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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to think parents at beach were unreasonable??

233 replies

gracieben6 · 29/07/2016 22:21

Currently on holiday in France - went to the beach today with dh and my kids. DD1 (14), DS1 (10), DD2 & DD3 (twins both 7), DS2 (4) and DD4 (1).
DD1 wore a bikini, DS1 wore Bermuda shorts, DD2 & DD3 wore tankinis, DS2 and DD4 wore uv suits. We were topping the kids up with sun cream all day. A Family with 2 kids aged about 13 and 10 and both wearing full uv suits and hats came and sat near us. Mother comes up to me and asks why my 4 of my kids are not in uv suits. I said that they prefer to wear normal swimsuits and I am fine with what they wear. She proceeded to tell me I'm a bad mum for only having 2 of my kids in uv suits and that I didn't care about the ones not wearing uv suits!!! She lectured me about uv Rays even though I was topping the kids up with sun cream !! Aibu to think she was totally out of line?!?

OP posts:
Original poster
gracieben6 · 29/07/2016 23:04

Dais garden - I'm all for uvsuits and put my 2 youngest them. Older kids won't wear them but let me suncream them. The uv my kids have are bright colours with nice designs. They are really easy for little kids

OP posts:
StepAwayFromTheThesaurus · 29/07/2016 23:04

My 16 year old wears a rash vest at the beach and has no problem with it. He's worn rash vests on the beach all his life and chooses to continue doing so.

Longlost10 · 29/07/2016 23:05

remembers numerous family holidays in France in the 60s clad only in a swimsuit and a lick of Factor whoknows yes, BEFORE the hole in the ozone layer over northern europe, so completely beside the point

WorraLiberty · 29/07/2016 23:05

Ahh right, so they're not as hot as they look? I was actually thinking wetsuit material when I googled the pics Grin

I used to bung a long t.shirt on mine and one of those foreign legion type hats, with the bit that covers the neck.

CuboidalSlipshoddy · 29/07/2016 23:08

asks me why kids aren't all in uv suits and tells me about dangers of skin cancer

Assuming this happened, which I rather doubt, the correct response is "mind your own fucking business".

Queenbean · 29/07/2016 23:10

Ummmm

TinklyLittleLaugh · 29/07/2016 23:10

My youngest one wears a UV top on the beach, mainly because I am too idle to keep topping up the sun cream when he is in and out of the sea every five minutes. His legs, face and arms are very tanned anyway so I'm not worried about him burning.

My others are much older now (late teens)and sensible enough to pop on a cover up and reapply cream.

Daisygarden · 29/07/2016 23:12

gracie I always tanned easily as a kid too, but was still made to wear a t shirt all the time over swimwear at the beach & pool (no UV suits back then). I'm more cautious about burning because I know it can happen so quickly, and not just a bit of red sun-burn either that you can treat with aftersun. These were huge water-filled blisters (maybe 2 inches diameter) like a map all over back, shoulders and tops of arms. I knew I had got sun-burned but I was surprised to see my skin going all springy and puffy. I didn't know you could get burns that turn into blisters like that from the sun, I only knew sunburn as going a bit red.

If the kids are not keen on UV suits, if you allowed them to pick out the trendiest/coolest t-shirts that they wanted, would they wear those over swimwear in the future, for hotter days?

Kr1stina · 29/07/2016 23:14

Gracie - I think it's because they feel more comfortable covered up a bit more rather than for sun protection reason . Not that it matters why

Some wear boards shorts as well .

Both rash vests and board shorts are very fashionable among sporty kids

DD is a normal build but one of her friends is quite curvy and I think it makes her feel more confident IYSWIM

Rash vests are not hot at all ! I wear a long sleeved one when doing water sports

Cotton t shirts OTOH make me feel cold

Original poster
gracieben6 · 29/07/2016 23:14

Ok thanks everyone - may sound unbelievable (find it unbelievable myself + still in shock). Interesting to hear peoples older kids - teens wearing uv suits. Will try to get older kids wearing a t-shirt at the beach tomorrow. Thanks and good night xxxSmileFlowers

OP posts:
Daisygarden · 29/07/2016 23:15

Worra not hot at all apparently. They don't bother my whingiest DC so they can't be bad or we'd all have heard about it! Grin They are super light, weigh nothing. We get the separate top and shorts sets so when out of the water they can sit in the shade with just the shorts on, and go to the loo easier than the all-in-ones.

Original poster
gracieben6 · 29/07/2016 23:16

Does anyone have any websites wear you can get uv suits for 10/14 year olds? Xx

OP posts:
TinklyLittleLaugh · 29/07/2016 23:18

Next sell kids UV stuff.

JasmineLondon · 29/07/2016 23:18

Yes she sounds out of order. Just think how much self judgement the poor woman must be passing on herself, if this is the sort of thing she comes out with to a stranger on the beach. When my ds was a baby in sling, I had some complete stranger come up and tell me to cover him up from the cold - totally nuts, ds was boiling hot under 3 layers of a stretchy sling. Its reaslly shocking how people think its ok to interfere. Try and laugh it off and have a good time in France.

Original poster
gracieben6 · 29/07/2016 23:21

Thanks TinklyLittleLaugh - will check it out
Jasmine London - thank you xx going to go back to the beach tomorrow and just enjoy ourselves. Dh and I had a bit of a laugh about it right nowGrin

OP posts:
WorraLiberty · 29/07/2016 23:21

The first time I ever saw a kid wearing one on a beach, was years ago.

I was sat there with my kids and a little boy came to play with them. A minute or two later, his toddler sister came over and sat herself down next to me.

The boy said, "Oh that's my little sister Katie. She has to wear that suit because she has chicken pox" Shock Shock

She then preceded to unzip and show me the spots on her chest and stomach!!

Not sure why I just remembered that Grin

M0nstersinthecl0set · 29/07/2016 23:22

Mountain warehouse or two barefeet are the brands my two have for the beach.

JasmineLondon · 29/07/2016 23:22

ps no clue what a rash vest is, sounds nasty hey?

M0nstersinthecl0set · 29/07/2016 23:23

(Age 10 + they do adult sizes too) look up rash vests and surfing brands.

Daisygarden · 29/07/2016 23:26

Just to say - you can google sun burn blisters for an idea on how bad sunburn can go. Those puffy blisters need to be popped and then dressed with bandages (needs changing). Area can't be exposed to the sun for a long time. Leaves a blotchy skin tone from where the blisters were, when the new skin comes through. Mine were a lot worse than most of those pictures. Half a day of fierce sun was enough to do it.

You can buy teenagers uv suits from Decathlon.

CuboidalSlipshoddy · 29/07/2016 23:30

Just to say - you can google sun burn blisters for an idea on how bad sunburn can go.

Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun.

Kr1stina · 29/07/2016 23:31

14 yo girl will wear a small ladies size . They have loads of funky styles , just google, photos attached .

DD has a couple of ONeill ones but this years she's most worn the completely plain bright pink one that cost about £3 from decathlon .

I think it was called UV kids protection top, they have then in a range of colours , my boys also have them in red, turquoise and lime green .

Sorry I can't link right now

Mummyme1987 · 29/07/2016 23:33

I got my oldest two teens/young adult long leg long arm ones off eBay £20 each. Too lazy to do sun cream reapplication. They say they are comfy for the local outdoor pool. All that's left is face hands and feet

Mummyme1987 · 29/07/2016 23:35

They sell them as modesty suits too on amazon