What You Need to Know About Black Kids and Sunscreen
In the summer and even the winter
Tabitha here: As a mama to two Black multiracial kids and an anti-racist parenting educator, I consistently hear questions and comments about Black kids and skincare from other parents and educators. Lately, the sun has been blessing us generously (maybe a bit too much because of climate change) so naturally the topic of sun protection has been popping up. There are so many myths about Black kids and sunscreen, some innocent and some with their groundings in racist beliefs.
Either way, they need to be debunked because all are dangerous to our Black kids. So I took on the task.
I penned two articles for Good Housekeeping that every adult who interacts with Black children need to read. I was honored to benefit from the expertise of Brianna Olamiju, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist, to learn all about what we need to do to protect Black children’s skin from harmful rays.
You may be wondering what sunscreen has to do with raising antiracist kids. As with every single system that exists, the healthcare industry is not exempt from racism. And that is evident in the medical care that our Black kids receive. Part of parenting, caring for and educating Black kids is being knowledgeable about the proper care for them so that they can have the best chance at a long healthy life. Health and wellbeing is a part of that. Often, as explained in the articles, even professionals need support in wading through the misinformation about Black kids and sun protection.
Recommended Adult Reading:
“I’m a Black Mom—Here’s What I Got Wrong About Sunscreen”
This article debunks 5 most common myths about Black kids and sunscreen. Read that one here. Some of these I even believed myself all the way into my adulthood so no shame if you did as well.
“I Finally Found the Perfect Sunscreen for My Family—and It Leaves Zero White Cast”
And because I didn’t want to leave us adults without some actionable support for our kiddos, I wrote about the one sunscreen I use for my entire family here. You read that right. I use one sunscreen for all our skin tones, our skin dramas and everything in between.
Remember the first building block of anti-racist parenting is Continuous Education. When we know better, we do better and we’re able to teach our kiddos from a much more informed position.
As we wrap up the summer, take good care, try to get some rest and love up on your kids, okay?
Tabitha