"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?

Confused by some of these responses. Yes you definitely can get burnt in the UK in April, especially if fair skinned.

I get your rational op. I have very fair children and I am always very strict on hats and sun cream. They tend to tan rather than burn but I’m still very careful. I have also always had the same no hat, no outside rule. If that’s not working I like PP’s suggestion of its ‘your’ hat now. Or sun cream for his head!

Either take him out later in the day when the sun is less strong, or let him wear the bobble hat. Or rub sunscreen onto his head. But really -does he get his own way with everything else, too? Just tell him he's wearing the hat. Every time he takes it off, you put it back on. He'll get the message eventually even if you have to do it 20 times.

Those saying you don't need to worry in April are wrong. I wear SPF all year.

Staying inside for that amount of time is bonkers. Are you generally anxious? Take him out early or later if you're that worried about it though.

You can buy factor 50 scalp and hair sun spray, a hats better but it’s not the hill I would choose to die on.

Dear God why? So he burns his scalp, you explain why that happened and eventually he'll be happy to wear a hat. Or you take him on a hat shopping trip and he gets to pick his own hat that he'll then be excited about. Or you take him out and it's fine because the sunshine in this country is weak in April. My 3 year old isn't keen on hats , and she's somehow lived to tell the tale.

Honestly this is a hill I would die on. I wouldn't be staying in the house though I would strap him in a buggy with a hood and refuse to let him out until the hat was on his head.

I remember this battle well. Not all mine would wear a hat even now as teens. We’ve not even got our sun hats out we live in wales so still wearing our bobble hats.

Try bribery, or if you like, performance-related rewards. Wear a hat you get chocolate buttons or something else he likes.

@Iminaglasscaseofemotion

Honestly this is a hill I would die on. I wouldn't be staying in the house though I would strap him in a buggy with a hood and refuse to let him out until the hat was on his head.

Yes that's another option

Given how chilly it's been, I would have thought sunburn is pretty unlikely at the moment BUT my DH got sunburnt on his head last week when he was out all day. It surprised us both tbh - it wasn't even that sunny. although DH doesn't have any hair, which doesn't help.

OP - the scalp protection sprays are really good. Both my DC use them in the summer. Boots do one as well. As for hats, maybe let him choose what he wants? My DS1 went through a phase of wearing a bloody awful hat my mum gave him which was far too big but it was better than nothing. I'd go for the scalp protection spray for now and no hat while it's not that warm and then keep trying with the hat/baseball cap. And keep to the shade when it really warms up.

@Ohnomoreno my DF burnt his scalp when he was younger, paid for it with cancer when he was older

@randomer

How has the rest of the human race surviced so long?

People died much younger in the past, and lots of people will have died of avoidable cancers - we just didn't have a name for them then.

People saying it's "only April" - it doesn't matter - temperature has nothing to do with it. You can burn when it's -20 outside if the sun is strong enough.

I was raised with the "no hat, no outdoors" motto as my parents were raised in Australia and I'm very glad for it. I have pale skin and naturally have lots of moles - I'm very glad I wasn't just left to get on with it with no sun protection.

@Dustyhedge

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

No- people are gently trying to tell you to pick your battles and that being stuck inside for 4 days in April is disproportionate.

Yep. I was at a farm park yesterday and very few toddlers were wearing hats. No-one is going to judge you at the moment, OP. You need to take a break from pushing it, because your DC is going to dig their heels in even deeper. It's become a hill that HE'S prepared to die on.

Give him time to forget that this is an issue, then try again in a few weeks.

Given how chilly it's been, I would have thought sunburn is pretty unlikely at the moment

It has nothing to do with the temperature. You can burn on a skiing holiday in -20 if the UV levels are strong enough.

Sew a bobble on to a sun hat!

You cannot reason with a 22 month old ..pick your battles !!

I think the biggest thing here is not to worry about what other people think. A piece of advice that has stood me in good stead was never to fall out with your child over something they will grow out of.

Keep him safe creatively as per the suggestions here, and go and have fun!

Mine are fair and I’ve lived in hot countries, I put sun cream on their hair. Give their scalp a spray. They are in and out of water so a hat is often impractical. They’ve never burnt their scalp. I on the other hand got skin cancer a few months ago... so don’t forget yourselves!

I take it this is your child?!!!!!

Once you are a few down, you literally won't give a crap what they are wearing on any part of their body!

Perhaps it is a sensory thing. Maybe the elastic rib of the bobble hat is a feeling he doesn’t mind, but the floppiness of the sunhat is uncomfortable? Could you try a cotton hat with an elasticated rib?

Mine wouldn't wear hats either. I just let them. Not a hill I want to die on. In the summer I'd spray a clear sun protection on their scalps, from sainsburys.

Does he go to any form of childcare setting? My DC have always been pretty compliant about hat wearing and sun cream application as it was so drilled in to them/non negotiable at nursery.

If he does go to nursery or a childminder I would ask them to start reinforcing the messaging with him now, even if too early in the year to be making all the children do it yet.

Just find a thin cotton bobble hat?
Can’t you just go out at 9/10 or later in the afternoon ?

More kids will have hats on in August so it will be easier?
And I’m sure theres an argument for a little bit of sun now giving them protection, rather than completely covering up and the skin being completely unused to sun ?

Are you wearing a hat every time you go outside OP? Seems to me, if you’re not wearing one, it’s going to be more difficult to make him wear one

I dont think I ever had a sun hat as a child - always hated them. It's a wonder I'm still alive!