Beaches, parks and back yard play: Summer is about fun in the sun. But there’s nothing fun about a sunburned baby. Little ones are especially vulnerable to the sun’s burning rays. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, a single blistering sunburn in childhood more than doubles the risk of developing melanoma later on in life. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) reports that most parents aren’t doing enough to protect small children from sunburn; sunscreens are often applied incorrectly, leaving little ones exposed to skin damage. Here’s how to keep your little one happy and safe this summer.
In many schools, fewer hours are allotted to recess and physical education each year, but summer is the perfect time to commit to the challenge of your kids riding to day camp or getting them physically prepared now to ride their bikes to school in the Fall.Bicycling is a fun and fitness-friendly method of transportation that, with a little planning and attention to details, could replace your carpool.
When you become a parent, you take on lots of new roles, like chief diaper changer, colic analyst, playdate organizer and breast pumping principal. As if that’s not enough, you’ve gotta be the safety police too. If not you, then who? Sure, you can hire a professional babyproofer. But child proofing is also something you can and should do yourself because it’s not a one-off deal. It’s an ongoing process because kids are, well, kids.
When it comes to ensuring your child’s safety and well-being, the buck stops with the camp director,”says Catherine Ross, communications officer with the Canadian Camping Association and former camp director. Her advice: do appropriate research, seek out answers to your questions, experience the camp first-hand and then, once you’ve made a decision, have faith.
Calgary’s Child Magazine © 2023 Calgary’s Child
