He won't wear a hat!

I imagine that this would be a fairly common issue, but it is stressing me out and I would love to hear what others have done in this situation.

DS just won't wear a hat (whether inside or outside). I have tried all kinds of ties and even resorted to cutting up some stretchy cloth, threading it through the sides of his hat and tying it under his chin! He still gets in off in seconds!

I think he is still too little to understand the concept of "no hat, no play".

As a result, we spend a lot less time outside that both he and I would like to. Things like a morning at the beach just isn't an option for us as a result. I just can't relax if he doesn't have a hat on. Is this the way we will have to play it until he understands that he HAS to wear a hat (especially in QLD!).

I would appreciate any suggestions. TIA

Oh yeah, I feel your pain :hug:.

All mine have been shocking at taking their hats off at that age! For DS1 (who was 12 months old at the time) the crunch came when we went on a QLD holiday. He NEEDED to keep his hat on, so I became determined to win every round of hat pulling off LOL! Every time he pulled it off I put it straight back on, even if it meant 50 times! He would eventually give up and over time he gave up completely :lol:.

I have used the same strategy on the next two with success. It's painful at first, but it gets better I promise! With DD I don't say "No, don't take your hat off" because she then chucks a tanty and we get nowhere. Instead, I don't say a word, I just put her hat straight back on. I must be a mean mum, but I'm determined to WIN haha!

Good luck!

DS only just started wearing his and he still pulls it off but we use the same strategy goes straight back on

:

---

I became determined to win every round of hat pulling off LOL! Every time he pulled it off I put it straight back on, even if it meant 50 times! He would eventually give up and over time he gave up completely :lol:.

---

:yeahthat:

Be persistant. It took my DS several months to stop pulling his off. Now when it comes off, he'll pick it up and bring it over to me to put it back on. Also, he insists that DH & I wear hats too. If we are wearing a hat, he is happier to keep his on. If he wants to go outside, he'll often get our hats and insist we put them on then head to the door :lol:

DS1 was great until 10 months, then would not keep on from 10 months until 25 months then suddenly became obsessed with 1 particular hat and is now great at keeping it on.

When he wouldn't I would put it back on a million times or tell him we would go home if he didnt keep it on, 1 warning them home OR put in pram with UV cover on.

I now have same issue with DS2 grrrrrrrrrr dam age thing!!

Good luck

You could have an activity set up outside (water play, for eg) and then persist in putting his hat back on if he takes it off. If he's distracted he might be less interested in removing the hat and a firm "We have to wear hats outside" is enough.

Just a thought - do you and DH wear hats outside as well? Because if he's seeing DH walk around outside without a hat then it's going to be harder to get him to leave his own on.

yep everything said above.

I don't argue, i just put it back on. It is a pain for a bit but they get the idea. Praise is good too. I do know how frustrating it is though.
I wear my hat too and I've even been successful in getting DH to wear his.

As everyone else has said, persistance really is the key. It pays off in the end :)

I agree, I just kept putting DS1 hat back on, over and over. We are in QLD also & before that the very hot Pilbara in WA....a hat is a must. Especially since mummy burns to a crisp in seconds. I also choose better times of the day for when the hat is off, or pick shady areas to play. I always ensure the clam shell is moved to the shade etc & we have shade sail over our sand pit. DS1 figured it out eventually that it had to be left on & then when we got to 'no hat no play' it always stayed on. Now he is great at keeping it on. DS2 is almost 1 and he is terrible now also, so we start again.

Thanks so much for the advice, ladies. It is good to know that there are others out there struggling with the same issue (DS is the only one out of his friends who refuses to wear a hat and it often makes things difficult at Mums group, especially if we all spend a fair bit of time outside). I told DH that he needs to wear a hat too and we plan on leaving them at the back door and never going out into the garden without putting it on. Hopefully DS will catch on. Tomorrow is the day we start the hat challenge. I am trying to muster all the determination to win this battle. Thanks you all again for taking the time to reply.

We always wear hats outside too, and I think that's helped a lot.
DS loves his hat, even insists on wearing inside a lot of the time

Both mine done the same, both just had to keep putting it on over and over, didn't say nothing except, you have to wear you hat and didn't make a huge fuss over it. Learnt not to fuss to much with my niece who then thought it a hilarious game to play.

While they were anti-hat though I did completely sunblock their head, straight through the hair to the scalp, it was nasty getting it in the hair but at least they were protected. With DD2 I bought a hat that had a sewn in chin strap, then I sewed in one at the back as well, so either way she pulled it got stuck, sometimes she would get it off other times she would give up. Now she wears it most of the time, but still pulls it off occasionally.

I don't have the answer as DD just out of the blue one day accepted that she had to wear it and now loves it..

DS however will wear a hat if it is pink ;)