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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

Original poster

children sent to school with no sun protection

107 replies

melissa75 · 30/06/2009 18:15

I have been absolutely AMAZED by how many parents have sent their child to school yesterday and today with no suncream, hat, sunglasses etc...I had 5 in my class today with none of the above. It is a parents responsibility to protect their child's skin from the sun, it's pretty basic. Everyone knows about the causes of skin cancer, and about the issues with the ozone layer, or lack there of.

One of my kids came in today at the end of lunch with obvious sunburn on the back of his neck. It only takes one bad sunburn to put you at such a hugely increased risk for skin cancer...I know, I have had it.

I am thinking of not allowing my pupils out tomorrow at play if they do not have sun cream or a hat to protect them...The sad part is that 95% of children are well protected...but it is that 5% that always show up without...interestingly enough, they are also the ones who have to be chased for forms being signed and returned etc etc..
So, if you are one of the parents who have not sent their child in with suncream or a hat, please do so...it is so so so important.

OP posts:
MrsBadger · 30/06/2009 18:16

sunglasses?!

Original poster
melissa75 · 30/06/2009 18:19

sunglasses are better than nothing

OP posts:
MrsBadger · 30/06/2009 18:20

ah, sorry, thought you were expecting everyone to have them

PortAndLemon · 30/06/2009 18:20

...and then you get today's other thread, from the mother whose DCs' school has specifically forbidden parents to send in suncream.

Perhaps your school and hers could swap some of the parents?

LibrasBiscuitsOfFortune · 30/06/2009 18:22

....and the OPs post is why some schools are not letting children out to play during break....

PortAndLemon · 30/06/2009 18:27

Well, if the children don't have suncream or a hat then I think that's perfectly reasonable. If they do, then it's less reasonable (depending on time of day, sun intensity, availability of shade, etc.)

Piffle · 30/06/2009 18:39

Our school ask you to put cream on before school.
Children without hats are not allowed out at lunch play but BIZARRELY did 1.5 hrs of PE skipping comp with NO hats.

sarah293 · 30/06/2009 18:48

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Overmydeadbody · 30/06/2009 18:52

DS's school have asked that children not bring in sunglasses as they where getting lost/broken/fights over them etc etc

Also, they have asked parents not to send in suncream, but just to apply it in the morning.

Luckily DS is dark skinned and doesn't burn eaisly.

Hulababy · 30/06/2009 18:53

Actually I heard a piece on the radio yesterday where a woman was calling for parents to see sunglasses as important as suncream. The sun exposure on unprotected eyes can be very damaging. So actually probably is a god thing to send in sunglasses.

I don't send DD with suncream as we use a once a day suncream which is applied before school in a morning.

I do remind DD to take in a hat. Genrally she does, but have to admit sometimes she forgets.

Overmydeadbody · 30/06/2009 18:53

I don't think a child should be forced to wear a hat if they don't want to.

charmander · 30/06/2009 18:55

I don't beliee any suncream applied at 8am will still be working by midday so I do not put any on. We are not allowed to send it in.

Overmydeadbody · 30/06/2009 18:55

Hula yes that is why I get DS to wear sunglasses to school, then I take them with me and he wears them again when we leave school.

Overmydeadbody · 30/06/2009 18:56

charmander it will still be working by noon, and will certainly be better than nothing.

blametheparents · 30/06/2009 18:59

I agree, it will bw better than nothing

sarah293 · 30/06/2009 19:01

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purplehighheels · 30/06/2009 19:03

Unless you are using a once daily cream, then they are unlikely to be effective by lunchtime (normal creams should be re-applied 2-3hrly).

I think the real problem is that teaching staff are not allowed to help children to apply sun-cream. My children are 4&6 and I can only imagine the mess if they were left to do it themselves.

Hulababy · 30/06/2009 19:06

charmarder - we have once a day sun protection so it is still working. It lasts 10 hours.

Normal suncream lasts for about 4 hours I think; so would be fine for morning break and at least better than nothing for lunchtime play.

duckyfuzz · 30/06/2009 19:06

mine have labelled suncream in school, sunhats in their bags, waterproofs in case of rain but...not allowed to apply cream today as there wasn't enough time luckily we are in the north easgt and it has been quite hazy today

Hulababy · 30/06/2009 19:07

Do Pampers still do the suncream wipes? DD could use them by herself from before school age. Or how about one of the roll on suncreams?

blametheparents · 30/06/2009 19:17

I don't think Pampers still do the suncream wipes

Original poster
melissa75 · 30/06/2009 19:19

I am shocked that some parents can be so lacadasical about the need to protect their child from the sun.

'Don't think you're child should be forced to wear a hat'...are you kidding me? Will you force them to have a malignant melanoma cut out of their skin when they get one? Or perhaps they won't want to have that done, so we won't worry about it. puhleeze You may think I am over reacting to this, but I have seen it happened too many times, and as I said, it has happened to me...

There are so many suncreams that, as hulababy said, are once a day ones. My school does not allow parents to send in suncream either so it is the parents responsibility to apply it in the morning.

OP posts:
Pawslikepaddington · 30/06/2009 19:20

Dd won't wear a hat. Boots suncream only lasts an hour, but dd's (Garnier) lasts for 4 and we apply at 8.45am-it must still be working as dd would BURN otherwise (fair blonde skin). I wouldn't want her doing after school activities though as she would burn. We are not allowed to send suncream in, but dd became hysterical thorough worry so I snuck a stick into her book bag and it got confiscated .

OrangeFish · 30/06/2009 19:22

Hula, what's the name of the cram you are using?

Original poster
melissa75 · 30/06/2009 19:22

your, not you're

OP posts:
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