AIBU - Nursery and Suncream

[Tespondent]

WIBU to ask nursery not to reapply suncream during the day?

I apply a 12 hour suncream in the morning, they constantly reapply during the day and today I've picked up DD and her (pretty long) hair is greasy and covered in cream, clothes are stained with green/yellow around the neckline.

Her hair is tied up in a pony tail and it's literally stuck to her back.

Yep, unreasonable. They can't be certain the cream you've used will last all day and they have a duty of care to ensure she has proper sun protection.

Yes you would be as you would complain if she gets burnt.

You're wrong.
12 hour suncream doesn't actually last 12 hours, and you really should be letting them reapply it throughout the day.

They will not risk a small child being burned to a crisp because you don’t want to wash her hair.

Probably the most unreasonable post I’ve seen on mumsnet in a while!

I can't see what you'd possibly complain about. They've quite rightly applied sun cream, albeit not as carefully as you would but you've only got one child to look after. I'd rather a stained T-shirt than a burnt child.

A 12 hour suncream absolutely does not last 12 hours. I applied it on Sunday and had started going red 3 hours later. I generally reapply every 3-4 hours.

Get a lighter sun cream and they might not have this problem

The all day suncream only lasts until the child gets wet, towel dried, has their face and hands washed etc. Which is frequently at nursery.

Perhaps I should politely ask them to keep her hair out of the cream then. We can't wash everyday and it's currently unbrushable as it's stuck together.

I agree with you. One application of a 12 hour sun cream is fine. To be honest, we rarely bothered with our DD as they were only outside for short periods and never burnt. They need some vitamin D!

@homeedmam I understand that if she was going swimming or in a pool

YABU. As others have said they can’t be sure that you’ve applied it properly and they have to cover themselves. Send her in old clothes and tie her hair back? Surely a decent shampoo will get it out?

Tie her hair up away from her face or plait it and send her with some normal suncream. Problem solved.

Send her in the same clothes (washed) so it doesn’t matter if they get extra stains on them. Just have to wash her hair

Her hair is tied up, it's her pony tail that's covered in cream.

Get her to stand over the bath and just wash the hair still tied up then? Would only take 2 minutes.

You should have signed a suncream policy which states they can put on suncream

we have to put suncream on - much more than I would in a home setting.

I also wouldn't know if you had put the suncream on - unless you do it as you arrive and they can see

Bit arrogant to assume a nursery nurse is more competent applying suncream than a parent especially when they can't even keep it out of the child's hair if anything they will be more slapdash as they have more than one child to put cream on

Get a set of nursery clothes from Primark, wash and re wear.
This will be till September now

Yabu. Sounds a little like her hair maybe needs plaiting if she wants to keep it long. Just to keep it out of the way. I imagine if they're doing wet or messy play, a ponytail would similarly get wet or messy.

Unfortunately nursery staff will be under pressure to get sun cream on a dozen or more toddlers and get them outside. They don't necessarily have the time to care much about it getting on flyaway hair, or will be able to stop a pony tail wiping round into the face of a freshly sun creamed child.

As for clothes, they expect you'll have done the first base layer of suncream. But they can't strip every child to put on a top up layer just so clothes don't get messy.

the first rule of nursery is never put your child in clothes that you don't mind getting dirty and stained. Nurseries are generally very understanding of kids attending in clean but stained clothes due to their play.

We have certain outfits for our DC for nursery, which we don't then mind getting messy etc, as that's just part of them attending!

I think you have to accept they're going to apply suncream (which is a better option than burning) and make sure you set aside time on those days she attends to give her a shower or bath.

That’s annoying re the hair, OP. I’d be tempted to send her in with a shower cap to pop
on when she’s getting her cream done. The clothes wouldn’t bother me though.

Just send her to nursery in the stained clothes.

They need to keep reapplying the sun screan as the protection will be lost after washing her face after eating.

If her hair is too long for you to manage then she needs shorter hair