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?

Some of us did some research to make sure we made the right choice with our babies.
But still fails to see that nets can make baby overheat despite research saying just that.

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
That’s you. You lack common sense, comprehension and manners. Everything you have posted suggests a sense of superiority.

Back to the hat issue, I often make the hat a bit damp so that it cools them down as well as shades them.

I'm very lucky with ds1 and ds2, they seem to have followed dh and love wearing hats. They have several each, and like to pick which one they want to wear each day. They do sometimes take them off, because they are toddlers. I'd hate to think I'm being judged on those few minutes they are off than the hours they wear them. (Or being judged at all actually...) They are probably fed up of me saying 'If the sun's out your hat's are on'. I've been asked by lots of people my trick to getting my toddlers to keep on their hat's, i tell them super glue 😉. Ds3 is 13 weeks and I've not had the hat battle there yet, he's a good boy and keeps it on .

I have a three year old and a 10 month old. They seem to manage to keep their hats on. A bit of perseverance and distracting them helps. And we always wear one too so it’s the norm to them.

This is the sort of shit I despise about parenting forums. “My kids are okay with it so yours would be too if you just tried”. I’m amazed any parent is not familiar with the fact that ALL KIDS ARE DIFFERENT. I have twins and they are complete opposites in almost every way. One happy to wear a hat with a bit of the distracting you mention. One who took his hat off 22 times before I stopped counting today.

Me and my 10mo old were slathered in factor 50 at a food festival at weekend. Left my hat in the car and after the 20 billionth time forcing a hat onto her head I gave up. Report me to childrens social care if you like. Or if you can find a way to keep a hat on her head I'll give you a tenner

Babies, sure, to protect their bald heads. I have a 6 and 3 yo and they don’t wear sun hats...they thankfully have heads full of hair to protect their scalp from the sun.
Their heads have never burned and neither has mine.
Hats would surely just make your head sweat!

My kids are 2 and 4 and fine with wearing sun hats.

However I'd say that if you were standing outside the park in the morning (im thinking 8:30-9:30?) and then again in the late afternoon there really isn't a need for sun hats in the UK, even in the current weather. The sun isnt that strong at that time of day.

But then I also don't slather my kids in factor 50 at the first sign of sunshine, so perhaps my view of things is different from most people's!

ikeepaforkinmypurse You're just plain old wrong about the buggy shade. They are not recommended. They cause overheating.

I wouldn't use buggy shade either. My family lives in a subtropical area and I haven't seen anyone with a buggy shade. It's much hotter than the mediterranean, think this weather we have here now during Easter.

They make the buggy much hotter than it would be with just the buggy hood up.

www.which.co.uk/news/2017/07/watch-how-your-childs-pushchair-could-overheat-in-the-sun-when-covered/

Have the hood up, and don't have the baby in the sun. I've taken a baby in pushchair to Malaysia and Singapore and she was fine from the sun. It's the heat and humidity that she struggled with. A whole head of sweat!!

However, you still should shade your baby!! I mean just don't leave them out in the sun, with a snooze shade on, and think it's really cool inside.

Nothing on that nhs link about hats causing sunstroke. Don't want to hear a hat? Your choice. Good luck getting sunscreen on your head.

Yes agree with everybody, my four year old gets an ‘itchy hot head’ if he wears a hat for more than ten minutes and my nine month old just flings his hats on to the floor but In principle yes hats should be worn in hot sunny weather.

When DS was in a pram, I used a giant muslin as a shade - pegged to the top of the buggy hood, then the other end draped over the handle so it wasn't making a tent, more of a canopy. Plenty of air circulation from each side, and a view for a nosy baby, but no direct sunshine on his either. Worked better than a parasol for me. He was always lovely and cool under there - I checked obsessively regularly.

Just in case anyone finds that useful.

He was rear facing though, obvs. Wouldn't work in a front facing pram

Here's a handy tip - your skull is covered in skin. Your baby 's is often exposed.
Listen to the "you don't need a hat" mantra. Or don't. Up to you. Sun cream on your head or staying inside are your alternatives.
Another handy tip - there are hats other than baseball caps.

My daughter REFUSES to wear a sun hat, or any hat for that matter. Believe me I have spent hours trying in the last 3 years. No gloves either. No hair bobble. No hair slides - Nothing. She is being tested for Autism.

Please don't judge until you know the full story!!!!!

@ikeepaforkinmypurse Ah you're one of those parents who has been blessed with non-autistic children who will do pretty much what you say after minimal battle and therefore you presume every other child on the planet is exactly like yours! You've so much to learn!

Whatdoido2018 you are assuming and presuming a lot, does it help?

@ikeepaforkinmypurse
I haven't needed to, the amount you've posted on here love!

well you seem to be making a lot of things up about my family you know nothing about, so again, I hope that helps you

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

Actually, I was pointing out how glaringly apparent your lies are. Yiu see, I have disabled kids. I know precisely how hard it is to get paediatrics and dermatology appointments in the state OR private sectors (with doctors who can discern arse from elbow, at least) and the idea that you would waste multiple appointments anxiously quizzing them on the precise best way to protect newborn babies from sun, and update that knowledge every time you have another child, is risible. Especially as those professionals apparently didn't inform you of what I thought most responsible parents knew: sun protection of the kind you advocate on buggies is actively dangerous.

Your posts make you look idiotic, and everyone here knows it but you, it seems.

Not topping up suncream is really poor. My daughter goes through phases of wearing hats happily and utterly hating them.

It was easier when she was an immobile newborn to keep a hat on her head!

Some of my children are fine wearing hats, my other DC aren't. They all know that they have to though. It's not really one of those things that I negotiate with them; it's like crossing roads safely, checking that dogs can be stroked before doing so, not eating crap all day instead of fruit and vegetables, etc. They either agree to wear long sleeves, have their sunscreen on and wear a hat, or the trips/event/walk/whatever is over.

Sunburn can be serious; I loathe going out in the sun without a hat - it makes me feel crap for hours, and I've lived in some hot places. I'm doing my job now to protect them. I'm not shrugging off something that might harm them if I don't get it right.

When they're older, they'll make their own choices about it.

Oh ffs! You can't win no matter what you do! Last summer my mum bought my then 2 yo DS some sunglasses. He loved them and was happy to wear them. Someone stopped her in the street and told her it was "excessive" and "ridiculous".

Plenty of kids don't keep hats on. It's not unusual. As long as they have sun cream put on regularly enough and aren't left in the sun all day they will be fine and won't get burnt or sunstroke. I like to use that little thing called common sense.

Surely its an easy solution, if they refuse to wear a hat then they don't go out in the sun! Why is everybody complaining that there child won't wear a hat? Nurseries manage it!

Don't the Aussies still say "Slip, Slap, Slop"? I think they know what they are talking about.
Interested to hear if any Aussie/NZ/South Africa MN-ers think hats are some sort of illuminati mind control or .... sensible precautions.