As I hauled my kids out of the bath tonight, it was easy to see on their skin just how we'd spent our week: I spotted a tan line from a flip flop, a strap from a tank top, and noted how much browner Lars' calves were than his thighs.
What we have here, folks, is evidence of shabby parenting. Akin to failing to brush teeth twice a day, failing to get vaccines on time, or forgetting to buckle the top buckle on the carseat's 5-point harness.
As an Officially Shabby Parent, I am unrepentant. (About the suntans, I mean. Not the other stuff. That I feel terrible about. And I only forgot the buckle once.) But like I said - UNREPENTANT.
I believe in a child's unalienable right to climb trees first thing in the morning, even before breakfast. I believe in a child's unalienable right to ride their bike around and around and around in the cul-de-sac until they are dizzy. I believe in a child's unalienable right to run from the slides to the swings to the monkey bars and back again. I believe in a child's unalienable right to spend their days outside.
I will do my part. I will purchase sunscreen with an SPF 70, knowing this is a far cry from the Sea 'N Ski SPF 4 that I used to resist as a kid. I will slather noses and ears and shoulders as best as I am able. I will buy hats, keep track of said hats, and jam the hats on heads over and over and over. I will show the kids the wrinkles gathering above my knees, and tell them my skin is protesting the career of a teenage lifeguard.
When they are a little older, I will tell them about Jill and Betsy. These are two friends of mine, two bloggers: two women whose lives are changed forever by failing to understand the damage the years of burning/peeling/burning again can inflict. You can read Jill's (aka Scary Mommy's) post here, and Betsy's post here. They make for very sober reading.
And in the morning, I will send my kids out to play. I will remember the sunscreen at the last moment - I may even have to call them back indoors to get slathered up - but they will take their natural-born place amongst the branches of the cherry tree, in the middle of the sandbox, at the top of the slide.
How else are they going to perfect the art of being kids?
8 comments:
I'm awful about sunscreen during daily activities. I'm great when it comes to swimming/beach, but not the park. And my kids are blessed w/ david's skin so they get nut brown. Must. Do. Better.
I'm terrible about sunscreen too. Like Cheryl I have a brood of tanners (unlike myself) so I think that's what makes it worse - it seems like we're getting away with it when they don't burn. But I always tell myself I'll be better about it. But in the meantime, I'm with you. Let them be kids for goodness sake!
And for the record, I especially love that pictures of Lars. Awesome shot!
yep, mine are tanners too! Which could explain why I'm so cavalier about things, I guess. But I guarantee you, no matter our minor slips, there's no way our kids are going to get burned the way we did as kids!
Oh, and Heather - T says it's his new 50mm lens. It was totally overexposed (not on purpose) and then he fiddled around w/ Picasa.
Brain visual: Magda from "There's Something about Mary"
I'm horrible about the sunscreen too and was just noticing last night that Jack has a few more freckles on his nose and Max, my little Italian-skinned baby, is just brown :) Another great post!
My mom had melanoma diagnosed when she was a bit older than me. It kept coming back and before she died we had reason to believe it came back again and had transitioned from skin cancer to her abdomen. Three years ago I had my first melanoma removed. Every checkup I have suspicious moles--I always go to my check up apprehensively because so far I haven't had any on my face-and still have that to deal wit--the chunks they'll have to remove. take it seriously.
I love this post. I'm a sunscreen nut, but even I, self-proclaimed nut, forget sometimes. Miss a spot sometimes. Am too irritated with my 4-year-old's whining to go through the sunscreen before school routine sometimes. I say a prayer that they play inside that day and send him on his way.
I wholeheartedly agree with you - the kids have a right to play outside. We do our very best and teach them about taking care of their skin. But then we shoo those little behinds out to the play scape!
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