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

[OneDayInYourLife]

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?

@Notagardener and how do you get a teenager to apply suncream ? My niece took it with her and she and all her friends came back burned to a crisp. Lots of parents complained that the leaders hadn't applied suncream to the teenagers..

I’ve just assessed a D of E trip - cool towels and if you want them the fans that go around your neck. Plenty of water, sip constantly, shorts,t shirt and of course shade and rests

How old? Ffs older than 8 years old they should apply it themselves. At 14 for bronze d of e - are you kidding me?

And if they did they would be told to keep their hands off their child. 14 they are in groups - they need to watch for ticks and do the sun cream etc

You can get neck fans - look like head phones

@Notagardener and how do you get a teenager to apply suncream ? My niece took it with her and she and all her friends came back burned to a crisp. Lots of parents complained that the leaders hadn't applied suncream to the teenagers.
hahaa hahaha wait -You’re not serious? For serious serious? Parents complained nobody had PUT THE SUNCREAM on their teenagers for them?? Unless the teenagers are in a coma isn’t that more of a court case in the making than good teaching?? Why weren’t the parents at home doing analysis on why their children are idiots? Sounds more productive.
I did my duke of Ed, in Australia. They just need to be prepared and make sensible decisions, it’s not heat stroke weather unless they ditch the hat, don’t drink and decide to run. I never saw anyone hiking with a fan 😁

@WITL and @timeisnotaline yes! 16 year olds! It was insane. I just told her she's an idiot and gave her some after sun.

She doesn't want to take the fan because she doesn't want the other kids to laugh at your helicopter parenting. She's too polite to tell you to back off.

Get her out of D of E and enroll her in an embroidery class ?

The problem with bull dozer parenting is that the children have had all obstacles moved from their path, so have no ability to cope when they come across an obstacle. The longer one leaves it in a childs life before they take responsibility for a challenge, the bigger the first challenge they face on their own will be.

She'd be better taking another bottle of water.

Well, my teenagers all apply suncream, and have been advising their teenage friends to apply it as well (some take the advice some don't). But they are well aware of the risks.
There are other things they may do, excessive drinking maybe, but at least I can (as a non alcohol drinker) see some benefits of it.
I see no benefits in not applying suncream

My DH is off to do some volunteering for two weeks. He'll be outdoors all day and is bringing a couple of cans of avene water mist. It lasts ages despite all the teens wanting to use it. I use the Le Roche Posay Serozinc one because I have oily acne prone skin. The zinc keeps the oil at bay and my skin actually gets better in the heat because I use it so often.

I bought handheld fans yesterday that were about £2. Absolutely wonderful for our outing in the heat.

but if she doesn’t want a fan, what you want is a cooling towel, not a regular tea towel. It’s a different material. The catch is that they do require water to work and if she doesn’t have access to a water supply other than her drinking water, then she has to carry extra to use for the towel.

If she is fair, focusing on sun protection will really help. Wide brimmed hat. Good spf clothing. I’ve started doing much better in the heat since I switched to focusing on my sun protection.

She needs suncream, a hat and loads of water.

Aside from that just let her get on with it. She's hardly hiking the Sahara in August.

You can tell who doesn't burn at 9.45am in summer talking to the neighbours for 10 mins...
I burn, quickly and easily. Also overheat and I've had heatstroke before
My mum pulled me out of sports day because they expected us to be on the field all day with no shade
I'm a pale blue redhead who really suffers in the sun unless I can get shade, water and a fan

We have just had a bunch of D of E young people walk past our house looking for the local scout camp.

Discourage sleeveless cropped tops. She needs shoulder coverage!

Than you everyone (well, mostly everyone), some fabulous advice here!! Much appreciated!

I hope it goes well. I did a DofE expedition during a heatwave and I suffered for it. It was back in the 1970s when wearing sunscreen in the UK was unheard of.

I agree with whoever advised you against shorts. They might be ok in open country, Lakeland fells for example, but they offer scant protection against brambles and nettles.

Yes I'd say lights coloured linen trousers and possibly long sleeved top - as long as it's big and light.

Wide brimmed hat, water, sun cream, face mister

And yes just keep drinking water and reapplying sun cream