Kids and Sunscreen

     Do you have to tackle your kids to get sunscreen on them?
     I used to, but it's a little easier now.
     Here are some techniques I've used to get my kids to put on the SPF:
     1.  Use sunscreen stick on kids' faces.  The thing my kids absolutely HATE is getting sunscreen in their eyes or mouths.  If you use the sticks, you can pretty well avoid this.  If they're old enough, let them apply the stick themselves.  They like that, because they feel like they're in control.  (You can touch it up a bit afterwards if necessary.)

My kids will put this on their faces without a fight.

     2.  Let kids choose the sunscreen to use on the rest of their bodies.  I used to grab whatever type of sunscreen happened to be sitting around (as long as it was at least 50 SPF), and my kids always had some complaint about it:  it was itchy, it stung, it was too greasy, etc.  Now I have a wide array of choices and let them pick their poison.  My kids usually prefer the spray-on stuff, but we've put that on hold because of health concerns about it in the news.  (Hopefully those will turn out to be unfounded.)  At any rate, if you let the kids choose from a variety of sunscreen options, they feel like they're part of the process, and they're more likely to let you apply it.

Have an arsenal of different sunscreens at the ready.
(I don't necessarily endorse any of these particular products.)

     3.  Explain that sunscreen prevents sagging and aging of skin.  Pick a person who is severely wrinkled--preferably a person who your kids see frequently--and tell the kids that unless they use sunscreen, their skin will someday look the same.  I'm not usually into scare tactics, but this is the truth, and when the kids understand it, they're more willing to cooperate.
          If you don't know anyone with sun-damaged skin, show your kids these pictures:

French actress Brigitte Bardot pre-sun damage.

Brigitte Bardot post-sun damage.

     4.  Explain that sunscreen prevents skin cancer.  Pick a person who has had skin cancer--once again, preferably someone close to the kids--and explain that if the kids don't use sunscreen, they could end up in the same situation.   Explain that if skin cancer is not detected early, it can spread quickly and kill its victims quickly.  I remind my kids about the father of a friend of mine, who liked to be outdoors without a shirt, but refused to use sunscreen.  After years of doing this, he was eventually diagnosed with melanoma and died three months later.

Skin cancer isn't pretty:  a malignant melanoma.