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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not send my DC into school with sunhats tomorrow?

79 replies

NeoMaxiZoomDweebie · 03/06/2013 13:14

Just had a txt about it. "Please send your children into school wearing sunhats" We dont' go back till tomorrow.

Mine never wear them. One hates hats and the other isn't bothered but always takes them off.

They're 8 and 5. It's not like we live in a really hot country ffs. We made them wear them when we were in Oz if we were out for more than half an hour.

But really, what's going to happen to them during their 15 minute playtime? Also....since they don't HAVE hats now, if I am being unreasonable and must go out and buy them, what kind shall I get?

OP posts:
fluckered · 03/06/2013 13:42

a moan is one thing but you are justifying all advice/opinions with an answer. pointing out spelling mistakes? really? shouldnt you be on your bike by now?

fluckered · 03/06/2013 13:42

literally!!

hobnobsaremyfavourite · 03/06/2013 13:44

DD is in yr1 they spend more than just playtime outside in early years.

Original poster
NeoMaxiZoomDweebie · 03/06/2013 13:45

Fluckered I'm not justifying anything you oddball. I'm just waiting for my partner to come back with my bike lock. Again. Calm down.

OP posts:
peeriebear · 03/06/2013 13:47

I foist sunhats on my children primarily to protect their eyes from the sun. Their faces never burn or even tan, but the eyes are easily damaged by sun, plus constantly getting strong sunlight in your eyes is a PITA!

fluckered · 03/06/2013 13:48

they dont wear hats, they have olive skin etc that to me is justifying it. and am perfectly relaxed in the garden. enjoy your cycle, dont forget your hat :-)

Fillyjonk75 · 03/06/2013 13:48

I agree it's a little OTT, especially when there are more and more chidlren being diagnosed with vitamin D deficiency. Current advice is to let kids play out for 20 minutes without sun cream or a hat so they actually get some vitamin D. It's like, 18C here today if that. No need for sun cream at all. I send them in with sun cream and a hat if it's likely to exceed 21C.

Mutley77 · 03/06/2013 13:48

If you have lived in Oz recently you will know that all schools have a very strict "no hat, no play" rule at school even in winter. In winter the temp often doesn't go above 18/19 (I'm in Australia now so don't know what the temp is in UK tomorrow but imagine that 18/19 isn't unrealistic for a summer's day) but with the sun on your face / head there are still risks - from sunstroke (higher for a child due to running around) as well as sunburn.

My children never get burned either FWIW but I still make them wear hats when it's sunny - in UK and/or Australia and I totally understand schools enforcing this as they have to deal with a range of children and it's easier to have a blanket policy.

nipersvest · 03/06/2013 13:49

are we talking about a school playground during what has been the coldest and cloudiest spring for yonks or the end scene on mars from total recall here?

CinnabarRed · 03/06/2013 13:49

It's not about sunburn, it's about heat stroke. Anyone can get heatstroke irrespective of their complexion or skin colour if s/he isn't used to the heat. (There was aN England criketer of Pakistani origin who passed out during a tour two or three years ago - he was very embarrassed - he didn't need suncream particularly but should have been wearing a hat.)

CinnabarRed · 03/06/2013 13:51

And the sun in June is stronger than in August. It doesn't feel as hot due to the lower air temperature (not yet heated by days and days of summer) but the sun is still stronger.

ilovexmastime · 03/06/2013 13:51

To tell you the truth, if I had to cycle 5 miles to buy hats for olive skinned children who won't even wear them... I wouldn't bother. But I also wouldn't be telling anyone that that's the reason I didn't bother, I would just say that I forgot.

annh · 03/06/2013 13:52

YABU because school will have many fair-skinned children whose parents won't bother to put on suncream or send in hats unless reminded but will be the first people to complain when their PFB comes home with sun burn. School can't be expected to operate a hat policy where they decide individually whether particular children can or can't go out in the sun depending on the shade of their skin, their ethnicity, their willingness to wear a hat, the factor sun cream they are wearing etc.

MrsOakenshield · 03/06/2013 13:52

I actually think hates are just as important than sunscreen, because of sunnstroke, which can affect anyone. And surely it's quicker to stick on a hat than slap on sunscreen at breaktime?

Fillyjonk75 · 03/06/2013 13:52

A hat can make you hotter though as it prevents heat from escaping from your head, which is why we wear them on cold days. Children are spending 15 minutes at once outside at school, not spending a day in the field for England.

HSMMaCM · 03/06/2013 13:52

They might be having lessons outside all day.

Mumsyblouse · 03/06/2013 13:53

I don't send mine in sunhats unless it's sports day or outside activity day. Their usual exposure, 2 x 15 min break, 20 min after lunch (queueing for lunch/eating lunch takes aged) is good for them imo, they need the Vit D- with rates of deficiency approaching 50% of all UK adults, it's important they have some skin exposure to the sun/clouds.

If they were very fair/ginger/burnt easily/went outside for prolonged periods, I would put on a hat, but would prefer it to be discretionary, every single child doesn't need a hat for a short break in May in the UK!

flanbase · 03/06/2013 13:54

Mine take hats and it just makes a shade over part of their face so protects where delicate and also the eye from glare.

nipersvest · 03/06/2013 13:55

is there a heatwave due tomorrow? my dc's are in school today with shock horror no hats!! they'd be hard pushed to find any sun right now let alone burn or pass out with sun stroke.

butterfliesinmytummy · 03/06/2013 14:00

Just get the sun hats ffs. Assuming they are playing in short sleeves, they'll get plenty of vitamin D. We live in Asia and our school has a year round "no hat no play" policy whether its overcast or brilliant sun.

The school has requested it, what about showing your kids you are respecting requests from school?

SuiGeneris · 03/06/2013 14:02

Are people really concerned about sunstroke in the UK in June?? for children who will be out for about an hour at the most??

Have grown up in a very sunny Mediterranean country, playing out every day without a hat and have never seen anybody get sunstroke...

BackOnlyBriefly · 03/06/2013 14:03

We had a different kind of sunlight in my day. In the UK we could play out all day long without sun-cream, hats or other radiation protection. You would almost have thought that humans evolved on this planet the way it continually failed to kill us.

And for what's it's worth I had the kind of fair skin that people always say makes you vulnerable.

No harm in taking a few precautions if they will be out in it all day, but we've let them talk us into believing it's extremely dangerous to look out the window in case the sun catches you.

MadeOfStarDust · 03/06/2013 14:03

They may spend plenty of time outside - but it should be spent in the shade - not the full sun! The best protection against sunstroke is to not do vigourous activity in full sun and stay shaded from 11am to 3pm.

A bloomin hat is just so the school can abrogate it's responsibilities for protection (even though just having a hat is not good enough)... kids without hats should not be excluded from being outside - they should ALL - with or without hats - not be spending hours in full sun in the middle of the day...

moot point though really.....

Fillyjonk75 · 03/06/2013 14:04

It might be 20C on Friday. Then I might consider a hat and sunscreen but not before then.

Boosiehs · 03/06/2013 14:08

All of you who are so blasé about the sun in the UK clearly have no experience of skin cancer.

My DH who has spent years on hols in the UK has skin cancer. Never s sun worshipper, just very very unlucky. It's f*cking horrible and I wouldn't risk it for want of a hat.

Incidences of skin cancer are on the increase - and more so in younger people according to DH's consultant.

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