Summer Sunshine -- Uh Oh!

All parents know what it's like to have a stranger on the street tell you to bundle up your child in the cold or put a hat on. And surely you can appreciate the frustration that ensues when you know the reason your child isn't wearing a hat or gloves is because he refuses even though you’re aware that his hands and ears feel like popsicles. So now that it's summer it's time for the less obvious advice and perhaps a little guilt or self doubt. 
 
Recently we were walking along the street taking in the sights of a street fair. I'd walked through while they were setting up early in the morning and my son was completely engrossed watching the tents being set up. As we walked by, I pointed out the different merchandise that would soon be on display for interested buyers. He was practically in a trance and, to my surprise, not even bothered at being in his stroller for an hour. 

A couple of hours later I had to run some errands so I decided to walk through the street fair again, now that it was up and running, and grandma was with us. My son loves music so naturally we stopped in front of the three piece band giving a, not so good, blues serenade. As I watched my son rock back and forth in his stroller, clapping along, I noticed the midday sun beating down on his pale white legs and arms. He had also decided he didn't want to wear his hat anymore, after only a few minutes outside, so his head and face were also soaking up the UV rays.

I had a flashback to a woman I'd seen a little earlier in the day stopped under a shady awning, slathering her kids with sunscreen. All of the sudden, my mind raced. "Am I a bad parent? Am I abusing my child because I haven't put sunscreen on him? Is he going to get skin cancer later in life because I am not protecting him from the sun?" I thought of all these things but couldn't really do much because I didn't actually have sunscreen with me. Sure I have a bottle of it in the diaper bag along with insect repellent, band aids, Neosporin and other essentials. But I was only a few blocks from home so I didn't schlep it along. 
 
I felt panicked and wanted to leave immediately but in the interest of avoiding a decision that my son would protest, I waited until the song ended. Then, I turned the stroller around and we started to head towards home. I suppose it was too late to think about walking in the shade now. As we walked, my mother said to me, "I noticed a woman lathering sunscreen all over her kids." I, of course, didn't let her know we were rushing home because I was feeling unfit as a mother for exposing her grandchild to the harmful rays of the sun. I just said, "I know, I was thinking that I should have done the same." That was the end of our discussion. 
 
Maybe she read my mind and knew? Maybe she was making her point simply, or maybe she was conceding that she hadn't thought about it either? But I think it's a safe bet I'll think about it before we head outside for the rest of the summer. 

This is an original post to NYCMoms Blog. Debra lives in the Upper West Side with her husband and toddler son.