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.