The warm weather is here, which means summer is right around the corner and I couldn’t be more excited! It felt like a very long and never-ending winter, so my excitement for the summer is multiplied by 100! I think it’s safe to say that Emily, Jackson, Olivia and Levi are also very thrilled for the warm weather and the chance to go outside without wearing an extra 10 pounds of winter gear.
During the summer, I love to be outside as much as I can. I feel so much better about everything, I’m in a better mood and I also find I eat better in the summer too. The kids love being outside as well and I find that each summer as they get older, it becomes easier to get them outside. Emily is now four and a half and the triplets just turned three, so they are able to play on their own (with adult supervision outside of course) and are much more independent. Whether it’s playing in our backyard or going to the beach on the weekends, Emily playing outside during recess while at school, or our new favourite activity, playing at the park after picking Emily up, we try to get outside as much as we can and the kids always have a great time.
As much as we love being outside enjoying the sunshine, we have to make sure that we are all protected from the sun before throwing on our shoes and running out the door. Making sure Emily and the triplets are protected from the sun is one of the most important things for me to do and it’s been something I’ve focused on since they were born, especially during the summer months. Their skin is so delicate and fair, that I feel like they could easily burn and when the sun is so strong some days, it doesn’t take long for that to happen.
To keep the kids protected from the sun, I always try to make sure they have their hats to wear, I cannot 100% guarantee they will wear them, but I do try as much as I can and I make sure to apply sunscreen before we head out and then reapply throughout our time outside. Up until this summer, I had been using Banana Boat Baby Sunscreen Lotion and I just switched to the New Banana Boat® Simply Protect™ Baby Sunscreen Lotion and the New Banana Boat® Simply Protect™ Kids Sunscreen Lotion. I do use both sunscreens now that Emily and the triplets are a little older and will probably continue to use both throughout the summer.
When we plan to spend the day outside or even a few hours outside, Dan and I like to divide and conquer when getting everyone ready. Our routine is a pretty simple one, but at times can be a little chaotic just because it’s Dan and I versus four kids. The first step is getting everyone dressed and all of their diapers changed and if there are a couple stinky ones, I try to make sure they head over to Dan ;). The next step is the important one and that’s to apply the sunscreen.
I have really been enjoying the Banana Boat® Simply Protect™ Baby Lotion for Emily and the triplets. The Simply Protect Baby and Kids Sunscreen Lotions are made with 25% fewer ingredients, including oxybenzone and parabens and contains no added oils or fragrances. The new formula is amazing because it’s mild and gentle enough for your baby and young children’s delicate skin and allows us parents to choose a Banana Boat sunscreen formula that works best for our kids and family!
It can be a challenge, to say the least, when trying to apply sunscreen to the kids, especially when they are so eager to get outside, which means we need a sunscreen lotion that goes on smoothly and quickly. The Simply Protect™ Baby Lotion goes on so smoothly and I love that it doesn’t leave a greasy or oily feel afterwards. It’s that oily feeling that can make it seem like you are spending ages rubbing in the sunscreen, but with the Banana Boat® Simply Protect™ Baby Sunscreen Lotion, you don’t experience that. Emily has also found interest in applying her own sunscreen and she also has a bottle at school, which she has to apply on her own, so it’s nice that it’s easy for her to do. The new formula is also tear free and sting free, making it perfect for Emily when she is applying it herself at school!
Once we are sure everyone has their sunscreen on, we put their hats and shoes on and we are then ready to go!
The kids love to spend as much time as possible outside and so do Dan and I. It’s a great way for them to stay active, burn off some energy and it’s much better than spending all day stuck inside. We don’t have air conditioning in our house, so during the summer months it gets really hot inside. An easy and fun way for us to stay cool is to set up our little pool in the backyard and play in the water. It’s so much fun and the kids love it, but staying protected from the sun is so important. When we use Banana Boat® Simply Protect™ Baby Sunscreen Lotion, I know we can spend as much time outside enjoying the sun, but still staying protected!
We would love to hear what some of your favourite outdoor activities are and how your routine goes when getting everyone ready!
To learn more about Banana Boat’s new Simply Protect Product line you can visit http://www.bananaboat.ca/products/baby-sunscreen-lotion
Thank you to Banana Boat for sponsoring this blog post! We only work with companies who we love and have used prior to being contacted.
The Baby Gang 