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Original poster

DD DofE in this heat - won't use handheld fan...

97 replies

OneDayInYourLife · 09/07/2022 05:44

Hi! 15 YO DD doing her D of E this weekend which is a huge worry with the heatwave, she is very pale and won't cope well with the heat.

Obvs trying to equip her with what she needs to be comfortable. I have bought her a hand held fan and she refuses to take it 'because everyone will want to use it'.

I understand what she's saying, she's 15 and peer pressure is more important than her own wellbeing and health, but how can I make her understand sometimes she needs to do what's right for her?

She says that if she has one, someone from her group will ask to use it, so then she won't have one. If she says no they can't use it, she'll come across as an asshole and they'll be stroppy and make the whole thing miserable (they will).

How can I help my DD with this?

OP posts:
RampantIvy · 09/07/2022 07:17

I have never found a hand held fan make any difference anyway. I assume you are in the South East as we have a maximum of 22 degrees forecast round here today.

TokyoSushi · 09/07/2022 07:21

OP your DD is going to look a right twit doing D of E with a hand held fan!

Fuuuuuckit · 09/07/2022 07:22

PACK SINCREAM

Nothing worse than dealing with tired, hot, sweaty, hungry, dirty teenagers with sunburn (because they either didn't pack it or are to stupid/embarrassed to apply it)

Suncream. Travel-sized or bigger to share with her friends. And order her to apply it.

Oh, and a hat. And water. Lots of water.

*I may or may not have had to do a 180 mile round trip to pick up my DofE teenager due to heatstroke and sunburn. Suncream and water go on our bags every time we leave the house now.

DillonPanthersFNL · 09/07/2022 07:23

You've told her to take it she's said no. Nothing you can do

BotCrossHuns · 09/07/2022 07:29

How about a neck fan? You can get them from Amazon. People wear them when walking as they look like a pair of headphones round your neck. And the others might be less likely to borrow it then. Some are only about £10 though they are less powerful.

whiteroseredrose · 09/07/2022 07:42

DD did DofE a few years ago. We went with very thin, wicking clothing. A long sleeved Rohan top was worn a lot as it had SPF and kept her cool. And quick dry walking leggings and a hat. Basically not much skin exposed.

jgw1 · 09/07/2022 07:55

What every student doing DofE really needs is a parent hovering over them putting more and more things in their bag just in case.

Sunrise is at around 5am and sunset about 9.30pm at the moment. That is a lot of hours of daylight, at the moment it is a pleasant 15degrees or so. There is no reason for them to be out in the middle of the day, I'd be finding a tree by a stream to sit under for a long lunch break.

Flaunch · 09/07/2022 08:00

Isn’t the point of D of E that they do it themselves and learn from it? She’s 15… let he get on with it!

jgw1 · 09/07/2022 08:03

Flaunch · 09/07/2022 08:00

Isn’t the point of D of E that they do it themselves and learn from it? She’s 15… let he get on with it!

Completely, and for perhaps the first time in their lives if they make a poor decision it has real and immediate consequences.

megletthesecond · 09/07/2022 08:07

She'll be ok without the fan. Hot and fed up, but that's the point of D of E.
Mine is out for 3 days this weekend. I was a bit worried about the heat but they get water top ups at checkpoints and they're hardly moving quickly.

brown543 · 09/07/2022 08:17

I've done D of E, my kids have done D of E and I've never seen or heard of anyone taking a fan. It's amazing how the little light things you chuck in end up weighing far more than you realise when you're lugging them around.

You've suggested it, she doesn't want to, matter closed. Independence is one of the key skills that D of E is meant to develop. It's hot this weekend but they can set off promptly in the morning when it's cooler and pace themselves during the hottest time.

MmeMeursault · 09/07/2022 08:20

Why not just pack her a camping toilet while you're at it?! Would save all those awkward 'behind the tree but still in front of your mates' moments.... Confused

jgw1 · 09/07/2022 08:24

Whatever the weather is the one thing that makes the biggest difference on DofE is the weight of the rucksack, and how well it is packed.

RedWreck · 09/07/2022 08:25

My dd is also very pale skinned & did her DofE in a heatwave a few years ago. Honestly, they'll work it out for themselves & be fine.
I know it's easy to say don't worry but a fan is not something to stress about. My dd wouldn't have wanted to take it either.
It really is a time for their own decisions & at least it's not torrential rain!

MintJulia · 09/07/2022 08:26

UrsulaPandress · 09/07/2022 05:50

When are you anticipating she will use the fan?

Sounds like extra weight and extra worry to me.

This

Newestname002 · 09/07/2022 08:30

Cocowatermelon · 09/07/2022 06:16

A bottle of water with a misting function will help (could just be a standard spay bottle that’s not had cleaning spray in it). It’s like instant sweat. You spray water on your skin and it cools you as it evaporates.

Yep. That's what I do when at home. It's absolute bliss when the fine spray of cool water lands on your skin. Cools the air in the immediate vicinity too. 🌹

MrsBlondie · 09/07/2022 08:30

My son did Bronze Dofe last year in 30 degree heat. He was fine.
Lots and lots of water.

Totheweekend · 09/07/2022 08:30

Don’t worry about the fan. I do lots of hot hiking and I’ve never craved a fan. Remind her to seek out shade for breaks. And if you can put an electrolyte tablet in her water, that will help her, esp if she’s a sweater!

BlueMumDays · 09/07/2022 08:31

It's not so hot over the weekend, Wednesday seems to be the peak.

Don't fixate on this fan, there are plenty of other ways of keeping cool (including just drinking plenty, and tipping water over your head!) One of the first adjustments leaders tend to make in hot expeditions is to provide more water filling stations along the route. In extreme weather, the leaders can allow the kids to walk with day bags, and leave their huge bags in the minibus, but I don't really think this weather will count as "extreme".

kkneat · 09/07/2022 08:31

My DD did one of her expeditions in a heatwave. She had a hand held fan but said it made no difference. They had extra check points and water provided at the checking rather that finding your own. Also the instructions had special instructions to load the rucksacks onto the van for the hottest part of the days so they walked without them. My DD brought a big sunscreen with her & wore cycling shorts. She could carry less as she knew it was very unlikely she would get wet

stillherenow · 09/07/2022 08:32

Decent hat suncream and water and she'll be fine. They'll look after eachother

Goldbar · 09/07/2022 08:32

jgw1 · 09/07/2022 08:03

Completely, and for perhaps the first time in their lives if they make a poor decision it has real and immediate consequences.

Show quote history

Yes, in most UK weather conditions, leaving them to get on with it would probably be fine. But (depending on where you are in the country, I guess), during the current heatwave, heatstroke, heat exhaustion and dehydration during prolonged physical activity are serious risks and could lead to hospitalisation or worse unless they act sensibly and take precautions (which you would not necessarily expect from 15 year olds). So it's not surprising that the OP is concerned.

IGotItInTheSales · 09/07/2022 08:35

It's not even 'a hearwave'.... it's just SUMMER!

IGotItInTheSales · 09/07/2022 08:36

Or even 'heatwave' ..

christmassausages · 09/07/2022 08:36

Lots of water. Big hat. Dry oil sun factor that can be just sprayed on and doesn't really need to be rubbed in. Tell her to keep it handy and reapply during the day.