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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think good weather is no reason to cancel a trip?!

150 replies

WobbleYourHead · 18/06/2017 22:24

DD is due to go on a trip to a local wildlife sanctuary tomorrow. They're walking there, spending a few hours at the place & walking back. It's just over a mile from school to the venue and the kids are Y1 so 5 and 6 (but mostly 6 at this point in the year).
Lots of mums on our class chat have today been saying how concerned they are about DCs being out in the sun all day and surely the trip should be cancelled in this heat. There are some saying they might request their DC are kept in school instead of attending the trip.
I appear to be the only person not really bothered by it as DD knows how to apply sunscreen, she'll wear a hat and have drinks. I also trust that the school will remind the kids to wear their hats, drink plenty and put extra cream on.
AIBU to think it's a bit of an overreaction on the part of the other parents?! I'm sure children in much warmer climates cope with school trips!

OP posts:

picklemepopcorn · 19/06/2017 07:27

I've lived in Singapore and adjusted to cope better over time. I think your blood thins, there is a chemical change. It doesn't work for these odd weeks though!

Brokenbiscuit · 19/06/2017 07:28

I understand that people aren't used to the heat, but there are threads like this every year! When are people going to adapt?

It really isn't that hot - people need to teach their kids how to cope with the heat, but it isn't necessary for normal life to grind to a halt.

ThanksMsMay · 19/06/2017 07:30

I'm from a subtropical climate so anything short of "hotter than the sun" or "level 3 hurricane" winds and rain would have meant get on with it.

ThanksMsMay · 19/06/2017 07:32

The majority of people in the lower half of the US and all of Australia are of European decent.

ThanksMsMay · 19/06/2017 07:35

Also "I'm from the UK I'm not designed for hot weather" doesn't really cut it when discussing British weather. And when you have access to water and sun cream.

BlackeyedSusan · 19/06/2017 07:35

I am adapted.... just for mizzle and low levels of UV and get sunburned in march.

not everyone copes with the heat.

Original poster

WobbleYourHead · 19/06/2017 07:43

Ffs it's cancelled and now I have a daughter in tears because of it.

OP posts:

SomewhatIdiosyncratic · 19/06/2017 07:51

You do condition to weather conditions over time. Having been travelling, the first days in a hot, humid climate were difficult, and it began to get easier with a bit of consistency.

The difficulty of the British climate is that you can have 15oC drizzle and 27oC blazing sun a couple of days apart, then back to drizzle again. It's easy to get caught out on the best clothing etc.

I have relatives in a nearby country, their climate is similar but a couple of degrees cooler, and they struggle at 22oC and find that sweltering. It's relative to what they're used to.

Back to the AIBU, this weather isn't sufficient reason to cancel a trip. It can be managed healthily with sun cream (being topped up), hats, light clothing, rest in the shade and sensible levels of hydration.

Over the weekend I've been on a trip with this age group at a theme park. We asked for top ups of tap water at kiosks, thickly applied suncream at the start and reapplied it at lunchtime, rested briefly in the shade between rides and went at a gentle pace. All had a happy, healthy day.

HateSummer · 19/06/2017 07:55

Yanbu! So silly. It's like when it snows everyone gets scared to drive. People can't handle extreme weather in this country.

YellowLawn · 19/06/2017 07:57

I'd rather my dc goes on a trip than stay inside school (which is boiling hot).

waitforitfdear · 19/06/2017 08:01

Bloody hilarious op I bet these same kids don't possess wellies as they can't possibly go outside in the rain either. Jesus wept.

I too was a kid in 1976 and it was as hot as this for months. No suncresm or hat really and we did all survive.

DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 19/06/2017 08:03

I'm old enough to remember the long hot summer of 76 Me too

Wrt walking dogs as a pp said it's too hot for their paws!!

AnUtterIdiot · 19/06/2017 08:08

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 19/06/2017 08:10

I think they were right to cancel it. 'Mad dogs and English men' stay out all day in this sort of heat. Suncream doesn't protect you from heat stroke.

Brokenbiscuit · 19/06/2017 08:13

I have had heatstroke before. It was bloody awful. However, I now recognise that I got it because I hadn't taken sensible precautions against the heat. It wasn't inevitable.

My dd can't stand the heat. It saps all of her energy. My focus is on teaching her how to stay well in it.

ThanksMsMay · 19/06/2017 08:16

The op has explained the children would have access to shade. They will be far warmer in a sweltering classroom with no aircon and 30 small sweaty bodies. This was a very stupid call by the school. The children would have faired much better outside.

waitforitfdear · 19/06/2017 08:16

Waiting for articles telling us all how to keep cool in this heat

Dh works with Canadians in London and they always take the piss at our attitudes to a bit of weather.

Not suprised they cancelled op as schools are terrified or being sued by parents whose snowflakes can't deal with the heat or who might slip in the frost.

Ffs no child is ever thirsty now they are dehydrated.

Spikeyball · 19/06/2017 08:17

If someone has poor temperature regulation they cannot adapt to heat other than avoid it. It's a medical issue. I wonder if those saying adapt have seen their child being taken to hospital in an ambulance after collapsing because they have become too warm within minutes of being somewhere warm.

ThanksMsMay · 19/06/2017 08:17

Actually thinking about my son's reception class basically keep the children outside all day. They bring hats and sun cream and wander in and out. Very sensible

ThanksMsMay · 19/06/2017 08:18

If my child could not take the heat I'd probably suggest not sending them rather than cancelling a trip for everyone. Although as I have explained I'd far prefer they be outside in the shade than in an over insulated classroom.

Lovemusic33 · 19/06/2017 08:19

I think it's a bit OTT to cancel, surely they could have arranged for parents to drive their kids there to save the long walk? It's perfect weather for looking at wildlife and birds, I'm sure there would be plenty of shade and water provided. I know some kids don't handle the heat, if parents were that concerned they could have opted out?

I would be a bit anoyed too, I hope your dd isn't too upset, maybe you could take her there at the weekend or after school?

UnicornMadeOfPinkGlitter · 19/06/2017 08:19

I was born in the summer of 76. Apparently I didn't wear clothes for months!

I do think there needs to be some caution for young children. Most people are sensible and carry out precautions. Put sunscreen on and hats and make sure they have plenty of fluid. However some just sit out in it all day and expect young children to do the same. They become ratty and miserable as they are hot and uncomfortable.

I do think a school can't ensure that everyone has the same level of tolerance for the sun as each other and so should err on the side of caution. Mind you if they aren't going I hope they have nice olacyivities planned to take place in the shade and not normal lessons in a sauna of a classroom.

I've just had to prise ds blazer off him and write him a note saying he won't be wearing his blazer in this heat. But he was insistent on wearing it as school haven't issued a statement to say that they don't have to wear them! He cycles three miles to school and back. He'd have been a disgusting sweaty mess by the time he was at the end of the road.

waitforitfdear · 19/06/2017 08:20

spikey

Yes that's really not the norm though is it?

TheHuntingOfTheSarky · 19/06/2017 08:22

DD1 is off to Devon on a residential this week and will be hiking on Dartmoor for an entire day. I've heard a few parents worrying about it and wondering if they should tell school they don't want their children doing the hike. Granted, it's probably not ideal to be doing it in 25 degree heat but she has a hat, sunscreen and a water bottle and there are qualified guides and first aiders going too so of course she'll be fine. I imagine they'll enjoy hiking in the sunshine far more than if it had been blowing a gale or pouring with rain!

Spikeyball · 19/06/2017 08:23

I wouldn't ask the school to cancel but when my son was in mainstream I did refuse permission for some activities because I didn't trust the school to be careful enough and monitor him properly.

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