AIBU to worry about children without hats or shade in hot weather

Say something? Who are you, the hat police? There are any number of reasons why kids might not be wearing hats, none of which are any of your business.

Yes it slightly concerns me. But I snack trained my child- she wouldn't wear a hat, but wouldn't get a snack in or out of the buggy without wearing it for a few minutes- and had to be on during the eating if said snack- and we just increased the time. Hubby always wears a hat- but I don't like them- but we do slip on sunglasses, slap on a hat, slop on suncream to go in the sun..... And no snacks if you aren't wearing a hat.....

It baffles me the number of people in this thread who say their children won't wear a hat, yet just allow it.

My children wear their hats. When they were toddlers, if they refused to keep their hats on they wouldn't be allowed to play in the sun and would have to sit in the buggy. If the hat was taken off and they didn't want to put it back on, they'd have to come and sit out of the sun. They soon learnt that if they wanted to have fun, they had to wear the hat.

It's basic parenting!

My DC are older now, but neither of them ever wore hats as little ones (and indeed now, as older teens). They never wanted too, plus I am not keen on wearing hats myself so never modelled this. I was, however, very thorough and conscientious with sunscreen, which of course isn't necessarily apparent to others 🤷

I've one kid who likes a gentle stroll and will wear a hat, actually they enjoy hats, they ask for their hat, they mention mummy's hat, daddy's hat... And I have one kid who loves to run and can't wear hats as they worry it will be blown away 🤷

I am shocked to see so many babies and toddlers out and about in the heat of the day. I always reorganised the day if it was this hot and we were out and about before 8am and in the evening but not at all in the blazing sun.

Today my 18 month old was wondering around an outdoor pool in just a swim nappy

(And mostly the hideous green hat I refer to above)

to some it’s ’wow That baby has no top on, no arms covered’ etc. to me, I had JUST taken off his wet t shirt as he was shivering, dried him, applied a load of sun cream and he was walking about.

i do agree I have however seen an incredible amount of bright red people this year. Mainly adults

Let the toddler choose the hat!
im not kidding, my 4 year old chose a bright green hideous cap with eyes on when he was about 18 months. He left it on! He liked it.

my second son now 18 months saw it lying around (I kept hold of it just incase) lo and behold he’s fallen in love with it too and keeps it on! Yes occasionally he throws it off but I put it back on and he leaves it on!

it’s a shame it’s hideous.

I got a lecture when my DD was about a year old. She was in a carrier on my back. She was covered in factor 50 white as a lily. She had just ditched her hat but DH hadn’t noticed yet. We were in a crowd at a festival so never found the hat but had a spare. Didn’t seem to occur to busybody women that baby had made it to the end of August without any sun tan so maybe we were capable of managing sun protection.

What would you say? They obviously know hats exist and have chosen not to put one on, or the kid is a hat refuser. I’m genuinely struggling to imagine how that convo would go?

Am i supposed to be putting a hat on 7yo dd?

I do have one (£25 from an arsenal, the day after the league victory! I went a bit insane) but shes autistc and just threw it at me 😫

Mind your own business. It doesn’t affect you. not that it matters but my daughter always has a hat with her but she literally sweats all over the place with it on and gets far to hot so takes it off. I use a spf scalp spray to prevent her head burning.

My toddler will put absolutely anything on her head except for a hat.

I saw a teeny tiny baby in a carrier yesterday, could only see bare skin. Should have been covered, imo. Poor thing 😟

Apart from when she was a baby, my daughter has never been a fan of hats or sunglasses. She’s 11 now and never once has had sunburn or sunstroke. Since a fairly young age she has always been fairly good at regulating her exposure, naturally seeking shade even without my guidance. Not saying all kids are like that.
But you can’t seriously be considering telling a stranger to put a hat on their child? You really think that is likely to be welcomed? Good luck with that.

Yes mine is the same, hats indoors are perfectly acceptable. Outside absolutely not.

I also use a spf50 mineral powder on her head which seems to do the job really well without making her hair greasy.

I understand the concern for very tiny babies. Other children could have factor 50 suncream and a bottle of water and be ok.
My child loves the sea so I prioritise a rash vest to cover his shoulders more than a hat, and suncream his face.

My DS has a skin condition and hats really irritate him. I closely monitor how much time he's had in the sun, when he's drinking water and his sun cream. Probably best you keep unsolicited comments to yourself.

I only care about my own kids, I don’t waste my time worrying about other people’s kids.

Where I live (another European country) people - older women mainly - are constantly doling out unsolicited advice which is actually judgement disguised as concern. Its so damaging to your self esteem, particularly as a first time parent, to have someone publicly shame you for something you might have already tried your best with, hat wearing being a good example because plenty of babies and toddlers just won't wear them. It's unfortunate if many parents aren't aware of the dangers of sun damage but unless you're their health visitor or doctor, it's not your job to educate them and by intervening you might ruin an already fragile mum's day.

I don't get worried as I leave the parents to parent their own DC. This is speaking as a parent who had a DC that wouldn't keep at hat on, no matter what I tried. Even now as an adult and knowing all the dangers she rarely wears a hat, although she will always wear sunscreen.

Having said this, I have just been to Tesco, and yes I was judging all the parents who were accompanied by children with obvious pink skin/sunburn

Stop judging. You have no idea what sunscreen they're wearing or how often the parents have tried to keep hats on their heads.

Times have moved on. There are plenty of sunscreens on the market that can be applied to the head and scalp. I am not saying parents shouldn't offer hats but I wouldn't judge parents of DC not wearing them.

Ours is so hit and miss. Loves to wear her sun hat while only wearing her nappy and eating strawberries indoors but throws it on the floor outside. We’ve been doing scalp spray and me just following her round trying to trick her into wearing it.

My DC wouldn't wear hats