Another school and suncream one

[islandofsodor]

I totally understand anc accept my children's school policy of the teachers not helping them to put suncream on and have (as requested in the recent newsletter) snet them both in with named, miniature spray on bottles of sun cream (which reminds me must go and get the fab roll on ones I got last year)

This morning we were running late, both children have to have meds before school so I did them but didn't put ht esuncream on thinking, never mind they will put it on themselves at morning break.

Dd aged 8 put her cream on at morning break and again at lunchtime, they were given the opportunity to do so in the classroom before going out.

Ds aged 6 unknown to myself until today was told last week that they put the cream on at lunchtime only. When I asked him if he put his cream on today he said no, I forgot. I went to see his teacher (she was still standing outside) she said that it was the children's responsibility to go and get their cream put on after lunch. Ds however had chosen to go straight out to play first as his best friend was telling him to hurry.

Now I feel that at age 6 the children should all be told in a group, right everyone, time for sun cream, what seems to happen is that the children go to lunch first, then after they have eaten are expected to remember to go back to the classroom to put their cream on before going outside to play.

I understand that ds deliberately chose not to but surely that is typical of children his age. He told me that one day last week he was too late to go and put it on and I al also not happy about him not being allowed access to his cream at morning break.

The teacher seems to think that 6 year olds should be entirely responsible for their own actions. It also doesn't help that ds is very hard of hearing at the moment (school know this) and so needs to be spoken to directly a lot of the time for him to be able to hear.

It is a small class of less than 20 children. I work with children and would never be so blase with their health & safety.

I have a 6 year old and would not trust him to do this on his own. He can just about remember to put his hat on.

Is there no way you can work this into your morning routine?

Use the once a day application in the morning then you don't need to worry about it again

We normally do, but it would still need re-applying.

I only ever just do it in the morning, then again after school if they go in the garden.

I have bought Piz Buin 1 day long, factor 30, which gives protection for around 6 hours....long enough for a school day.

It is really no good at all putting sun cream on and then going straight outside. You need to put cream on and let it soak in and it should be slapped on aswell - not a think coating.

You need to be putting a high factoron, say 50 as that will be 50 x 10 minutes

do it as they shower in the morning and then let them eat breakast and let the sream soak into the skin

trying to do it themselves and going striaght outside is not really wonderful for protection.

They don't shower in the morning. Well this morning they did and that is what partly made us late! They wash and dress themselves whilst I am getting ready then we usually put the cream on just before we leave.

dd has very sensitive skin so we have to be very careful with brands and I don't entirely beleive that the once a day is once a day.

How long is your DS out in the sun during the day? Is he likely to get burnt during a short playtime? Does he have very fair skin?

Hope I don't get flamed here, but I sometimes wonder if we have become way too neurotic about sunscreen. Lack of direct sunlight has been linked to deficiencies in Vitamin D, so a little bit of sun on our face and hands is actually good for us (assuming we don't get burnt of course).

I'm not claiming to know all the medical details, so am happy to be corrected if I'm being outrageous. But I can understand why schools leave it up to the parent/pupil to sort out sun protection on an average day (maybe school trips etc should be an exception.)

My dds are very sun sensitive and we use the once a day stuff or very high factor/block - no specific brand - just whatever is on offer. They play out three times a day at school and there is very limited shade in their playground.

The school policy is that parents must not apply it in school time, and the key stage 1 children cannot take cream in (they can have the sticks which my dd has) due to the risk of loads of suncream squirted on floor causing slip risk. However there is a no hat, no play rule in high summer.

My dds have never burnt in school time. I apply loads at breakfast time and it lasts them until they get home. They apply the sticks to their backs of hands and cheeks when they remember (I expect they forget most of the time - the sticks never seem to wear down!).

Yes, ds is very very fair blond hair blue eyes pale skin(takes after dh)

From what I gather morning play is 20 minutes and lunchtime is 1 hour 15 minutes (minus the time it takes to eat of course)

They have also had PE today outdoors, not sure whther that is for a double or single period for ds (a single period is approx 30-35 mins)

Yes, I can see why you'd be worried then - that's a long time out in the sun Sodor.

my bugbear with putting it on straight before break and after lunch before play is the guidelines are to put it on at least 20 minutes before you go in the sun for maximum protection.

Perhaps mention this to the teacher?

Think the morning break one about not doing it is understandable as school do expect DC's to have it on in the morning. (I do appreciate time was short for you and why).

My DS school have asked children to tell parents to put it on children before school. We have not had a letter but I did it anyway today. I am sending him some tomorrow to put on at school before lunch - I'm not sure what they will say tho!

I have 2 ginger dc with very pale skin. I cream them before school and then when they get home. Ds2 is in yr5 and no way he's going to waste playtime putting suncream on!

They are at different schools and both playgrounds have shade. They have hats. They both seek shade out and seem naturally wary of spending much time in the sun. They have never got burnt at school and have similar breaks to your ds.

I suppose if the teacher has to speak directly to 20 children it's going to take a long time.

You can get cream that lasts for 6 hours.

As a parent with a history of skin cancer in the family, my oncologist has advised that the all day/6 hourly applications are not good enough, and for it to be applied morning, lunchtime and after school where necessary. I went in with a letter from him, saying family history of skin cancer, and because of this my DC are helped to reapply sun lotion at the start of long play, and again before an afternoon club when they stay until teatime sometimes.

They'll still get some coverage from the morning sunblock for the first 20 mins of play, so I'm not so bothered about it not being done in advance.

But Lymond you can't expect a teacher to help 20 children put sun cream on. They have to have their own lunch break too. The 20th child will have missed half of play.

Really lydmond?d For same reasons I will ask the same for my ds when the time comes. I don't think that a cream that says ou put us on in the morning and you're alright for many hours really is right.

I want lots of reapplying.

I'm taking on board what you say. I've only had a carcinoma but then again so has my dad (quite a few) and it seems so has my (non white) mother. My ds is very fair and I'm not happy about him playing out without hat long sleeves and shorts and lots and lots of suncream.

The coloured spray ones are good as they can see what they are doing. I use asdas own kids as DS has reactions to more expensive brands. Also has a sunblock stick for face and a hat. Stick runs out quickly as all his friends seem to want to use it!!

My daughters teacher puts sun cream on her. She couldn't do it properly on her own.
I put some on before school as well. She is only 5 though.

I'm not asking her to speal directly to 20 children. I'm asking her to remind the whole class but making double sure that ds and one other child in his class who are both hard of hearing have understood.

Surely if they did this as they were packing up ready to go to lunch they could all put it on themselves then go to lunch meaning that it had been applied about 20-30 mins before they go outside.

There is absolutely no shade in the playground or on the field though there is in the playground reception class use. It is an on going problem from when dd was in that year.

iofs - Sorry I read your post in a hurry and misread a few bits. Yes of course the teacher should remind the children to apply sun cream at the same time as she tells them to get their hats.

If your son is hard of hearing of course she should make sure he's heard. I thought you were suggesting she pay special attention to your son because he tended not to listen.

I must stop skim reading

Does your ds have a packed lunch? Could you put the sun cream in the lunch box and then he's bound to find it!

So many posts and ideas and options and suggestions and yet no-one seems to question the reason why the OP is having this problem - the hysteria surrounding teachers/any adult touching children.

Whatever happened to common sense?

When my little girl falls over and scrapes her knee, I would be angry if teachers (of whatever sex) DIDN'T try to comfort her with a hug, if need be.

We live in a very sad world, made all the sadder by hysterical over-reactions to news stories covering incidents that are incredibly rare.

I know what you mean BarmyArmy? The teachers at dd1's school certainly hug a child if they fall over. The reception teacher is lovely.

I still don't think a teacher would really want to help 20 children to apply sun cream. It takes me an age with only 4! However they should remind the children to apply it. My 3 year old is pretty good at putting sun cream on - obviously I do a more thorough job, but give her the roll-on cream and she could certainly do her face, legs and arms.

We use Soltan Once, we slap it on at 8.45 and in theory it lasts up to 6 hours. The school day finishes at 3.15 so it just about cover the day.

I asked when their playtimes are and the longest on is at lunchtime 12-1pm so the cream is only 3 hours old so I reckon she is covered ok, she wears a hat too, the lunchtime supervisors do remind them to wear it. The school has 400 children so I think as it is drummed into them from foundation upwards it is now second nature.