No hat, no D of E.

[turningvioletviolet]

Dd1 going on D of E expedition tomorrow (overnight camping and mountain trekking). She is refusing to take a hat. I've told her if she doesn't take a hat she won't be going. Aibu?

I am a DofE leader and there are 2 items of equipment that are non negotiable for my participants to bring.. waterproofs and sunny weather gear (hat, suncream). If they don't have these items they get sent home.I know it sounds draconian but they are very important items of equipment, the consequences of not having them can be extremely serious (hypothermia/sunstroke) and as they are my responsibility for the weekend they have to have that gear. You could see what her leader says, they may be in the same boat as me and therefore it could be a non negotiable item. I would put themail items in her bag so she has them in the event she realises she needs them. At that age you do tend to think you know everything and everyone else is a moron

There was a documentary a few months ago about a man walking the Nile. Granted the temperatures were much higher than ours get but a member of their team died of sunstroke. It was a matter of hours from feeling unwell to dying. Very scary stuff.

Better safe than sorry.

Walking in the hills is not a fashion parade. The weather can turn and can have consequences.

I've seen too many people who walk unprepared in the hills. Jeans, no waterproofs, no thermals. Often it's fine. But the consequences can be dangerous.

Stick to your ground. If she refuses, then the leader will have to refuse.

Public humiliation - what teenager wants that?

Has she done much hill walking?

Has she also got a woolen hat? Overnight camping can get cold.

Sunscreen won't stop the sun beating down on her head

This.

You get hot. Exposed to it. It does affect you -and not having it means you can't wear one when you need it.

Be prepared.

Or PPPPP - prior preparation prevents piss poor performance.

Thanks for all the comments, especially from the D of E leaders.

As far as I'm concerned it is non negotiable. Sun stroke is no joke. And whilst I am usually on the far end of the scale of neglectful parenting, she will not win on this particular issue.
She does CCF and is a seasoned camper but that's when she and everyone else is in standard army issue so there's no opportunity for fashion sensibilities.

Is it the type of hat that's the problem? I know that it shouldn't matter really but teenagers are funny things some times. Wide brimmed straw looking hats are in fashion at the moment, it depends of what activities they are doing I guess.

I remember the first time I went clubbing, my mum made me wear a cardigan. I threw it in a bin the first opportunity I had and ended up freezing all night

Pretty sure there was a kit check when my DS did his DofE and as previous posters (leaders) have said they must have the specified kit or they don't go.