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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to think about taking toddler to a hot country?

48 replies

Safari10 · 12/09/2010 15:48

Hi there
I posted this in the Travel section too, but not sure anyone looks in there!
We are thinking about going to Jamaica late this year/early next year. Our daughter is currently 14 months old. Has anyone been here as we are worried about the weather - will it be too hot for a toddler who refuses to wear a sunhat?! There are lots of child-friendly resorts but I can't find much info about the weather ...
Thanks x

OP posts:

Wheelybug · 12/09/2010 18:25

Actually - a toddler can refuse to wear a sunhat - we've tried every sort imaginable and although she can't pull off one that ties on, she can garot herself. We had most success with a fisherman's type hat that we could plonk on her head when distracted - it would last the longest. She was only 17 months though so unbribe-able/ unthreatenable.

That said, we still took her to Greece in August - av. temp 35 degrees and even without a hat on most of the time she was fine. Sun suit, factor 50, access to the pool and out of the sun at the hottest point.

Original poster

Safari10 · 12/09/2010 18:27

Wow

OP posts:

Mniemmniem · 12/09/2010 18:29

Aw we're only joking safari, you'll be fine!

giveitago · 12/09/2010 18:30

And my ds also refuses to wear a hat. Rule of thumb in properly hot countries is that you are inside the hot part of the day and therefore out in the evenings.

ChippingIn · 12/09/2010 18:32

Wheelybug a toddler can refuse to wear one for sure, you can equally refuse to let her out of the apartment, car, buggy until she puts it on, you can tell them they will go in the car, in the house whatever if they take it off. If it is not negotiable, they will soon learn that it's better just to keep it on.

Original poster

Safari10 · 12/09/2010 18:36

And yes my DD is one that has been known to practically garot herself trying to get her hat off - or she throws herself around so much trying to get it off she injures herself. Have tried all sorts. She isn't talking yet so I can't reason with her but I like the idea about showing her the hat before the holiday etc. Thanks Wheelybug and others for the practical comments. Good to know there are still some MNs out there without agressive tendancies!

OP posts:

ShinyAndNew · 12/09/2010 18:38

Try wetting the hat with cold water if she doesn't like it. She will be glad to keep it on if it cooling.

Original poster

Safari10 · 12/09/2010 18:40

Great idea!

OP posts:

giveitago · 12/09/2010 18:45

Many people have families in very hot countries - their kids are fine. They have to adapt.

I went to Italy for the summer and it was a positively cool 32 degrees. DS dislikes heat but actually he was perfectly fine - you just don't sit them on beaches to roast.It's just that it's boring being holed up inside.

Snobear4000 · 12/09/2010 18:47

I came back from Mexico last month and I have to tell you, I saw children on fire. Some exploding.

And all that spicy food in the tropics is a real worry. I have read from reliable sources both on MN and the NHS that children must not ever have spicy food, and BF mothers must never eat spicy foods because the child might explode. 300 children have exploded this year in Indonesia already thanks to satay-chicken abuse.

Mniemmniem · 12/09/2010 18:47

there wasn't any aggression, just silly beans! If I were you I'd let her pick it herself, my niece was allowed to choose one recently and now sleeps in it and uses it as a carry around sucky thing

Wheelybug · 12/09/2010 18:47

Threats wouldn't work with dd2 at 17 months Chipping - I would use that with an older child (can't remember when dd1 would have responded to it - she does now but she's 5.5 !) but anyway, she survived unscathed even without a hat on.

MisSalLaneous · 12/09/2010 18:50

Ha Snobear, ds (2) tried to clean his mouth with a baby wipe after tasting a particularly hot briyani recently (I did tell him it was perhaps too hot!), so perhaps there is some truth to the exploding stories after all!

ChippingIn · 12/09/2010 18:55

Wheelybug maybe I look more serious than you but 'Hat or Buggy' works for me! I don't take any crap! :)

strandedatsea · 12/09/2010 19:03

We live in the Caribbean and they are fine! Jamaica is actually quite pleasant around Jan/Feb time, that's the best time to go (by the way, rainy/hurricane season officially ends in November, but it will usually rain on and off all year round).

Just don't take them to downtown Kingston.....(hint - nothing to do with the weather).

Original poster

Safari10 · 12/09/2010 19:11

Thanks - hopefully won't see any exploding children but then again their mums would probably just light their fags off them.

Strandedatsea - we were looking at Ochios Rios in Feb - is it safe to take them around town here?

OP posts:

Antalya1 · 12/09/2010 19:11

My two ds's were brought in hot countries and I found the best way to deal with it was plenty of fluids, they can't get to much, drinks, ice-lollies...my youngest was weaned on ice-pops!

Definitely no mid-day sun...if they won't wear a hat, tie it round their chin...plenty of sun-block...and keep under an umbrella whenever possible...and either a thin t-shirt or the all over bathing suits...and forget nappies during the day.

Google likely temperatures that you can expect.

strandedatsea · 12/09/2010 19:15

Ochi should be fine, just be sensible (eg don't walk around at night, especially in areas away from the usual tourist trails). As a tourist you are unlikely to be a target for violent crime but you don't want to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Have a great time and make sure you have a patty and some decent jerk pork!

BreastmilkDoesAFabLatte · 12/09/2010 19:16

This thread is making me laugh

Have a great time!

Snobear4000 · 12/09/2010 19:27

All jokes aside, thanks Antalya1 for the sage advice "Definitely no mid-day sun".

It can never be said enough to the holidaying British public, don't go to the beach or the pool between 11:00 and 15:00.

You will burn. Your children will burn. Your holiday will be over in a quick three hours. I do apologise for telling you something you probably already know all too well but if restating the obvious knocks some sense into at least one lurker, then we've saved another case of heatstroke and second-degree burns.

No mid day sun! None!
Mad dogs and Englishmen.

ifancyashandy · 12/09/2010 20:22

I've been to hot countries and ain't never ever seen ANY children. Not ice ones, nor any other variety.

You are all lying!

STAY HOME!

binjibaghi · 12/09/2010 20:32

Just back from Turkey with ds 2.5 all europeans thought we were crazy with ds in full body swim suit and swim hat with little flap at the back - he looked like a mini ninja !

when they saw how fair he was later though they understood and couldnt stop fawning over his lovely white/blonde hair !

we took 2 hours out in the room with aircon mid day and had no probs. he went back to napping as was so wrecked from hours in the pool !

a friend advised me to take pirotin liquid with me because apparently some children get heat rash on the inside !? thankfully didnt need to use it

GeekOfTheWeek · 12/09/2010 20:53

It will be fine.

I always take more than one then when he whips it off another can be put on straight away whilst hat no 1 is still in his hands. Works a charm for ds2.

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