17 month old - how to keep a sunhat on ?

[GIRLSAT104]

I should have this cracked, as 17 month old isn't my first, but I can't for the life of me get her to keep her sunhat on. She screams hysterically - worse still if it has any sort of tie or elastic. Any suggestions please ?

[fruitful]

Does she pull it off? If not, let her scream?

With dd I gave her the choice - wear a hat, or stay in the house. Or stay in the pram with the hood pulled down, if we were out.

With ds (14mo), I put the hat on, tied it on, and instantly handed him a biscuit. I did that 3 times (on different days!) and he is now resigned to the hat. But he is not terribly stubborn.

[Mummy2Toby]

I distract my ds (17 months) - I have found that if I just put the hat on, he whips it straight back on again ..... but, if he is eating a banana or biscuit when I put the hat on, he doesn't seem to notice
Mind you it does still come off eventually but at least it is less of a struggle - HTH

[Aurala]

What worked for us was buying ds a cowboys hat and a firemans hat from mothercare/elc and he wore them in the house nearly all day (even wanted to eat dinner wearing them!). He always pulled sunhats off and after loving his play hats so much he now loves wearing sunhats too and even asks for them! :)

HTH

[martian]

Has she chosen the hat herself? It might help if it's a hat she particularly likes. My dd had a very small head so her sun hats stayed on so long as there wasn't the slightest breeze Fortunately she had very thick hair from quite young.

Alternatively I'd go with fruitful and give her the option, either stay in or sit in the shade, or wear her hat.

[Elibean]

I gave dd a choice, hat or pushchair with hood up. I also didn't insist on her wearing it in the shade - just in the sun, and explained why (explanations makd all the difference with dd, even at that age). She also hated elastic or ties, but the legionnaire type 'flap' hat seemed to go down a bit better - good luck!

[zippitippitoes]

I think distravction is the answer too...doing something else when you put on them they don't oddly seem to notice and can keep it on for ages before realsiing it's there and also if they habitually wear it over a few days you may find she asks for it

[GIRLSAT104]

thank you for all the fab suggestions ! I hadn't turned my PC on for a few days...so sorry it is a belated thank you. LOL to you all.

[plummymummy]

Could you try a reward system if she keeps hat on eg dd if you keep your hat on I'll give you a sticker or we'll go to the park cos we can't go to the park if you won't wear your hat as the sun will burn your poor little head .......or something like that?