To make dd13 wear UV protection

[dillydall]

Two dds - aged 11 and 13.

Every year, we spend two weeks in a sunny European country staying in a house with a pool. Dds are in and out of the pool all day every day.

The rule/condition we impose in return for this lovely holiday, is that dds must wear UV protection tops and shorts over their swimming costumes - they're both very pale, blue-eyed and blonde, and burn very easily.

With UV tops and shorts, suncream is far easier to apply regularly throughout the day - far more of their skin is covered, and you don't have to do all the fiddly bits round swimming costume straps.

If they're wanting to go in the pool after 6pm, they don't have to wear the tops and shorts.

However, older dd is now 13 and is complaining about having to wear the top and shorts. She says it's embarrassing, babyish and looks stupid in photos (I offered compromise of being allowed to take the top and shorts off briefly for photos but that's apparently not enough).

Should I stick to my guns and still make her wear them if she wants to go in the pool, or should I make some sort of compromise?

I.e. Not allowed to go in pool between 11am and 3pm if not wearing top & shorts, but allowed rest of time, and if she burns even slightly then deal is off?

I remember DSD and her mate coming to stay with us when we lived abroad. For a day at the water park I suggested rash vests - nope, wouldn't have it, wouldn't even try them on. They were 14. DH was Disney and I couldn't push it.

Told them to reapply suncream regularly, nagged them during the day and got lots of 'Kevin' sighs and rolled eyes. Eventually left them to it (and concentrated on DD, 4 at the time, who was in a full UV suit and hat)

Later that evening I was the one sat with DSD when she had iced towels across her chest because of the sun burn. The next day I took her to the med centre because the tops of her breasts had blistered, badly. We had to cut her bras down because she couldn't bear anything touching her for the next week. Ruined the 2nd week of her stay.

She's 22 now and still has the scarring (a noticeable colour difference) and of course the worry of damage she can't see.

This was in about 8 hours of July heat in Europe. So DD wears a rash vest, and will for as long as I'm paying for the holiday!

ffs,mn ignorance knows no bounds. of course she wears a uv top closer to the equator during peak uv hours.

Geography isn't my best thing - what part of Europe is near the equator?

Closer to the equator. Not near to. Lots of European countries far hotter than the UK and a lot closer to the equator than the UK is.

The Costa del Sol/Andalusia can be extremely hot, as can Cyprus, Malta and Greece.