Childminder & playing in the sun

[bluecardi]

Today I when I collected my dd from the childminder she said my dd had had too much sun on her arms.

She'd been putting on the high factor suncream all day so she was surprised dd was getting red. I spotted my dd playing outside in her swimsuit. I asked why she wasn't inside but they said they'd been putting on sun cream. They'd looked for a long sleeve top - but my dd doesn't have any there.

Not happy that they couldn't seem to understand that even with sun cream my dd needed time inside in the shade.

I'd been told that they'd spend some time in a paddling pool - not outside nearly all day.

I would not send a child to childminder without supplying covering clothes for her to wear. It is good and natural for children to spend time outdoors (in fact, some progressive nurseries don't even have an indoors) as long as you are adequately provided with clothes and a hat.

She had a hat with a flap & usual day outfit. Not long sleeves & trousers.

think some people dont think

childminder would just have been thinking she was doing ok

has she her own kids?

hmm, i probably wouldn't keep them outside all day due to worries about sunstroke/to much heat, it has been really sweltering the last few days, but i would also expect sunscreen to work

how old is your dd

As a CM I take the kids out as much as possible in good weather (to make up for those days we cannot go out as easily)... always with suncream and a hat of course. But when the sun is really hot some common sense is needed. Being South African, I have always had to be sun smart. I don't let them play in the sun btwn 11am and 3pm. I have a huuuge garden with much shade which is great, I am still so careful though. You have to be. It only takes a few minutes to burn.

My dd is 2yrs. The childminder doesn't have her own kids but has lots of quallifications & used to be a nurse in the neonatal unit

I thought suncream worked for a certain time but even if you keep applying it you do eventually reach a limit & need time out of the sun?

I don't have kids, there are just some things you should know...? No ways should a 2 yr old be out in the hot sun for long.

Yes, that's why children should have something long sleeved to put on, and somewhere to be in the shade during the hottest hours. But not necessarily spend their time indoors. Out of the sun can mean playing in the shade or simply covering up. I never let mine go for a day at the beach or whatever without taking a longsleeved shirt- and they are pre-teens/teens.

They should think about little kids in the bright sun. The main room was perfect today - shady with patio doors open.

i think you need to just have a word with her and let her know that she needs to keep your dd indoors at the hottest times of the day and that she shouldn't be in the sun for prolonged periods no matter how much sunscreen she has on

If you keep reapplying suncream then it will continue to be effective. The time out of the sun is for comfort not because the sun cream has stopped working.
I can understand why you are annoyed though.

Agree Cory - if I'd have know she'd be outside I would have asked for her to spend sometime inside. I don't have any long sleeve shirts in her size as her winter ones are too warm but her big brother will have a shirt that can be a long dress

Most places keep children out the sun between 11 and 3. It even says that you should do that on my bottle of suncream!

Didn't know that about suncream.

I'll ask her again on keeping dd inside for a bit. It's tricky as I'd have dd inside from 11-3 but know I have go with the flow on her way of organizing things.

Will check my bottle tomorrow!

If you spotted your DD outside in her swimsuit and weren't happy about it why didn't you say something then? Unless I've read your OP wrong, it sounds like you left it until you picked her up from the childminder to question it....

I've mentioned it before & everyday say here is the suncream & hat. Also have asked for dd to be in the shade. It's only recently got really sunny but there was a day about 2 wks ago when they had lunch outside &, despite me giving suncream, she hadn't put any on. Her excuse was she didn't think. My response was I have 6 kids (three are age 4 & under) & never has one been sunburnt.

I put cream on dd this morning in front of the minder to be sure she had it in mind.

The paddling pool was just for a short moment & I didn't expect dd to still have her swimsuit on.

I appreciate it a and request that a child has been suncreamed before they arrive. If I have 4 wriggling under 2.6 year olds to do, it does take time.

I have no problem topping up as this can be done easily as some sleep during the day, so can stagger it.
Yesterday 2 turned up without hats, two had leggings on and nothing cooler in their bags, none had long sleeved t shirts.

I have bought all of them sun suits now for my peace of mind.

Don't forget your childminder needs signed consent from you to apply suncream ( Ofsted)

as far as I'm aware, the advice is to keep young children out of the sun between the hours of 11 and 3 regardless of suncream.

Interesting about the consent for suncream......our CM puts it on DD all the time and has never asked consent.....it's our suncream which i provide though, does it still count?

The little one I mind, has for the last 2 weeks still arrived from Nursery with a vest on!
Parents are both GP's!

Oh, and no Hat!!

DandT It doesn't make any difference whose suncream it is, you must have consent, - stupid I know!

It comes under bodily contact..... same as having consent to apply nappy cream, which must be in a named tube or tub/pot for each child....

Can you tell what i think of these policies!