the eric update – day 331: the unofficial start of summer! or what to do about those pesky solar death rays?



the end of birthday week is punctuated by memorial day is the u.s. which is officially a holiday to commemorate u.s. service men and women who died in military service and unofficially the holiday weekend is traditionally thought to mark the start of summer; perhaps not suprisingly it’s also the weekend that many americans choose to “open” their backyard pools in anticipation of A Long Hot Summer ( not that you can swim in a newly “opened” pool, mind you, as the water is freezing and dirty ).

but we did get a chance to sit on the diving board, admiring the sparkling bluish hues with odin who certainly hasn’t seen anything like it in his entire life; it occured to me as i watched the pool reflect on his face that i only had the vaguest idea of how to keep an infant safe while out in the sun. sure wide-brimmed hats ( are sunglasses practical on an infant? ) are important, but what about sunscreen?

it seems like most sources follow the american academy of pediatrics recommendations and advice “caution” only if the infant is younger than six months; prior to six months , it’s generally accepted that sunscreen isn’t dangerous, but it hasn’t been proven safe either.

so i guess it’s o.k. to slather odin in sunscreen if the situation warrants. but surely one or two of you must have a hot summer tip for keeping your infant cool and comfortable while enjoying the outdoors.

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