People, their children and babies with no sun hats

[SimplySteve]

Was at Alton Towers yesterday, DD was visiting with a friend and her GF was working, so I was right by the entrance for an hour in the morning as park opened, then an hour as park closed (4:30-5:30). It was high 20s/low 30s.

I was astounded at the amount of people of all ages be it teens, young adults and families, some with toddlers/youngsters on shoulders/in strollers and babbas in prams. There were so few sun hats being worn, and could clearly see sunburn on those with exposed shoulders/backs and arms. I mean it's fair enough if you want to take these chances but young children are reliant on a sensible adult to protect them.

Or I'm talking crap?

Buy ribbon and sew it on then tie the hat on DC head.

Just adds to the challenge to get it off - means it lasts 30 seconds instead of 3!

I don’t like ties on them. As I said before, if the hat slips down the back of the head, all you have is a ribbon tied round your child’s neck which will not come undone if pulled but will only get tighter. The hat could get caught on anything. It’s the same as ties for blinds.

You know those cruel youtube videos of people trying to put a hat or other item of clothing on a cat? And the cat thrashes around until the item is removed? Regardless of whether the said item has been tied on with a ribbon/elastic etc etc etc?

Yeh well that's basically my 2 sons

No chance of getting hats on either of them

They both get factor 50 slapped on and guess what? THEY'RE FINE!

perfectstorm
what a stupid comment, since when should parents not ask professionals their opinion? Some of us did some research to make sure we made the right choice with our babies.

Hilarious that some posters are so proud to lack common sense but feel superior for it. What a great way and example to raise your kids

I don’t like ties on them. As I said before, if the hat slips down the back of the head, all you have is a ribbon tied round your child’s neck which will not come undone if pulled but will only get tighter. The hat could get caught on anything. It’s the same as ties for blinds.

😱 this is terrifying! I had never even heard or thought of this as an issue

I sewed an elastic thread on DD's hats when she was a toddler. Hat fell off, popped it back on.
If you don't put a hat on a baby in this heat, you are foolish. If your child has sensory issues, I get that it would be more difficult.
I've had sun stroke. It's piggin' horrible.

She had a kidsbanz cricket type hat that was adjustable. It lasted years.

I did try with my babies and toddlers. To no avail.

DD will not keep her hat on :-(. She loves taking it off and putting it back on again. Only she’s can’t get it back on her head as she is a baby!

Hilarious that some posters are so proud to lack common sense but feel superior for it. What a great way and example to raise your kids 

Yet making snide comments, name calling and being disrespectful towards other parents who are trying their best (whether you agree or not) is a great example to set for your children.

FWIW, it has been proven time and time again that the sunshades and pram covers increase the heat within the pram, whether you are in direct sunlight or in the shade. The shade doesn't equal cool, it just equals cooler.

Mine rarely wore hats from babyhood up. Shades on peaks but after that we risked it. They (and indeed I) have very thick hair and that does the job. No sunburned heads. No burned faces. Very rarely sunburned anywhere.
Hats just make them hotter and crosser - which bit are they meant to be protecting?

You cover your head to prevent sun stroke. Which I've had from thinking I was too grown up and clever for a hat. It's horrible. I'd hate my dd to have it from my lack of care.

No, hats don’t stop sunstroke. In fact, hats reduce the body’s ability to cool itself. Likely to increase the risk of sunstroke.

www.nhs.uk/conditions/heat-exhaustion-heatstroke/

That's what I thought about hats! I knew they didn't prevent heat stroke and they always make me feel hotter too .

Seriously, what are they for?! I don't understand?

I have two hat haters - both sun and winter variety, although both will wear them at nursery!

I have discovered a bit of a solution this year - big hats - mine are 3 and 1, both are happy currently in age 5-6 bucket style hats!

Its not a sure fire solution but its working for us currently.

I am happy for others to judge me, I got filthy looks off another family on holiday last year as my two kept taking hats off - their baby was by the pool in a hat and nappy - mine did have UV suits so so I judged right back =)

@anametouse a hat helps keep the sun out of my eyes, and protects at least some of my face from sun burn, along with my ears and the back of my neck.

I try to keep sunblock use to a minimum on me because I have picky skin - last summer the sunblock actually hurt, made my face in particular sore, this year it's making my skin flaky so I prefer to cover up and stay indoors if I can. If I can't, then it's 50spf liberally applied.

DS has sunblock applied liberally. I'd love him to wear a hat, but he won't keep it on.

Thanks for answering @mirime - I've actually been thinking about this for days as DS won't wear a hat and I've been trying to figure out why he needs to. He has thick hair, I cover him in sun cream, and he's always hated the sun in his eyes anyway so he naturally moves himself into shade. Sounds like I can stop worrying about this battle ...

My kids wear hats by choice because school/ nursery promote it as a good thing to do.
I don't ever think about it. nor suncream

I hate these threads. It reminds me of the time we were in Ireland in a freak heatwave and I overheard someone commenting about my baby being in the sun with his legs uncovered. We had just turned a corner to walk up a short street in the sun (was previously in shade) and he had factor 50 on! You only see a snapshot and judge based on that

My kids get far to over heated in hats which is dangerous so I'm a bit meh at making them wear them. We avoid sun, stay in shade as much as possible, wear long sleeved light clothing and wear sun cream.

My five year old will wear a cap, my two year old will continuously throw his on the floor. So i bought one with a Velcro strap to go under his chin. He knows if he yanks it downwards that comes off too. So I deal with it by not taking him to places like Alton
Towers on boiling hot days. Simples.

I have to wear a hat at work, it is baseball cap type. I hate it, you have no idea how much hotter it makes you :(

So when DD2's primary school told me she had to have a very similar hat for sports day I said no. Either it is too hot for kids to be outside doing PE, or they are only out there for a short time & have plenty of water.

I have a toddler who wears his hat beautifully and will fetch it himself before we go out. He also sits patiently while I apply suncream.
If he was my only child, I'd probably be very smug and judgey but luckily I've avoided that trap thanks to the willful arseing around of my older 2 who could whip off hats within seconds and manage to lose them over bridges, in drains, in piles of dog poo etc. etc. Would both scream like they were being murdered during sun cream application and once one of them learned to take his clothes off, he would strip at every opportunity and prance around butt naked in fierce sunshine until I could chase him down and wrestle him back into his shorts and t shirt.
At times, I admit, I probably left them too long without taking the necessary precautions and I imagine I was judged by other parents whose children were more like my (freakishly) compliant toddler. But frankly, I was too frazzled to give a shit.

I hate wearing hats. I just stay out of the sun between 12-3. And you have been told about children already. DC1 likes a hat but can’t keep them on for DC2. As a result, DC2 is now looking really really brown.

My eldest is one of those children who doesn’t like to wear a coat in winter (doesn’t really feel the cold), you can judge that too if you like.