Fair Skin in Mississippi

The girls and I all have very fair skin. I have had a lot of sunburns in my life and try very hard not to burn my kids skin. We love to be outdoors and especially we love to swim. Yesterday, we forgot one of the cardinal rules of swimming and Lily and I both got sun burns.

This is Lily's first sunburn. I have been doing a good job of keeping her skin safe. Everyday before swim lessons I apply her waterproof sunscreen 30 minutes before she gets in the water. I use SPF 15. When Mandy was a baby the Pediatrician recommended that we always use SPF 15. He said that using a higher number doesn't really offer that much more protection from the sun but does put a lot more chemicals into her blood stream. I only use sunscreen when we are going to be in the direct sun for more than 15 minutes between the hours of 10 A.M. and 2 P.M.

Yesterday, after swim lessons, Lily and I had a picnic lunch and then went back to the pool and swam together for a couple of hours. I forgot to reapply sunscreen to Lily and forgot to put any on me at all. That is so weird, I am always so good about remembering to put on the sunscreen. I don't know what I was thinking.

Our burns are mostly gone this morning. We had so much fun at the pool. Lily is possessed with wanting to learn to swim. She worked very hard re-doing all the things she does at her lessons, over and over again for two hours. I couldn't believe her determination. I had to drag her home kicking and screaming. I really don't like that determination when it is focused on fighting with me, but when it is focused on swimming it is a delight to see.

Lily absolutely refuses to listen to me or allow me to help her be a better swimmer. Her swimming technique is to stand in a vertical position and move her arms and legs in a way that makes her look like she is running under water. By the end of the day she was getting horizontal and moving her arms at least in a way that would propel her toward her goal. It cracks me up that she tries so hard but wont listen to my guidance at all. Not her swim instructor either. At some point our teachings will sink in and Lily will swear that she thought of it on her own. Yesterday, she jumped into the water and swam to the ladder more than 50 times. She didn't want me to touch her at all.

We had so much fun, and we want to go again today. I am worried about the sunburns and wondering if that is such a good idea. Perhaps if we put on sunscreen and keep our time at the pool down to a shorter amount of time. Maybe we should wait until next week. Next week is our last week of summer vacation. All summer I have been taking Lily swimming in our yard because we have a little pool and at the base pool she cannot touch the ground. I thought she would have more fun in the little pool. Turns out she is having more fun in the water over her head at the big pool.

Seems that we have decided to swim today in the noon sun with sunburns. Lily is so very excited. Me too!