Sensitive to the Sun

When we do the beach, we go early in the morning after a big breakfast (not quite as early as the fishermen who go to the pier - some get there pre sunrise) and then leave before 10am.
A few hours is all we need.
All day would burn me to a crisp.

I am a redhead and burn like mad in the sun, especially when we go on vacation to the ocean, which we do every year. And when we go on vacation, we spend virtually the entire day on the beach every day we are there. I have learned to adapt and what works for me.
I wear a swim shirt if I'm in the sun at all times. SPF 50 at least every hour to two hours at the beach, and I sit under a pop up canopy when I'm not in the water. I don't wear a hat, simply because I find them annoying, but I do wear sunglasses.
We're going on vacation with my brother and his family this summer, and they are also bringing along a canopy for their family. It's completely worth it in my book to know that it will keep me from getting burned and sunpoisoning on vacation!

Think of it this way, they are getting their vitamin D from being in the sun. Freckles are bound to happen on people who are fair skinned and go in the sun.
I personally am so sensitive to the sun that I can only go in the shade. I can't go sit anywhere in the sun so I let my kids run in and out, but we try to do most of what we can in the shade so that we don't have to worry about burns.
Remember that as long as you do your best, and you don't stifle your kids so much that they resent you, then you are being a good mom! One question though, how come they don't wear sunglasses and hats? It seems like these things would be the best and most useful items to put on them. If they have blue eyes especially, then they can get sunburned as well. But, hey, I can't talk because I can't get either one of my kids to leave a hat on either. And they break sunglasses so....

Oh, and freckles are cute! I know a lot of people who have more interesting faces because they have them!

I never tan. I always burn and peel.

When I was growing up SPF hadn't been invented so we could only treat the burn.

Now I use SPF 50 and find shade from 11 to 1. My wife and I went to Jamaica last year and didn't burn at all.

Good luck to you and yours.

Maybe it will help to realize that many of us, particularly in the northeast, are Vitamin D deficient because of INSUFFICIENT time in the sun! We've gotten so paranoid about the skin cancer that we've created other problems.

Keep doing what you are doing (including reapplying sunscreen, which too few people do) and perhaps add the hats, but definitely get everyone out in the fresh air. The activity is important, both for exercise and for socialization. Don't worry about the freckles - they are not the sign of skin cancer! Fair-skinned people get them and most folks find them charming.

All things in moderation! You're right - spending the day under the umbrella is no life! It's also not necessary. If we give up too many things, we create other problems, including health problems!

My whole family is fair. Skin cancer is also common, so I take precautions. You can't "toughen up" fair skin, you have to protect it, and I don't want to end up like many of my older relatives with scarring on their faces because they didn't use sunscreen when they were younger. I also look easily 10 years younger than many of my peers because I didn't sit in the sun all day like they did when we were in high school.

We go to the beach early (before 10) or later (after 3) in the day. My kids can't spend a whole day on a boat on a sunny day, so I forbid that (much to my in-laws chagrin, but they don't have to care for my vomiting and burning children when they get home, I do). They wear hats if we are going to be at the amusement park all day, and yes, I slather them with sunscreen if we are going to be in the sun for more than an hour. We are rarely out long enough to reapply, my kids don't do well in extreme heat either.

Freckles are ok, all my kids have them. I don't worry about the springtime or fall sun, it's much weaker. They are invited to join me in the shade whenever they like and do, if we are at a park or at the beach. We all do tan a little in the summer, but I try to avoid burning altogether. We don't use sunscreen on days they are going to be running around the neighborhood in and out of the shade, because they tend to choose shady areas to play over sunny ones, and most of our old neighborhood IS shady, our house is 109 years old, so the trees are all tall and bushy :)

I don't have issues with my ILs (except the one summer about the boat thing) because I am very straightforward with them and they respect me, so, sorry, I can't help you with that one :(

why no hats or sunglasses? if they are fair, they likely have blue eyes which puts them at much greater risk for cataracts when they're older - one more thing for you to worry about! :)

if you're using sunscreen and are good about reapplying, relax.....I find that I start to burn before they do so I simply monitor myself rather than worrying about them.

mine are starting to fight the swim shirts (they're almost 9 and 11) because it seems no one else uses them...argh! but in the end they hate sunscreen more than they are embarrassed, so they still wear them. my husband and I also wear swim shirts, so that helps with getting them to do it.

we do try to avoid the beach/pool between 11 and 2. I don't worry about amusement parks so much because you're in and out of the shade - ditto on parks.

I don't put sunscreen on them during the school year so by the time school is out they have a slight tan from recess - that helps. I also no longer put sunscreen on them for running around the neighborhood - again gives them a slight tan which helps for the burning (I know, I know doesn't help on the UVA and cancer....) . I figure it also gives them their vitamin D.

I also use really good sunscreen - physical blocks only - no chemical. I'm far more concerned about the chemical reaction in chemical sunscreens (many of which may carcinogens) than I am about a slight burn. If we know we're going to be outside with little or no shade for the entire day - I insist on lightweight long sleeve shirts - problem solved!

You need to stress to the inlaws how easy it is for them to burn. and if they are over the age of 6 - they should be carrying sunscreen/sunblock with them and using it - mine have for many years now. My IL are not that dark-skinned but flat out don't believe in sunscreen/sunblock. My kids simply say they need it. Mostly because each has gotten slightly pink once or twice and they absolutely hated sleeping covered in aloe! Made them very good about using sunblock. Or simply dress them in lightweight long sleeves and hats when they go with grandparents.

if she didn't get freckles to age 4 or older - relax - you're doing fine. even if younger, if she hasn't had a burn, you're doing a fine job.