Did you know that 80% of skin's damage from the sun occurs before age 18? The good news is... you can start a lifelong habit with your children, or grandchildren, with sunscreen. Teach them to protect themselves from the sun's harmful rays. On average, children get three times as much sun as adults do.

Take your Simple Pledge to care for your skin and set an example for children by:

• Always using a sunscreen with a minimum SPF (Sun Protection Factor) of 15. If you are fair-skinned, consider using an SPF of 30 or higher. Apply 15 to 30 minutes before going outside. Reapply every 2 to 3 hours.
  
• Limiting your time in the sun. Avoid the sun when it's hottest, typically between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Don't be fooled by cloudy days... up to 70% of the sun's rays penetrate cloud cover. And, reflective surfaces, such as water, can increase your risk of burning.
  
• Wearing protective clothing and sunglasses. Be certain children wear a hat with a wide brim, to protect their head and eyes. Consider an additional T-shirt for added protection.

Now that you're taking steps to protect your skin, make sure you focus on safety at the pool. The American Red Cross recommends:

• Learn to swim. The best thing anyone can do to stay safe in and around the water is to learn to swim. Always swim with a buddy; never swim alone.
  
• Even if you can swim, only swim in areas supervised by a lifeguard.
  
• Set water safety rules for the whole family based on swimming abilities (for example, inexperienced swimmers should stay in water less than chest deep).
  
• Stop swimming at the first sign of bad weather.

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