to be cross with school for sending primary kids out at lunchtime in heat yesterday

[busyhouseof8]

So, it was 33 dgrees in this part of Essex yesterday. When I picked up my 9yo DS from school yesterday he had heat rash everywhere and was really uncomfortable and distresed.

AIBU to think that the school was wrong to insist the kids went out to play at 12.30 in that heat - albeit that they had hats and sunscreen. There is very little shade in their playground. Every year the advice on the telly is to avoid the sun in the middle of the day - the teachers stayed inside!

Contemplating making a fuss with the headmistress, so please let me know if I should wind my neck in....

Actually OP, YANBU if they made all the children go outside.

I was outside for all of about 30 minutes in the heat, and my arms and neck were covered in prickly heat rash. It was worse when I was a kid, and I would have been horrified at being forced to be outside on a hot sunny day. There should have been a choice for very fair or heat/sun sensitive children to stay inside.

And those of you making comments about people who live in hot countries living with it - that's part of the point. If you live in a hot country, you're more used to the heat and sun, thus are less likely to get rashes/feel uncomfortable etc. The sudden change here from rainy to blistering heat nigh on rendered me incapable of functioning, I dread to think how a primary aged child would have felt.

xStarGirl - I regulary had heat rash and prickly heat as a child. Drove me mad.

The posters who are saying that the school has better things to deal with - it is actually a school issue because if the children are uncomfortable due to the heat (as I was as a child), then it is harder for them to concentrate in the classroom.

If a child asked to come in because they didn't like the heat, I wonder what they would have done? Mine hate being out in the sun and usually stick to any shade at all in the playground but as you say, in some playgrounds that isn't possible. So I am thinking you are not really BU but I am not sure what the solution is? Could you suggesting fundraising for some canvas shade areas to be installed for next summer?

BTW my poor DD1 year 3 was sent to London Tropical Zoo yesterday, 2 hours round the M25 in an old minibus with no ventilation, the driver wouldn't even open his window, they were lucky no one was sick - my friend went with them as a mum helper and she had to complain it sounded awful.

As an adult I wouldn't put up with some of this stuff, always confuses me why we think children should.

Burningbriges - my children's school trip in Belgium was cancelled today due to the heat. I'm so glad it was. Instead they picnicked in the shaded school playground.

It's interesting that posters are saying that in some very hot countries people can cope with the heat but cannot cope with more unusual weather conditions such as rain.

YANBU! Definitely not.
.... I'm really surprised that so many people seem to think you are BU.
Yesterday midday was like a proper southern European day, not just the wee bit of blue sky that usually gets Blighty folks out and about in their undies.
I don't go out in heat like that, not at midday, and don't expect DCs to do so.
Different earlier or later in day, but not in the middle.
I'm really surprised people are saying YABU.

Any 'delicate' child should always have a sunhat with the bit down the back to cover their neck.

your kid is 9 ffs!

get a grip woman

If your DS was hot and bothered at pick up time it is more likely to be because of being in a hot and stuffy classroom inside .
YABU to complain

It was at least as unpleasant, if not more, inside school yesterday. That said. all playgrounds should have some shade

My DD had her school sports day yesterday. Being a bad mother I didn't go as I had a couple of meetings at work, so I sent her there on her own, accompanied by a bottle of water, a hat and some suncream.

Thank goodness she survived otherwise I may have felt a tad guilty.

I am with you, OP, I think it's downright irresponsible to send children out in that heat with no shade and in fact I have complained to the school about it. Suncream only stops sunburn, it won't stop heatstroke, which is entirely possible. Also even the all-day suncream is starting to lose its effectiveness but the end of lunchtime, despite what it says on the bottle. Also, Cancer Research UK advice is to stay out of the sun, where possible, between 11 and 3 - so I think it's very unfair to suggest that the OP is being precious. I think she's being extremely sensible!

we only get a couple of really nice weeks a year at least these days they have the forsight to ask you to cover your child in cream bring water and hats etc when i was at school late seventiesearly eighties we did none of these and i think we only got adrink at lunch time irealise there is far more awareness of skin cancer etc [my cousin died ofit ] but i think that is prolonged exposure to harmful rays not a few days a year

YABU My DD plays out in the sun in 46degree heat albeit there are plenty of sails etc up and about. Hats, sunscreen and water will keep 'em happy.

YANBU, because your DS got heat rash, that would suggest it was too hot to be outside, unless the classrooms are really hot too.

Everyone saying that you are being precious/wrapping in cotton wool can't have had heat rash/prickly heat before.

Think school should allow those who have difficulty with hot sun to be inside if there is no shade outside.

Passthetwiglets - I agree, suncream prevents sunburn (when used correctly) but it actually makes you feel hotter as it's an extra layer stopping your body self regulating its temperature.

I dislike the patronising comments on this thread about delicate children - it's a simple matter of evolution as to how well we deal with heat.

My dd gets a heat rash if shes out in the sun.
I give her antihistamines before she goes to school.
keeps the rash down

Id be more concerned they were drinking enough than being out in the sun mind!

Yabu, they had suncreen, hats and water. What do you do if you go on holiday abroad?

My DD had all her lessons outside too ... because it was hotter inside the school!

I think they'd be better off outside. I just went into the office this morning and it was a real sweat box.

YABU - UP.

No wonder the UK's kids are growing up such softies! Believe me - it was much hotter inside a school with hundreds of kids and computers and no air-con yesterday!

UP? Obviously that should be OP!

I was worried about dh as he's crap in the heat - but he was covered in suncream and had a hat etc and was given loads of warnings to drink water. He was OK but it wasn't ideal as he came home and just flaked out. But it's OK.

I saw lots of kids with nasty looking burns however and that's really crap. Where we are it went from being cool enough for cardi's to over 30 degrees and sunshine in the space of a few hours - skins don't adapt to that difference well.

The children played outside at school in AZ when we lived there, often 40+ temps. You just make sure they have sun cream, hats, and are drinking plenty of water. Some shade is always nice - I agree with suggesting and assisting on a fundraiser to get some items in the playground to provide shade.

ffs, children play in sun shocker!
Children eat spaghetti hoops shocker!

So. What?