"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?

My kids are very fair, I took them.out with a canopy on the pushchair and plonking hats on now and again. I also took to the shade where it was available. But fair people need sunshine too: just not too.much.

I don’t have any suggestions but you are totally reasonable to want him to wear a hat. I have very pale skin and blonde hair and need to wear a hat in this weather too - I have burnt my scalp many times and it’s not pleasant! I have used the Calypso spray someone mentioned, it’s ok but it’s only factor 15.

Are you in the UK? Suncream him up and get out there, you could go early morning/late afternoon and stick to shady areas if you’re particularly concerned.

Some posters haven't been very nice , but in their own way they're saying you don't need to worry too much atm. Go out early or later , maybe (as with potty training) don't have arguments and make it a huge thing.
They have short memories , leave it this week and try again in a couple of weeks.
Does he like a character eg Peppa ? Can you find a video of his favourite wearing a hat ?

Also people who can’t accept that you can get sunburnt in April - have you ever been skiing? DP has burnt a ski goggle outline on his face before!

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

I’m on the beach in a vest top at 5.30. It’s beautiful on the south coast!

Mine have never worn hats nor burnt.
One is very fair, one darker..

I don't know how we did it?
I remember a brolly and hoods on the pushchairs... Shade.. Placing toys in shade in the garden... Umbrellas in garden as well...

And I’ve got my Factor 30 on 🙂

Many dc absolutely hate wearing hats

Sun screen his head. Why on earth not? Otherwise:
Parasol and run about after him like a blue-arsed fly.
Pirate hat or whatever appeals from fancy dress shop.

@InTheFamilyTree

Where do you live, the Maldives?? Seriously, it's April, the sun is not some mythical beast of Satan, just go!

This ^

You expect a 22 month old child to fully understand the concept of no hat meaning no outside? And to prove this point you have simply stayed in the house?

It's not working.

This. And...

You're having a standoff with a 22month old and as a result neither of you have left the house for four days.....?

There's something really unpleasant about this, really quite controlling

While you are sitting at home maybe try reading about child development, especially the very early years? What you are expecting the poor little thing to grasp, at not yet two years old, is beyond his comprehension right now.

It doesn’t necessarily follow that sitting out in the sun what ever your hair colour you will burn.

My friend who has red hair tans beautifully whilst my natural hair is auburn and I can sit out in the sun and

Sorry dabbed too soon.

I never tan. I go red in the face then cool down and go white again.

Friends who are sun worshippers said I wasn’t lying out for long enough.
I lay out for 6 hours per day on holiday with them one year everyday for a fortnight and whilst everyone around me went brown I stayed white.

My white blond ds gets an amazing coffee coloured tan. Dd is like me and remains white as a sheet.

Unless it is a baking hot day without a cloud in the sky I wouldn’t put sunscreen on them as they need a bit of sunshine on their skin.

@ChristmasTreeInJune

Sew a bobble on to a sun hat!

👏👏👏👏👏

Take him out and just keep putting it on his head, time after time after time. Keep distracting him. One time he'll forget it's on his head for maybe three minutes and he'll take it off. Put it back on and distract him again with a game. Next time he forgets it'll be 5 minutes. It'll gradually get longer. Meanwhile, with every month he gets older he'll get more reasonable! By the proper hot weather comes you'll have it cracked. Good luck OP!

Just take the bloody child out.

@SelfBuild

Only mumsnet can make out your insane for wanting to try and prevent a very fair child from burning. I'm off, thanks anyway.

I actually think MN is pretty good for bringing parents who are PFB back down to Earth. You just don't want to listen

Surely you only want to get out for an hour or two at a time in the April sun . Pick your battles wisely . Neither of you winning on this one! Put sun cream on though. But go out and enjoy your selves OP!

@SelfBuild

Only mumsnet can make out your insane for wanting to try and prevent a very fair child from burning. I'm off, thanks anyway.

@SelfBuild

I'm gobsmacked that so many people are so casual about sun protection on this thread. On a sunny day in April you do need to be mindful, especially in the middle of the day!

My DS (2.5) wore sun cream and a hat today. I put some sun cream on myself a bit too late and I can see that I've caught the sun a little. A couple of 'sun worshipper' adults in the family with are actually burnt.

As for how to get your DS to wear a hat... you could try wearing one yourself to set an example. You could put his sun hats on soft toys. You could make it into a game (wear a hat while you fetch a toy/run down the hall/count to ten).

The other thing to try is just picking your battles... if I was in your position I'd choose to avoid the middle of the day and use lots of sun cream (if it ends up in hair etc. it'll come off in the bath, anyway)! Don't forget the ears, nose and back of the neck in particular.

My DS would regularly throw hats off and refuse to wear them, then he became obsessed and it's hard to prise them off his head! Everything's just a phase... and repeat!

I live in Australia and if we couldn’t get a hat on we wouldn’t stay inside for four days.

Sunscreen on, off to the park to play in the shade, not outside between 11 and 3, short periods only if not able to stay in the shade.

@InTheFamilyTree

Where do you live, the Maldives?? Seriously, it's April, the sun is not some mythical beast of Satan, just go!

I was thinking the same!

A couple of 'sun worshipper' adults in the family with are actually burnt

Yeah right! 🤨

Why don't you believe people could be burnt Fembot? Both my DH and DS have already burnt this year as they have very fair skin and we didn't realise how strong the sun was so early in the year.

Suncream and stay in the shade where you can!