AIBU to think parents at beach were unreasonable??

[gracieben6]

Currently on holiday in France - went to the beach today with dh and my kids. DD1 (14), DS1 (10), DD2 & DD3 (twins both 7), DS2 (4) and DD4 (1).
DD1 wore a bikini, DS1 wore Bermuda shorts, DD2 & DD3 wore tankinis, DS2 and DD4 wore uv suits. We were topping the kids up with sun cream all day. A Family with 2 kids aged about 13 and 10 and both wearing full uv suits and hats came and sat near us. Mother comes up to me and asks why my 4 of my kids are not in uv suits. I said that they prefer to wear normal swimsuits and I am fine with what they wear. She proceeded to tell me I'm a bad mum for only having 2 of my kids in uv suits and that I didn't care about the ones not wearing uv suits!!! She lectured me about uv Rays even though I was topping the kids up with sun cream !! Aibu to think she was totally out of line?!?

No one is saying that frying yourself in the beach is a great idea. I think what some people, including myself, are merely pointing out, is that sped I got a little bit of time in the sun with no sunscreen on or uv suit hardly warrants panick or telling off from strangers. Of course it's best to wear sunscreen and uv suits but some people need to calm down a bit about it. There so many other health damaging things that people do without a second thought, such as using cheap chemical sunscreen which causes cancer and allergies in its own right. If you are going to use sunscreen, you need to use mineral sunblock, and not the chemical ones. And if you're very worried about cancer, stop using cosmetics wig perfume and parabens, and stop using strong chemicals cleaning your house and stop giving your babies toxic plastic toys to suck on. To my mind, that's at least as important as protecting yourself agains sunburn on your one or two health holidays.

Meant yearly, not health.

There so many other health damaging things that people do without a second thought, such as using cheap chemical sunscreen which causes cancer
The difference is, there is clear scientific evidence that UV exposure is linked to skin cancer. There is not a shred of evidence that suncreams do.

You're right that the link between chemical sunscreens and cancer is not as clearly established as the link between sun exposure and skin cancer. However, there is plenty of evidence to prove that chemicals used in sunscreens mimic hormones and can cause skin allergies, as well as change cells which can later lead to cancer. Just a few sources:

www.nhs.uk/news/2015/06June/Pages/Everyday-chemicals-may-contribute-to-cancer-risk.aspx

www.breastcancer.org/risk/factors/sunscreen

www.ewg.org/sunscreen/report/the-trouble-with-sunscreen-chemicals/

on balance, I would still say though that if your choice is using a chemical sunscreen or none, I'd use a chemical one. I'm not arguing you shouldn't protect yourself from the sun. What I'm saying is merely that some people seems to have gone a bit overboard and think that any exposure to sun at all is super dangerous, and that one episode of sun burn is a guarantee of cancer later on. I don't think it's healthy to teach your children to be afraid of life and to be overprotective. Teach them reasonable caution, but do not install unrealistic fears in them.

London, most people don't just have one episode of burning though. If people aren't careful and go on holiday each year, that could be at least one episode of burning every year.

It's not about teaching children to fear life. It's about teaching children to take care of their bodies. Putting appropriate protection on before going in the sun means they can enjoy the experience without painful repercussions later.

I don't understand how people can be so blasé about sun protection when it is well established that burning and tanning is a major cause of skin cancer. The argument about letting kids enjoy themselves rather than having to wear a UV suit or a high factor sun cream just doesn't wash with me.

I don' think anyone is making that argument. Think we agree sunburn is not a good thing, and I don't think most kids mind UV suits, and certainly no one minds sunscreen except for those few squirming minute when you have to apply it. Just pointing out that telling strangers on the beach off is definitely over the top, and setting a very bad example of what is acceptable social behaviour to your children.

I would never tell someone at the beach that I thought their children should be wearing uv suits. I would be silently concerned for them though.