I don’t normally rant, but this particular post has been on my mind for YEARS. YEARS.
Motivated by a message from an audience member (shout-out to our afternoon rant together haha), I decided I can’t keep quiet about this any longer.
Where the heck are all the trees / shaded areas on our playgrounds / parks!? SERIOUSLY!?
I am sick and tired of going to a playground that is out in the open for our kids to suffer in the heat. Most of us parents will lather the kids in sunscreen, a hat and appropriate clothes, but it’s still unacceptable to build new playgrounds so exposed to our sun.
We should know better than this!
Not only that though, there are no shaded areas for us to chill out and wait while our kids play. The bench seats are out in the open for us to cook like an egg on the pavement. And sometimes that’s how I feel!
I’m sure someone will say “take an umbrella” but COME ON … the bag, the bike, the hats, the food, the drinks AND a huge umbrella!? You’re dreaming mate.
New Zealand and Australia have the highest rates of melanoma in the world.
I went to a park this morning, at around 9am, and there were trees scattered around the edges, and the playground was out in the open. It was a SCORCHER of a day. I was dying. All the seats were out in the open, and the trees were packed with people trying to escape the sun while relaxing.
Another boy’s father commented to me about the lack of shade, and that playgrounds aren’t being built with more shade. Not only for the kids, but for us parents who feel it too!
If you check out the Top 10 Playgrounds in Auckland (on the Auckland for Kids website), the majority of these playgrounds are UNCOVERED.
Now there may be a perfectly good explanation as to why playgrounds aren’t more covered, so if there is – please let me know below! I’m not so high-and-mighty that I can’t be proven wrong.
I just can’t understand how in today’s world, especially in New Zealand where the skin cancer statistics are horrific, that we are exposing our younger generation to this sun.
New Zealand and Australia have the HIGHEST rates of melanoma in the WORLD.
Here are a couple of photos from some Brisbane playgrounds. They have it RIGHT:
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One of the reasons I hate going to playgrounds is purely because of the lack of shade. I am too white for this sun or this heat!
As my rant-partner said “SURELY it’s better/cheaper to install shade sails than pay for cancer treatment?!”
UPDATED: have since created a petition due to the overwhelming response from you guys.
To sign this petition, click here.
How do we change this? A petition? A rant over a blog post with a glass of wine? HOW!? It can’t continue like this!
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