Staying Cool and Sun Safe in School

It’s almost October and children in Arizona have been in school for two months or so. By now, some of the morning routines are situated and kids no longer reminisce about summer but instead look forward to breaks to come. At this time of the year, every once in a while we get glimpses of our beautiful weather we are so lucky to enjoy in fall and winter.

When we’re not constantly being baked by 100+ degree days (and sometimes even mornings) we might start to forget our sun-safe skin care regimes. Because our children have begun to complain “why do I need sunscreen when it’s not even hot”, we’ve compiled this list of quick and easy tips you can implement to keep your children safe, hydrated and “cool” as they move through this school year.

Thanks to the stricter flight regulations, travel-sized sunscreens can be purchased almost anywhere. Pack one in your kiddo’s backpack for them to keep and remind your kids to reapply during lunch recess. For a cheaper option, purchase a large bottle of sunscreen at an end of summer sale and fill up reusable bottles for each child.

Lip balm is important for protecting lips against harmful UV rays. Although most nurses’ offices are stocked up with lip balms for students to use, chapped lips shouldn’t interrupt a student’s learning. Send a few sticks of lip balm with your child to bring to school. They can keep one in their backpack and one in their desk to use whenever their lips are feeling dry (without the missed instruction of a trip to the nurse).

This one is a favorite with the kids. Send your child with a frozen water bottle full of a sport drink or a frozen juice box in the morning. By the time lunch rolls around, they’ll have a deliciously cold (and perhaps slightly slushy) drink to enjoy. Students will be more likely to drink liquids and therefore stay hydrated throughout the day when given the choice of an ice-cold beverage in the afternoon. Yum!

Did you know that in Australia it is mandatory for school children to wear hats while playing outside – no matter the temperature? While it might not be policy at school, it’s good practice to encourage your child to wear a hat outside at recess. Perhaps they could keep it in their classroom to prevent it being forgotten or lost on the daily commute. Who knows, they may even start a trend and get all their classmates to protect their heads and faces as they scale the monkey bars!

Get dressed… Brush teeth…. Apply Sunscreen! When applying sunscreen becomes as much an automatic habit for your kids as brushing their teeth (ok, wishful thinking… let’s say eating breakfast), it will be less likely to be forgotten in the morning rush. This is also a good lifelong habit to adopt, regardless of the temperature outside. It might not be the first day of school anymore, but what better time than now to start a new healthy habit?

Sending the kids back to school can be bitter sweet, but one thing is for certain: you’ve probably had more time these last two months to take care of some of the things you may have been putting off. With the expense of summer vacations behind you, it might be the perfect time to consider sunscreens or patio shades for your home. It’s an important investment all year long to protect your family, home and possessions from harsh Arizona UV rays and heat. Call for your FREE, no obligation, in home consultation and estimate from one of our friendly experts today.