BE SAFE IN THE SUN One of the greatest things about the Kiwi summer are the long, hot summer days, perfect for lots of sun, fun, sand and barbeques. By taking a few precautions, you and your family can avoid getting sunburnt. Wear sunscreen  The Cancer Society of NZ recommends parents are cautious of using sunscreen on babies under one year of age. However, if there’s a risk that your baby might get sunburnt, apply a SPF 30+ broad spectrum sunscreen on areas of the skin not able to be covered by clothing.  Choose a sunscreen without fragrance or one that is especially designed for children.  Sunscreen should be applied 15-30 minutes before going outside and reapplied every couple of hours.  Apply SPF 30+ broad spectrum sunscreen to exposed skin every time your child goes outside in summer. Make it a rule to always carry sunscreen in your nappy bag and one in the car; that way you’ll always have it on hand when you need it.  Use a water-resistant sunscreen if toddlers are playing in the water and make sure you reapply sunscreen after swimming. Cover up  Dress your child in loose-fitting, close-woven clothing which covers the arms, shoulders and legs, or try clothing and swimwear made from special sun-protection-factor fabric. There are great little rash suits which protect from sand as well as sun.  Wear broad-brimmed (minimum 5cm brim) sunhats that keep the sun off the face, neck and ears (wearing a sun hat yourself will set a good example). Look for tie-on hats or ones with toggles, otherwise you’ll spend all day trying to keep the hat in place.  Find baby sunglasses, although again you might need to find ones with an elastic strap to keep them in place.  The Cancer Society suggests checking your child’s clothing, hat and shade positioning frequently to ensure they continue to provide protection from the sun. Stay in the shade Babies’ skin is very sensitive to sunburn. Be careful, even on cloudy days, as UV rays (the ones that cause sunburn) go right through the clouds. Even if you’re in the shade, check for reflected light off water, sand and even the inside of the sun umbrella, as this can still cause sunburn.      Keep the pram or stroller in the shade as much as possible and use a pram sunshade or umbrella. If there’s no available shade, create a shaded play area with an umbrella or small beach tent. Don’t play directly out in the sun during peak sunburn times (11am – 4pm). Play in the shade or stay indoors. If this isn’t possible, plan the day’s activities to maximise your child’s sun protection. Use a sun cover on the pram or stroller. Make sure you have sun protection in the car—shade sunny windows with a window shade or cloth nappy. And don’t forget the back window if your baby is still rear-facing. Remember the “slip, slop, slap, wrap” message. Slip on a shirt, slop on sunscreen, slap on a hat and wrap on the sunnies. Water safety It’s likely that at some point during the summer you’ll take your baby to the beach or a river, or you may even have a pool at home. Splashing about at the water’s edge is all part of our Kiwi summer experience and most kids enjoy playing with the water. But being around water can be a dangerous place for a young child who doesn’t understand the water safety rules. Children can drown in only 4cm of water. As a parent, there’s one key water safety rule for you to remember: Always actively supervise your child!    It is important to ensure that you are always actively supervising your child within arm’s length. Active means 100% attention, so this doesn’t include talking on the phone or reading a book. Never turn away or leave them unattended, not even for a minute. Decide who will be the “supervising parent”, even if both of you are playing with the baby – you can even “tag-team” the responsibility so that each of you get time to enjoy being at the beach. Onewa Parents Centre