To think this is really poor practice by nursery?

[pickledpepperspub]

DD goes to a lovely nursery but as the weather got warmer it became apparent that they are sharing a box of sunhats for all the kids. They just fish one out each day and plonk it on. Surely this is the fastest way to never ending cycle of nits?

I don’t think nits are caught from hats.

Ask them to stop this and tell parents to buy their own.

I thought head lice needed hair and a blood supply to thrive. It's not ideal but tbh there are better things to get worked up about. Provide a hat for your DC - job done.

YABU, seen it done at various schools and nurseries. If they’re going to catch nits, they’ll catch nits.

My DC nursery does this. Never had any reports of nits though!

Dont be ridiculous

YABU do you know how much time it takes to put the right hat on the right child when they're desperate to play out. All hats in a box is the easiest way and they won't catch nits from a hat I'm almost sure!

Why don't your provide your own sun hat if it's such an issue?

I don't think nits live in hats do they?

I would be very glad my DC was wearing a hat. Any hat.

Yes a lot do this, it’s really hard to remember whose is whose. Especially when they look similar. You can’t get nits this way and IME (nursery from 8m- school) nits aren’t common in nursery either.

I’ve never worried about it and presume the other parents at our nursery don’t care either otherwise they would’ve stopped it

Advice says that although it's possible to catch headlice from hats or helmets it's rare.

I wouldn't worry about it.

Faffing around finding individual sun hats is just a waste of valuable time.

I think you’re expectations are reasonable OP. I don’t think sharing items of clothing is ok. Definitely put her own hat in her bag and ask the teachers to use it.

My dc’s nursery has always done this. Two kids through there and we never had any nits. It was only once in school that we ever got nits (where they didn’t actually share anything and we have to send it all in). I’m sure they wouldn’t be offended if you want to send in your own though.

Hmm. All parents provide hats for their kids at DCs’ nursery, but still at pickup they’re always wearing the wrong hats. So I don’t think that’s a solution.
Doesn’t wind me up really!

My daughters nursery do this, I can’t see any issue at all!!

It’s fine. Honestly.

If a child at the nursery has nits they’re probably going to spread them to the others with or without the sharing of sun hats. I wouldn’t worry too much about it, at least the kids are wearing hats!

Nits do not live on hats.

If parents do not provide a hat, would you expect them to send children outside without one?

It's common practice here, same with wellies and we also have spare waterproofs, winter hats and gloves too.

You're being ridiculous

Oh blimey, you are being unreasonable and rather misinformed. You can catch head lice by just sitting next to a person who has them, that's the fastest way to get them not by sharing a hat. They jump from head to head with ease.

If it's such a super concern for you, buy your child her own hat and keep it away from others. I can assure you however, that will not stop her from catching head lice if someone is already infected in the class.

Provide your own wide brimmed, bucket, or legionnaire hat. Write your child's name in big letters with permanent marker on the inner band. Problem solved.

SpecterLitt (great name by the way, I’m watching at the moment) nits do not ‘jump from head to head’ with ease or otherwise. They can’t jump. They crawl. Hair needs to touch. They don’t survive long off the head, so I don’t think hats used at intervals are too much of a risk on that basis.

You can catch head lice by just sitting next to a person who has them, that's the fastest way to get them not by sharing a hat. They jump from head to head with ease.

But head lice do not jump! I have always understood that you have to have head-to-head direct contact for them to crawl from one head to another.

X post!

If they are going to get nits, they'll get nits. I wouldn't worry about the hats.