Friend's taken baby to the beach today!

[ItsTheHumidity21]

I just seen my friend post a photo on social media of her and her baby at the beach. AIBU to think she is irresponsible for doing that? She's in a hotter part of the country in the south east. The beach actually looked empty in the background which you would think might have said something to her.

I guess I'm on the other extreme. I'm a worrier about my children (I have a toddler and baby) and we're inside with windows closed, curtains drawn, fans on, ice lollies out and Disney films on. Just makes me anxious and kind of angry that someone could do that to their baby.

*I love the grim determination of people these days, to ignore any advice and guidance given by experts.

Medical professionals and scientists telling you to stay in and be careful on the hottest day ever? fuck 'em, I'll show 'em I'm going to the beach / have a BBQ/ go to a beer garden.*

" Any advice " A teeny tiny over reaction there. 😁

@BronwenFrideswide it might feel cooler but that doesn't change the strength of the sun

FFS, some people on here...

• My friend has left the house with her children!
• I've seen adults out jogging in the sun!
• Some people aren't wearing a hat!
• There are teenagers hanging out wihout tops on!

You do realise that some people cope better in the heat that others? That some people hate wearing hats (I know I do)? That the teenagers wihout tops on may have actually put suncream on?

Stay inside all day if you want to but I'd be climbing the walls if I stayed in the house 24/7 with a baby and toddler.

Absolutely ridiculous thing to do. Poor baby.

What a load of bollocks. I am shit hot on advice given by experts (I am one and I give it), but that doesn't mean blindly following everything without thought.

There is no advice to shelter in place from the heatwave. There is advice on what to do to cool down, and going to the coast, safely, is very much covered by the advice. This has nothing to do with not liking being told what to do, its about listening to the experts and taking what is relevant to your situation and using the advice wisely.

Brexit etc was caused by idiots not understanding and not being able to process. You're only doing the same in a different way. There is no advice that says "don't leave your home, don't go somewhere that is much cooler, don't safely enjoy yourself"

You refuse to answer why you think your friend doesn't understand what SHADE is.

There is no advice to shelter in place from the heatwave. There is advice on what to do to cool down, and going to the coast, safely, is very much covered by the advice. This has nothing to do with not liking being told what to do, its about listening to the experts and taking what is relevant to your situation and using the advice wisely.

Exactly. It's not Covid again. 🙄

Lol the NHS guidance doesn't say stay locked up in dark rooms with ice lollies. It says to keep out of direct sunlight between 11 and 3. You can still use the shade 😂😂🤣🤣

I live by the coast. A morning stroll and visit to the beach before going home for lunch and naptime over the hottest part of the day? Absolutely.

A full day at the beach without proper shade? No thank you.

I'm guessing she's doing the first rather than the second.

This thread is peak MN hysteria. If your friend was on holiday in spain/Greece and put up a pic of her baby would you be on here pearl clutching then?

I live at the beach on the SE coast and its 28 degrees and breezy, no hotter than an average European summer holiday. Can't wait to take my kids down there after school for some fun!

That's what parasols, beach umbrellas, beach tents, suncream and clothing is for!

There's absolutely no need to stay indoors between 11-3 just because you have a small baby, fgs.

Babies in hotter countries (southern Europe) don't get taken to the beach in a heatwave in the middle of the day!! And yes, high 30's is considered a heatwave in Greece, Portugal, France etc too. People who are habituated to high temps might cope better, but they're also used to taking sensible precautions.

no, I wouldn't have taken a child of any age, or myself, to a beach on the south coast today.

Be careful isn't the same as stay inside. My friend is staying with me because she live in a high rise flat and it is unbearable in there. If she blindly followed your advice she would be a lot worse off.

Big difference between being in the sun with no shade and taking precautions such as sun tents.

It does, but you can't really claim british houses are built for the extreme heat and stay cool like those built with that in mind, can you?

There's a reason why locals in hot countries laugh at the brits reddening themselves at the beach all day long.

Even in the shade, UV rays and heat affects health. Even with sunscreen, it needs re-applying several times an hour. Even if someone doesn't burn, damage is being done.

If you've ever experienced heatstroke you would understand the point of shutters and siesta!

Sounds like hell to me.. rather be inside in the cool

Likewise having grown up on the continent of course we didn't go out to the beach in the hottest part of the day. We stayed inside (houses built to stay cooler than here though), or sat in shady outside spots (not the beach, there's no shade).
We did not go to the beach in 38-40 degree heat in the hottest part of the day, the sand burns on your feet and that 'cooling breeze' if it is there tricks you into sunburn.
But in fairness to your friend, if she was coming in at 11/noonish and took shade etc that's ok. It also might not be the very high temperatures at the beach, my friend at the coast has weather 10 degrees below me inland.
I wish people would quit the 'of course people in hot countries go to the beach, get on with normal life etc etc'. No, no we don't. Or where we do it's because our infrastructure is set up to cope with heat (eg earlier school day, buildings built to stay cool etc).
As a pp said, just mad dogs and Englishmen without any sense.

Genuinely cringe worthy post

@ItsTheHumidity21 are you saying your friend has plonked her baby down on the sand in the full glare of the sun with no shade?

What of all the people on the beach in, say, Dubai?! When you go on holiday somewhere hot do you stay in??

Just wondering how awful this is? I bought a gazebo for my garden to go over the paddling pool which gives 3x3m shade and have stuck kids in there… they’re full of factor 50 (super waterproof but just reapplied) but should I yank them out as it’s the hottest part of the day!?

As long as they are In the shade it sounds OK to me.

They stretch big shades across Australian play grounds. So kids can play out.

Many people live in flats as hot as ovens.

I suppose what concerned me was that the baby was in direct sun and not under shade in the photo I saw but yes, hopefully baby will be.

That's what the photo showed but hopefully there will be shade

Don't you ever go on holiday? I took my then 5 week old and 18 month old to the south of France camping, we didn't sit in a darkened room for 2 weeks we went to the beach and enjoyed ourselves. The small baby never left the shade and my 18 month old was in a full sun suit and hat. We kept them watered or breastfed and were sensible. No need for dramatics closing curtains etc, assuming your friend is keeping the baby covered, cool and hydrated I wouldn't have an issue. The only time I get judgy is when people rock up at the beach in 30 plus degree heat with a baby and no shade at all, now that is dam right stupid, we'd see lots of people do it too.