Protect your Infant!

(Year 230, Summer) In Windenburg there lives a big family in an old, tiny house locally known as Cottage Am See. Heidi (Lobster) Wooblershield (50) raised four children, and is still not done with that job, as the youngest is just about starting school. With all her baby experience she now reacts to how many parents leave their infants and toddlers unprotected in the sun.

- I'm surprised - not to say shocked, when I see small helpless infants put down on a mat in the heating sun without sunglasses! How can  any parent think that is a great idea to expose those young eyes with extreme bright light? Some wear a sunhat, which might help a little on a clouded day, but on a sunny Summer day a hat is far from enough! The infant's eyes are not prepared for such bright light, and the skin of an infant or toddler has absolutely no desire to be exposed for the burning sun at all!

I visited our Old town park with my own toddler, Maria, yesterday. I counted nine minors there, and only one of them wore sunglasses! We had a heat wave, and not a cloud was in sight north, south, east or west. I hinted to a few of the mothers, but you don't instruct other parents without getting some annoyed looks, so I'm glad I was allowed to point this out here!

Heidi is a homemaker working 150% with raising four kids. Cooking, cleaning, comforting, diapers, schoolwork and manners, it's never a problem to fill the day. She found time to craft a few candles for sale, to add a little to the income her husband provides. Lance Wooblershield (51) works as a Politician on national level and has long work days often including travels and evening meetings.

- Now that the boys, Konrad (19) and twins Christopher (17) and Arnt (17), are teenagers, they can  help more in the house, but they also need to hang with friends and to build individual interests and skills aside of school work. School work alone is not enough to set their future career, you know!

Heidi L. Wooblershield admits she might be a little overprotective, but with infants and toddlers it will _always_ be better to worry, than to be sorry. The sunrays are too dramatic to them to ignore! The better option would be to find a spot in the shadows, or rather pick a partly clouded day for your outdoor activities. You should still bring a sunhat and sunglasses on a cloudy day, and keep some clothes on - at least for most of the time spent outdoor. The infant needs to learn how it feels when skin is exposed for sunrays, but ten minutes is enough, really! Hours would be a huge mistake, indeed!

- Learn from the animals, Heidi concludes. - On a warm and sunny day a dog or cat will rest in the shadows by instinct. You might say, they et warm because of their fur, but remember that dogs and cats have got a pair of eyes, too - and no sunglasses for protection.