Vitamin D and Sunscreen

I remember when I was a kid we just played out doors without a care in the world. I can't believe that I am admitting to this but as a teenager my friends and I intentionally tried to get sunburned.  We would put little designs on our bodies and try to get burnt around them, like a natural tattoo.  What were we thinking:)?  Needless to say I have many moles that have had to be removed over the years.

Now that I am a mama and have seen first hand the affects that the sun has on our skin I am looking to protect my little cubs from my foolish mistakes.  However, lately there is all this talk about Vitamin D and a host of health problems that are associated with the lack of this vitamin.  I NI have the great benefit of being in one of the few States that is not on the list for being extremly difficient in Vitamin D, thank you COlorado sun.  HOwever, this leave me with a difffernt dilema.  I prefer to get the vitamins naturally from the sun, and I don't want to damage my kiddos skin.  So I am wondering what mommas out there are doing?  

So far when the kids are out in the pool I have been making sure they were the pool shirt along with shorts and have been letting them go 30-60 minutes without sun block.  Now what type of sun block to put on them is a different story.

What are you all doing? and Using?

Rick (my hubby) is big on the sunscreen, and I am not. We use a mineral sunscreen. The SPF is low (like 18 maybe), but I don't want all the chemicals in regular sunscreen on my kiddo. Otherwise, it's floppy hats and, when we're on the farm, pants and lightweight but long sleeves. I buy a couple of outfits just for farm days. My son has never had a burn that has not been gone by morning (though, he's come inside pink from time to time). So... I don't know that I have a good answer. I think it's fine to be outside without sunscreen. Besides on my face and shoulders (where I have a lot of previous damage), I don't use it on myself ever. I think it's just more important to watch that you don't get burned. So... if I see my kiddo starting to turn pink, we head indoors to cool off for a while, maybe change into some long sleeves and pull out the hat before heading back out. I'll be interested to see what other mom's do/use...