Embracing the great outdoors should be a cherished experience for children, free from the concerns of sun damage or discomfort. The following are practical strategies to ensure your child can safely bask in the joys of outdoor adventures while safeguarding their delicate skin.

Understanding The Elements: Sun, Wind, And Cold

Exploring the great outdoors is vital for a child’s development, but the sun, wind and cold can be tough on their delicate skin. Protection starts with understanding each element’s effects. For sunny days, ultraviolet (UV) radiation poses a risk of sunburn and long-term skin damage. Windy conditions can sap moisture, leading to dryness, while cold weather can make skin rough and chapped. You can counter these challenges by preparing your childrens’ skin for each type of weather, ensuring outdoor play is safe and enjoyable.

Choosing The Right Sun Protection For Your Child

Selecting the right sunscreen involves more than just picking a high SPF. Look for water-resistant formulas offering broad-spectrum protection against UVA and UVB rays. Mineral sunscreens containing zinc oxide or titanium dioxide are often recommended for children’s sensitive skin, as they’re less likely to irritate. Remember to apply sunscreen generously about 30 minutes before going outside and reapply every two hours (or more frequently if your child is swimming or sweating).

Protecting Skin From The Wind And Cold

The bite of cold and the whip of wind demands a vigilant approach to your child’s skincare routine. When temperatures drop, the air can strip moisture from their delicate skin, leading to discomfort and sometimes exacerbating conditions like eczema. Daily moisturising with a thick, fragrance-free cream forms a protective layer against these harsh elements. For sensitive skin, eczema relief products designed for young skin can be particularly beneficial. In the UK, eczema creams and ointments are formulated to provide deep hydration and soothe irritation. Dermatitis cream and specific creams for dermatitis are also available for children who may suffer from these skin conditions. On particularly cold days, a heavier balm applied to cheeks and lips can prevent chapping.

Creating Safe Outdoor Environments For Play

Ensuring safe play areas involves more than supervising your child. Use sunshades or play tents as safe havens from direct sunlight. Plan outdoor activities for early morning or late afternoon when the sun’s rays are less intense. By creating a balanced outdoor environment, children can enjoy the benefits of play whilst staying protected from excessive sun exposure.

Teaching Your Child About Skin Care And Protection

Educating your child about the importance of skincare empowers them to make smart choices. Teach them to apply their own sunscreen, choose appropriate clothing for the weather and understand why these steps matter. Making skincare a routine part of their day instils good habits that last a lifetime, ensuring they remain vigilant about skin health as they grow.

Knowing how to protect your children’s’ skin from the elements allows your family to embrace outdoor activities confidently.

The post Children’s Skin: How to Protect for Safe, Enjoyable Time Outside appeared first on The Parent Social.

Sadfishing

This is a social media trend where people make exaggerated claims about their emotional state/problems in order to get sympathy. I find this worrying from a number of angles.    

My primary concern is that children who actually are feeling low or are suffering from specific mental health problems could be afraid to communicate this for fear of being accused of sadfishing.

Another fear is for those who indiscriminately post about and exaggerate their emotional problems. They might get a temporary, superficial boost from a high volume of engagement/comments but they’ll be crushed if responses then dwindle. It’s a catalyst for insecurities… “Does nobody care about me anymore?” There could also be the ‘boy who cried wolf’ effect should they ever have real problems they want to flag. Oversharing and exaggerating can also mask the issues that make children genuinely unhappy.

The trend of sadfishing could also discourage children from seeking proper help and advice for anything that’s worrying them.

Distorted reality

I think one of the major problems with social media is it distorts reality. You all too often see the edited, picture-perfect ‘best’ version of someone’s life. You seldom see the banal, day-to-day stuff on a person’s social media channels. Children often don’t appreciate this filtering (even if they do it themselves). I’m sure it must lead to feelings of inferiority and the belief that their life isn’t as ‘good’ or ‘exciting’ as someone else’s.  

Obviously sadfishing is the exact opposite. However, it’s still a distortion of reality and is another thing that makes it difficult to distinguish between facts and half-truths.

Constant connectivity can actually be exhausting

I speak from experience here. I’m a member of a lot of WhatsApp groups; some related to school (three separate classes), some friends and family ones and some for outside interests. They’re all really valuable in different ways, but sometimes it does feel like a barrage when your phone is pinging constantly. Coupled with texts, other messenger services and push alerts from social media platforms and websites it can be all-consuming, and a time drain. It also affects my productivity and ability to focus. I need to alter my habits so I can lead by example and ensure my kids don’t get swallowed up by social media.  

Immediacy

Social media apps and sites are playing a significant part in breeding a culture where we expect everything instantly. I’m guilty of it too and I’ve witnessed it with my children. I do try to go against the tide and actually make the kids wait for things so we don’t lose the element of suspense, build up and excitement. 

And don’t get me started on TikTok…l

You can find out more on promoting safe and responsible use of technology on the Digital Awareness UK website.

You may also like: Things to Consider Before Giving Your Child a Smartphone

The post Sadfishing and Other Social Media Pitfalls for Children appeared first on The Parent Social.

What’s changing with car seats?

Currently, by law, children in the UK must use the correct seat when travelling in a car until they are 12 years old (or 135cm tall). However, the new regulations will mean that the backless booster seats (that even my five-year-old twins are using and have been for at least a year) will only be approved for older children.

The new rules about backless booster seats aka booster cushions (there are two of these in my pic) means that their usage will only be approved for use for children taller than 125cm who weigh more than 22kg.

Currently, by law, children in the UK must use the correct seat when travelling in a car until they are 12 years old (or 135cm tall).

Will you need to buy a new car seat?

This will only apply to new products, so if you want to make a purchase after the changes you’ll only be able to buy a backless booster for kids over 125cm (or 22Kg). You’ll still be able to use existing backless booster seats after the regulation changes for children under 125cm or 22kg without being in any trouble.  However, after reading up, high-backed booster seats are a safer option – with experts agreeing that booster seats are unsuitable for small children – so we’ll be changing in any case as we currently have one high back and two backless. However, getting three car seats wedged into the back seat of an estate or 4×4, let alone a standard-sized car, is going to be a tall order. Will let you know how we get on…

If you are thinking of making a new purchase, here are some stockists:

Boots stock a huge range of seats for a variety of budgets

Mamas & Papas have a number of car seats on sale right now and Halfords are offering 20% off ALL high back booster seats when you trade in any booster cushion (just use voucher code: Saferseat).

The post Child Car Seat Law Changes appeared first on The Parent Social.