"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 solved this problem with my children by sewing ribbons onto the hat and tying them under the chin in a double bow. They couldn't figure out how to pull it off and eventually gave up.

In April???! Just go outside!

@KindleRemote

You're being ridiculous OP.

And I say that as a fair-skinned person who burns easily has a ginger child who is allergic to most sun creams. Just go outside.

Some observationd I have made on hats for my kids though. IMO they are always too small. My DC are 6 and 8 and wear adult sized caps. They wear them all the time (might help they're super Mario, I dunno). It's only been since buying adult sized hats for them that I've got them to wear them. So maybe size up?

Have you tried something like a bandana? Baseball cap? Dress up hat? Do you wear one yourself? You might find he gets on board if you wear one too.

Listen to Kindle, if anyone is going to know, they will

You can get sunburn any time of year or at any temperature!

Don’t worry about it. Why make life miserable. My two never wore hats. They’re fine

This is crazy. Go outside. Its April. Use sunscreen if you are concerned

Crikey. Mine never wore sun hats as they just ripped them off all the time.
Put sun screen on his face and neck and avoid the really scorching middle part of the day in the sun. Job done

My x3 kids never wore hats even in hot countries just spray some sun tan lotion on his scalp

Wow. You're having a standoff with a 22month old and as a result neither of you have left the house for four days.....?
Are you usually so inflexible and stubborn?
There's something really unpleasant about this, really quite controlling.
Put on some sun cream and take the poor child out, for goodness sake.

All those who are adamant that it’s impossible to get burnt in April in the UK:

Read. The. Thread.

Several of us have got sunburnt in April, several of us have children who have got burnt in April.

It’s almost like everyone is different!

It’s isn’t just about it being April, it’s the temperature right now this particular April 🤦🏼‍♀️

dd2 insisted on wearing wellie boots all through a really hot summer very fetching with w pretty sundress - wouldn't wear gloves so we used size down long socks which were harder to get off
she survived
any hat just keep trying different types even if its a shower cap! (thinks mop cap!)

Being stuck indoors for 4 days is much worse for his health than going out without a sun hat.

You can get special scalp (spray) suncream.

Bribe with chocolate buttons?! Desperate times!

@HalzTangz

Yes, same with people with pets, sun cream should be applied to animals outside. My daughter wouldn't wear hats, so slathered her scalp with sunscreen instead

Why is everythihg such a drama on here, why do you need to slather anything, why not just put on some sun cream? Sounds exhausting before you even leave the house

I feel sorry for the OPs poor child, stuck indoors for no reason unless I missed that you are under some kind of curfew during non sun burning hours

Go to freezer, get out two ice lollies, walk to door. Put your hat on and walk outside with two lollies. Start eating lolly and playing.
If he follows then walk back to the door with him and say 'hat first, then outside'
Don't make it seem like a bribe, although it is. If he wants to come outside and have a lolly and a play with you then he must put his hat on.
Enjoy lolly, with or without belligerent toddler.
If it doesn't work then don't make it into a battle.
New day fresh start tomorrow.

Might also work with bubbles.

I have two ginger hat refusers. They did eventually grow out of it but i used to use scalp spray and just avoid baking in midday heat. April is no problem

Failing that are there any local woodland areas to play in?

You need the sun cream in an aerosol can. Just spray it over his head/hair.

My kids never wore hats at this age. The battle wasn't worth it. They'd just tear it off their heads too. So sun cream it was! It worked and everyone was happy (except them for the brief 30 seconds to apply the sun cream!)

This is how people end up with Vit D deficieny

Take him out to the woods.
The tree canopy can be his hat!

Those of you saying take him out without one obviously don't have fair children. My kids would've burnt in this weather when they were younger and had to wear hats.

You haven't left your house for four days because you can't outwit a one-year-old?