Take precautions for a fun summer

By Dana Benson

School is almost out, and summer stretches out before us. Many families will be heading off for sunny vacations and youngsters will be spending lots of time at the local pool or park, and there's plenty they can do to ensure a safe and fun summer.

My daughter and I will be taking our first trip to Mexico together, and I've already started thinking about all the things I'll need to pack – sunscreen, insect repellant, wide-brimmed hats, sunglasses, and the list goes on.

That's a far cry from when I was a teenager and somehow thought that slathering on mass amounts of baby oil to get a tan was an acceptable practice. Now I'm paying the price for that irresponsible behavior, and I'm doing everything I can to make sure my child stays protected, especially during the summer months.

The fact is that summertime presents lots of potential dangers, and one of the biggest threats is sunburns. It's important to wear broad-spectrum sunscreen and to protect the face and eyes even more with a hat and sunglasses. In fact, sunglasses are recommended not just for adults but for children too – be sure to look for shades that provide 99 to 100 percent protection from UVA and UVB rays.

Sunburn is my biggest concern for myself and my daughter because we're fair-skinned and freckly, but there are other things to look out for over the summer. Precautions should be taken so things like heat-related illnesses, insect bites and water accidents don't get in the way of summer fun.

Fortunately, it's easy to ward off summer hazards. Avoid strenuous activity during the heat of the day, drink plenty of water, don't leave children unattended by a pool or body of water, use insect repellant and – again – sunscreen.

All it takes is a little planning and common sense to have fun in the sun this summer.