Every day we hear about the dangers of the sun and negative effects it can have on the lives of our families. We continually hear about this problem, but very rarely do we hear suggestions for solutions to this issue (outside of the wear your sun block or the stay-out-of-the-sun warnings). As a working mom and taking these issues to heart, I had repeated confrontations with my children's daycare provider over what constitutes proper sun protection. It did not seem right to me that I was doing things such as walking backwards with the stroller or covering the stroller with blankets to protect my child from the sun while my daycare provider would not take even take the simplest precautions, such as applying sunscreen.

I have found that our kids being in the sun is a fact of life, be it going to soccer practice, the park, the beach, or just playing in the backyard. Our children rely on us to protect them from the pain of a sun- burn, no less the long-term effects of sun exposure. My mother continually struggles with recurring skin cancer and the American Cancer Society declared that "One severe sunburn as a child, doubles the chance for skin cancer later in life." This is a very real issue that we must face together with our families.

Here are some tips for enjoying the sun safely:

1) Limit Time in the Midday Sun - the sun's rays are strongest between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
2) Apply Sun Block before going outside. Most sun blocks take about 20 minutes to be absorbed and become effective. Make sure that you apply a "broad spectrum" sunscreen with a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of at least 15 and reapply every 2 hours when working or playing outdoors. Even waterproof sunscreen can come off when you towel dry, sweat or spend time in the water.
3) Wear a Hat. A hat with a wide brim offers good sun protection for the eyes, ears, face, and the back of the neck - areas particularly sensitive to the sun.
4) Cover Up. Wear UV rated clothing or other tightly woven, full-length clothing.
5) Wear Good Sun Glasses. Check the label when buying sunglasses. Sunglasses that provide 99-100% UVA and UVB protection will greatly reduce sun exposure that can lead to cataracts or other eye damage.
6) Seek Shade. Look to play in shaded areas of the park or the backyard. Just because one is outside does not mean that they have to be in direct sunlight.
7) Have Fun.

Our children have one thing that my mother or even many of us did not have as children...AWARENESS. Our children are blessed that we have an awareness of the problem and we are blessed with awareness of the solution. I hope that you enjoy these tips on how to make your sun friendly.