It's summer which means you're probably headed to the beach to catch some cosmic rays, relax, and show off your new stylish shades... If you're a parent though you need to worry about protecting your kid from the sun. This week Daddy Clay and Daddy Brad discuss some easy ways to make sure your kids don't fry! Sun protection is big business - from sunscreen to beach umbrellas - there are plenty of options so grab your beach gear and enjoy! Dadlabs Ep. 313 The Lab.

CLAY Summer approaches. The season when things slow down, time to kick back read a good book and a tall fruity drink and relax.

BRAD Unless you have kids. One of the biggest warm weather worries for parents is sun protection. That’s why we’re bringing you a bright, sunny week on sunburn.

CLAY Brought to you by One Step Ahead, great baby gear every step of the way, One Step Ahead. Stick around to the end of the video, and we’ll tell you how to win some great sun gear from One Step Ahead.

BRAD You’ve probably heard that most of the lifetime sun exposure you get comes before you’re 18. But did you know that just two blistering sunburns in childhood doubles your chance of melanoma?

CLAY But what’s really troubling is how embarrassing it is when your kid gets a sun burn.

BRAD Embarrassing.

CLAY It’s like the kid is lobster red for everyone to see, and their judging you, even if the kid is just really tan, you know people are thinking “bad parent.” Didn’t use sunscreen.

BRAD So it’s all about you.

CLAY And DadLabs -- image to keep here.

BRAD When parents think about sun protection, they automatically think sunscreen. The problem is this stuff is highly susceptible to parent error. Common scenario: you plonk down at the pool and the kid goes tearing ass off before you get him or her greased up. You spend the rest of the day trying to reel them back in. Get the sunscreen on before you leave the house or hotel, and lay it on thick, studies show that average person uses half the required dose to get full SPF. Reapply every two hours. Make it a pre-condition of getting snacks and drinks. Regular use of sunscreen diminishes skin cancer risk by nearly 80%.

CLAY If you are headed outside with the kids, you want to find shade or bring it with you. Especially if you have little ones. Babies younger than six months should stay out of direct sunlight. A dad favorite and hernia-centric item, the beach umbrella is an old standby. When picking one of these babies out, make sure you look for the SPF, believe it or not that can vary a lot. Obviously thicker fabric is going to be heavier but yield better protection. You might also consider a tent like this one. Take the breeze into consideration when you are setting up. These things can get warm, and you definitely want to use the stakes! You don’t want your kid going along for the ride when this thing decides to tumbleweed down the beach.

BRAD Daddy Clay, let’s talk beach fashion.

CLAY Remember back in the day, when there was always that one fat kid that wore his t-shirt swimming.

BRAD That was you, wasn’t it Daddy Clay.

CLAY Yes, it was. But now wearing a shirt to the pool is cool.

BRAD These swim shirts that look like surfer gear have made it okay. The kids don’t mind them, they look cute an great sun protection.

CLAY And you go one step further with these body suits. You think these might be hot, but once they’re wet, they’re breathable. These things are a must for toddlers on the beach. They’re rolling around in sand like a powdered doughnut, this keeps it out of the diaper where it can really cause irritation. It will not however keep them from eating sand. Whole other issue.

BRAD Hats and sunglasses. They may resist at first, but like bike helmets, you insist, sooner or later it just becomes part of the routine. Clean the sunglasses every time before putting them on and the kid will like them better. Well that all for us this week in the lab. We’re brought to you by One Step Ahead, so we’ve got a really great giveaway.

BRAD This week we have a collection of baby blanket sun screen products and a $50 gift certificate for One Step Ahead & Leaps & Bounds Merchandise that can be used to select items from their Sun Smarties Line (or anything else).

CLAY All you have to do to get registered for the drawing is to leave us a comment, you tip or trick for sun protection,and you’re in! We’ll see you next week here in the lab.

BRAD You know who doesn’t have to worry about any of this? Possums. Nocturnal.