UV, it is warm so fewer clothes are being worn, it is nice weather so everyone is getting outside whenever possible.

like everyone else she should be wearing sunscreen before leaving the house, and she is old enough to know to reapply it.

Janethegirl · 17/06/2014 22:26

Suggest she always keeps sunscreen near her at all times. She is old enough to be responsible even if the teacher isn't.

Original poster

iloveithere · 17/06/2014 22:27

Does the all day stuff really work? I work in a nursery and have to reapply cream every hour cos we are told it really only works for that long.

OP posts:

Peacocklady · 17/06/2014 22:28

We have been told to put cream on before school as kids can get burnt during breaks or outdoor sessions not just on trips.

Original poster

iloveithere · 17/06/2014 22:30

I will remind her to re apply it more often, but just disappointed that it wasn't part of the preparations for going out. If it was cold, teacher would have said 'go and get your coats' not just allowed them to wander out the class to get it.

OP posts:

MrTumblesBavarianFanbase · 17/06/2014 22:34

Hmmm... my eldest is 8, and if she came home burnt it wouldn't occur to me that was anything to do with the teacher - 3 year old yes, 6 year old, very boarderline, but probably not... 8 no... so 10, also certainly not.

Our Kindergarten (3-6) has a notice up telling parents to send kids sun creamed and with hat every day, and they re-apply/ help/ remind as appropriate once in a standard 4-5 hour day. School (6 or 7 years old and up) would absolutely not consider sun-cream part of their remit, it's between parent and child, so I would blame myself first and child second. (Makes note to self to get DD to carry at least the stick style sun cream in her school bag for the unscheduled Green Classroom days - I wouldn't necessarily think of it for school either as breaks a re short, though they do go out a fair bit, not always with any for-warning). Thankfully my kids have relatively dark skin, but still... Good warning OP :o

Original poster

iloveithere · 17/06/2014 22:40

They did remind them to take their water bottles, in fact insisted, and refused to take them if they didn't have one. I just thought sun cream would have been mentioned at the same time. Seems I am in a minority though, I'll make sure she puts it on before she leaves for school

OP posts:

fledermaus · 17/06/2014 22:42

I think the teacher should have reminded them before taking them out.

clam · 17/06/2014 22:44

Your dd, it seems, didn't hear the teacher remind them. That doesn't mean it didn't happen.
But even so, YABU to expect only to have to put suncream on your child if you think they might be going off-site. There are all sorts of things going on in schools at this time of year, particularly in Y6 post SATs, that mean they can be outdoors ad hoc at any time.

MrsCakesPremonition · 17/06/2014 22:45

We use all day sunscreen and it is brilliant.

MrTumblesBavarianFanbase · 17/06/2014 22:46

Do they have sun cream with them at school actually? Or communal supplies?

Original poster

iloveithere · 17/06/2014 22:50

Clam, seems I will have to get an all day one. I personally, apply suncream every time I go out in this weather, seems I am unusual in that. Trip to the shop planned for tomorrow night.

OP posts:

Original poster

iloveithere · 17/06/2014 22:51

Mr tumble, she carries it in her school bag.

OP posts:

crazykat · 17/06/2014 22:52

I put soltan 8 hour water play sun cream on my DCs before school and they've never burnt though ds has a brilliant tan on his arms and back of his neck but he tans at the mere hint of sun like my mum did.

At 10 she should know to reapply suncream but you might be better getting her an 8 hour one, cream not spray as the spray ones don't last as long as the cream.

Hakluyt · 17/06/2014 22:55

So they weren't allowed to go out on a local walk if they didn't have a water bottle with them?

Now that's bonkers.

Original poster

iloveithere · 17/06/2014 22:56

The more I think about it, the more I think the teacher should have told them. She can't just wander out the class to go to her peg, get it out of her bag and apply it, teacher needs to give them time to do it. But now I will buy all day one, as teacher obviously assumes all children have that.

OP posts:

MrTumblesBavarianFanbase · 17/06/2014 22:58

ilove is that a school rule / guideline, or a personal choice? Maybe the teacher is assuming the kids generally wouldn't have sun cream to put on, esp. if it is the norm to do an all day one in the morning.

My kids have never burnt in any context, but this is probably more luck of their skin tones than judgement as, although I sun-cream the small ones who are out doors a lot, its never occurred to me to remind my school kid before going for the bus at 7am... She puts sun cream on for playing out in the afternoon etc. but not for school... I wonder if her school mates carry sun cream...

Is it "normal" (by which I mean something most people do, not that it is weird either way) to send kids to school with sun cream?

ExitPursuedByABear · 17/06/2014 22:59

What used to happen.

Was the sun not as hot when I was at school?

Jollyphonics · 17/06/2014 22:59

I doubt the all-day stuff would work for a full days sunbathing on a tropical beach, but for shorter trips and playtimes (assuming no swimming in between) it seems fine. My kids have never burned. And even if it's not perfect, it's better than nothing.

Original poster

iloveithere · 17/06/2014 23:01

I have no idea what other children do, to be honest. Dd has never burnt before, she is being a real wimp about it! Hopefully we have both learnt a lesson today.

OP posts:

ShoeWhore · 17/06/2014 23:02

We use the all day stuff and it really works - we are all pale skinned and never burn using it.

MrTumblesBavarianFanbase · 17/06/2014 23:02

I am also somewhat imagining a gloopy sun cream fight erupting if 30 10 year olds were sent into a corridor to apply sun cream... :o Plus miscellaneous frequent falling on bags and sun cream bottles exploding incidents throughout the summer... Surely only the very fair skinned child carries a bottle of sun cream to school? possibly I am hiding from my own irresponsibility in not sending DD equipped with sun cream for the last couple of years, but

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