Beauty is skin deep

My husband recently took our son to a dermatologist for a rash, and I filled out the forms online before the appointment. One of the questions was about sunscreen: Did the patient use it daily and what SPF?

At this point the nagging feeling crept in that I do not put sunscreen on my son every day. A lot of days in cooler months I skip the step because we are in a rush or forgetfulness on my part, even though I know it is important to use sunscreen every day.

This is especially true as scientists have recently discovered that about half of the damage the sun does to your skin happens up to three hours after exposure. Just outside on a sunny day for a few minutes? Well, up to three hours later, UV is still damaging your skin.

As someone who already has a vitamin D deficiency and struggles with her relationship with the sun, this is not the best news.

But, it is fixable: I just need to make sure we are all lotioned up before leaving the house from now on - no matter what the weather.

Are you good about protecting your children's skin with sunscreen? Tell me in the comments.