Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think school should have allowed dd's hairband?

79 replies

m0therofdragons · 06/05/2014 16:37

Not sure if iabu or not. It's fairly petty but annoyed me.
Last year dd had a straw sun hat for school but running around it came off all the time and didn't sit well over pony tails etc. Anyway, today was very sunny here and dd asked if ssh she could wear a light weight hair band she got last summer from Spain. It's pale pink and basically an elastic hair band that goes over your head but their is extra fabric over the top to protect from the sun - all the kids were wearing them on holiday and they stay on brilliantly. So I let dd wear it as she is very fair haired so I thought it sensible to have protection.
Anyway, she's come home and apparently it's not allowed so she ended up with nothing on her head at play time.
I don't really see why it's a big deal but okay I can accept it's not allowed but I do feel they should have let her wear it today so she was protected. Dd is in year 1 so 6yo.

OP posts:
Original poster
m0therofdragons · 06/05/2014 18:12

As I've stated, I know it's not a hat but an alternative that stays on. I can buy her a hat but with last year's experience as soon as she runs it'll come off.

OP posts:
HercShipwright · 06/05/2014 18:13

Having had a child blue lighted to hospital due to sunstroke from school last summer, and then spending hours there while she underwent various tests, I appreciate the OP's concern about keeping the head covered. I don't think that band would do much good, but it might be better than nothing. And nothing is what OP's DD ended up wearing.

Sirzy · 06/05/2014 18:14

as soon as she runs it'll come off.

Get a baseball cap type hat, no reason that should come off when she runs

Ploppy16 · 06/05/2014 18:15

My girls wore something similar most of last summer, they were far better than hats that fall or blow off and spend more time on the floor than on a child's head. I've seen sun hats that offer less protection that these head scarfs.

Original poster
m0therofdragons · 06/05/2014 18:18

Her hair is too short for a pony tail so I just tie the front bit back which isn't very comfy under a cap - basically I'm rubbish at doing hair. I will get one - I'll have to get her to try them on and run around the shop to test :)

OP posts:
meditrina · 06/05/2014 18:19

YABU as it doesn't offer adequate sun protection and, from the uniform point of view, it's not a hat either.

Best protection comes from broad brimmed hats (widely available, and cheap from places like ASDA) some of which have a toggled (ie safe) strap to keep it in place. Or a kepi style baseball cap (good for long haired girls as if you find an adjustable one you can poke a pony tail through the gap at the back and it will definitely stay put..

charleybarley · 06/05/2014 18:21

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Wolfiefan · 06/05/2014 18:25

Both my kids have used the caps with a flap over the neck. (Legionnaire's?) They have never fallen off and offer excellent sun protection.

It's not school uniform. It isn't really going to offer great sun protection. Sorry.

Gileswithachainsaw · 06/05/2014 18:28

Unless it was getting in her way/causing a problem they should hae just left it.

Upsetting a six yr old over a scarf/hat/headband is pathetic. Just send a note home.

Ffs removing stuff that isn't causing a problem or is a elf and safety risk, and leaving them with nothing at such a young age is down right mean.

meditrina · 06/05/2014 18:29

Sorry x-posted (long hair bit)

And Wolfiefan I think what you call Legionnaire is what I called kepi - hat with neck protection cloth flap at the back. I have Aussie friends who swear by them.

shouldnthavesaid · 06/05/2014 18:44

Very possible to get burnt just now - I spent two hours out on Saturday over lunch, by tea time I was bright red on shoulders, arms, neck, chest.. I'm very itchy and have been strongly advised not to go out without sunblock on unless I know it's only for 20 minutes or so.. So I'd advocate her wearing some form of head covering, considering they're outdoors at lunch.

maddy68 · 06/05/2014 18:47

That is a fashion accessory. She needs a hat that is approved as part of the school uniform that will not offer any protection against sun.

AlpacaPicnic · 06/05/2014 21:01

Is the issue that she is very fair haired? My dad was very strawberry blonde (until he went grey!) and would catch the sun on his scalp more than his face.
My totally scientific mind decided that as his scalp rarely saw the sun, it didn't build up any protection against it. He almost always wore hats but on the occasions he forgot them he would be burned. Where as his face was exposed a lot more so became a bit tougher iykwim.

Of course it didn't help that he has a grade one/two crew cut most of the time...

BridgeOfWhys · 06/05/2014 21:10

TBH unless the child could clearly tell me that the hairband was as a hat replacement I don't think it would even occur to me that it was.

Perhaps she put it on before school started and the teacher just said, "that's not school uniform, put it away."

I am a soft touch so would have left it and spoken to you after school. You should have sent her with a note for the teacher saying she will only be wearing it until next Monday and only for play and lunchtime.

PrincessBabyCat · 06/05/2014 21:11

Personally, it's cute. But if it goes against the rules then there's not much you can do. See if there's a school sanctioned alternative?

TimeForAnotherNameChange · 06/05/2014 21:30

It's a fashion accessory and does nothing to protect her face or neck. Are you mad?! She needs a proper hat, and if you are that sincere about protecting her, you need to get one ordered on next day delivery. Stop carping about the school doing their job and start doing yours - protect her properly, not with a scrap of fabric that sits on her hair.

GoblinLittleOwl · 06/05/2014 22:22

' I've emailed the teacher asking for clarification.'
Do you think the teacher has nothing better to do than answer emails like this? Buy your daughter a proper sun hat, one that covers her neck, and stitch elastic on so that it doesn't fall off.

Martorana · 06/05/2014 22:39

Frankly-that scarf wouldn't protect anyone from the sun in any way at all.

Ludoole · 07/05/2014 00:45

Personally I cant see how it matters what they wear on their heads at playtime.
Ds's school don't mind what they wear either as long as they have some sort of head cover.
They all take hats/scarves off in lesson time anyway.

All seems a bit of a non-issue to me particularly when it doesn't affect learning....

Bogeyface · 07/05/2014 01:40

It does seem silly that they can wear any kind of sun hat but the scarf is not "regulation" that said I have agree that I dont see that it will give much sun protection.

However....make her one in school colours, they are brilliant at helping keep nits at bay!

Ericaequites · 07/05/2014 02:21

Have you considered adding elastic to the hat at the back of the head so it stays on? Also, a low ponytail at the nape of the neck lets a hat sit better.

Wabbitty · 07/05/2014 06:27

Firstly it's fair skinned people who are more at risk than fair haired. That head scarf would offer absolutely no protection from the sun at all.

LtEveDallas · 07/05/2014 07:08

DD has a number of these. The ones she has are UV resistant. She prefers them to hats and they stay on better. She has worn them to school, but not often and we haven't had any comeback. She wears them on holidays, they stay on in the pool and offer scalp protection (especially when she has had corn rows!).

I think they are great and would be miffed too OP. I'm surprised that the school felt that no protection was a better idea - surely a note/email home after the fact would have been a better idea, especially if they have you until the weekend to buy a suitable hat.

Muppetsbitch · 07/05/2014 08:13

I think most of the posters replying must have children with a lovely thick head of dark hair.

Yes this bandana does offer protection, the exact protection that sun cream does not, the scalp.

All this talk of hats covering face and neck, yes they do, but sun cream (properl applied) already can do that but I have personally not come across a scalp us cream (although a poster up thread says it exists, would be interested in link for that if possible please).

My daughter is very fair with fi e fair hair and has had a burnt scalp in the past from hat that isn't kept on but a bandana does stay on and protects her scalp and we use cream on the rest of her.

Fair enough if its not in policy then op will have to get something g else, but those saying it is only fashion and it doesn't protect are wrong.

Sirzy · 07/05/2014 08:15

Both me and DS have very fine thin hair. The burn I got through one of those bandana things when I was a child is part of the reason I know they are useless at offering any proper protection. They are very thin and really nothing more than a fashion accessory.