"No hat, no outside" not working. Been trapped inside with toddler for 4 days.

[SelfBuild]

Toddler (22 months) will not wear a sun hat, only a wooly bobble hat, we've tried 5 different sun hats with his favourite things on. Just not working. Went out last week and it was hot and he'd only put a bobble hat on and he was sodden with sweat afterwards.

So I toughened up, put the bobble hat out of sat and have lined up a selection of sun hats next to his shoes by the door. Everytime for the last 4 days he's asked to go in the garden, for a walk or to the park we've had the "no hat, no play/no go outside" argument. He will not back down and just tears it off so we haven't left the house. It's so sunny and nice and I'm just stuck indoors with a cranky toddler who hasn't had a proper run around in days but neither of us will back down.

What do I do?

I'm super fair and have never used a hat or burnt my scalp, even in hot countries

Yes I can see my dog submitting to that! Completely bonkers.

Why is it bonkers? They can burn and get skin cancer just like we do. I put sunscreen on my mostly white dog in the summer - they're just wipes and you wipe over their skin and ears - takes about a minute.

I did the same as NotOnMute.
I think it is important that you always wear a hat as well and , yes, sun cream .

I just spent about two summers replacing the hat. (And we sought out the shade for breaks.)
A sort of physical version of the broken record technique.

My kids ended up wearing hats no problem. But it took time and repetition.

@Pinkandwhiteblossom

Anybody rubbishing the OP on this clearly doesn’t have children with incredibly fair skin. My kids are already wearing factor 50 and sunhats. And so am I!

OP you just need to persist. I wouldn’t stop taking him out or, honestly, trying new hats but you just need to keep going. My DDs wouldn’t go out without hats now but it did take a lot of effort in the early years.

I have a child with the fairest skin ever - it's almost translucently pale, he has red hair and freckles. Yes he burns. Yes you have to be careful. We used to have those "french legion" style caps with a flap down the back for nursery and school and several at home. But for a 10 minute tear around the garden in APRIL? Totally OTT. If they're going to be out there all afternoon maybe but even then i'd encourage them to sit on a blanket in the shade or something if you feel it's too hot.

Where the OP is going wrong is expecting to be able to reason with a toddler who is not even 2 yet.

So you either present it as if they have a choice - do you want the Fireman Sam baseball cap or the Paw Patrol floppy hat? Or if he wants a woolly hat with a bobble, fine.

Or you just leave the house with the hat in your bag and after 20 minutes or half an hour, you tell them to put it on. Far less of a drama when they're out, and engaged in having fun, or distracted. The fact you have made this into such a drama OP is not helping matters at all.

My twins are 4 and one just started complying with hat wearing this winter. The other has never worn a hat of any description. They are both autistic and I can’t explain why they need it, I can’t even get a hat on one of them.

If his hair is that thin and fine just coat his head in sun cream cream. You can wipe it with a cloth later or bathe him.

I agree don't make such an issue of it. I would plonk the hat on if we were in the sun and they were distracted.

Use a sunhat with a chinstrap, such as this one-
www.babipur.co.uk/organic-clothing/children-s-organic-clothing/hats/lgr-rainbow-tigers-reversible-sun-hat.html?gclid=CjwKCAjwjuqDBhAGEiwAdX2cjwyt6uYVJ-83fsbNGYp1g17G4mGITKb-BThcAQaqMz70eXxjdaaXGBoCZyQQAvD_BwE

@Doyouwantanothercuppa

Calypso scalp protection spray. I think Superdrug sell it.

Thank you so much! Just bought 2 of these, didn't even know it existed. I have a ginger, fair 2yo who also won't wear a hat. This is perfect.

I think it's easier in Australia as most children will be wearing sun protection, they have to wear hats and have covered shoulders at nursery. Much less of a battle when everyone is doing it.

Omg, your poor child is only 22 months! Take him out! There are many ways to avoid getting burned w out a hat or sunscreen. Geez! Going out before 11am for example when the sun isn’t as strong and keeping to the shade when you can. Walking in direct Sun in April for 10 mins (or more!) would not burn you while you find some shaded areas to play. Many parks have trees. Or go out from 4pm.

I have two fair kids, and we only put sun hats and cream if they were out in direct strong sun for more then 10 mins and as babies they never kept hats on! In the stroller I just put the stroller hood to cover them while we walked to park. In the park there were many shaded areas. But I also did let them go in the sun a bit. They need vitamin D.

May go out early morning and back in by 11 to miss the mid day UV rays’

My youngest was like thus and is almost 3 now. We found he loves straw hats, literally won't take them off, won't tolerate any other kinds though. I just sun creamed his scalp and hair before we found it though

@UhtredRagnarson

You could try wearing his sunhat and telling him he can’t have it.

Good tactics.

We are in U.K. ffs.....

I haven't finished reading the thread, but the OP I'd getting such a hard time, especially those who are saying "it's only April".

According to www.metoffice.gov.uk/public/weather/uv-index-forecast/#?tab=map&map=MaxUVIndex&zoom=5&lon=-4.00&lat=54.61&fcTime=1618617600 this, UV levels are currently "moderate" across the whole of the UK, with a "high" on the south coast.

I am a 40-something who burns very easily. If I was going outside for longer than about 30 minutes today I'd consider putting sun cream on (and would most likely 'catch the sun if I didn't put any on).

@NameChange30

I can't believe you've stayed in for 4 days because of this

Let him wear the woolly hat and get sweaty.
Take the sun hat with you in case he wants to take off the woolly hat, tell him he has to wear one of the hats or go home.
Even if you go home at least you'll have gone out in the first place!

Totally agree with this.

Often when out and threat is going home they'll make a better connection. He's only 22 months

Thanks for this thread, you just reminded me to remind DH, who was heading out the door to play golf, to wear a hat. He’s not particularly fair but he has not got a very thick covering of hair and his scalp burns easily. Yes even in April.

I am fair skinned and have a very pale red-haired child who always always wore a hat (floppy sun hat type) up to about age 8 (which is quite amazing as not the most trendy hat!). Although I never had to battle with him over it, luckily.

I’m about to do some gardening and I’m putting some sun cream on.

Reverse psychology - YOU wear a hat that'd he'd like (Dinosaurs, whatever) and make a massive fuss of 'how cool' you look, 'how amazing it is', go overboard. The whole hog. Even go in with 'ooo I'm not sure this would fit you!' toddlers, IME, want to do the complete opposite of what you want, use that to your advantage.

Toddlers are shits - play him at his own game OP.

• that he'd like 🤦🏻‍♀️

I wouldn't be having the struggle. Unless you're in somewhere really hot and sunny - Aus, Africa, etc I wouldn't worry yet. He'll be over the grumps about his hat by June.

How about spray on sun cream.? Much worse for his health is not going out for 4 days.

As long as you don't go out 12-3 you should be okay. When it gets hotter you will have to find a lighter cream though you d9 know he doesn't need it on his hair ? He needs it on his face, ears, neck and hands plus legs if in shorts.