Does anyone else have a baby / young toddler and really not want to wear a mask

[roarfeckingroarr]

Because of how it might impact their development?

DS is 13 months and is so close to speaking. I talk to him all the time to help his development. I feel uncomfortable about him not being able to see facial expressions, see me speak, hear words clearly etc while we're out and about (a lot of the day).

Anyone else feel this way?

@colourfulpuddles I think it's preferable to him being worried by people in masks tbh. Masks have been about his whole life pretty much so for him it's normal he knows no different

@TempsPerdu

Why are you out and about inside so much? Aren’t we supposed to be limiting doing this?

Also please ignore idiotic posts like this, from people who would probably have small children trudging miserably around muddy parks for six months of every year. For optimal socialisation and language development kids need to see as much of the world around them as possible and interact with as many different people as is feasible. We made a point of still taking DD into shops, on buses and trains, to outdoor markets etc even at the height of the pandemic last year, despite the occasional episode of tutting and head shaking from people who would prefer we had her permanently cooped up at home.

It’s not an idiotic post.

I never said anything about trudging round parks.

Guidance is that we are supposed to limit how much we are indoors around others.

Realistically, how long will you be spending in a shop/on public transport? You’re being dramatic.

@Skyll It’s late November. Today it was 4 degrees outside where I am. Where are you expecting parents with small children to hang out and socialise for the next 3 or 4 months?

Masks in shops and on buses likely won’t be at all detrimental to OP’s child’s development. Limiting their socialisation opportunities during a critical window in their early childhood just might.

Why can’t the op take her baby to soft play then and wear a mask?

I do and this is one of the many reasons I will not be wearing a mask.

In some countries women cover all of their face except their eyes, sometimes wven those, when out and about.

Their children still learn to communicate just fine.

Wear a clear visor. People accept them without realising how uselessness they are. Or just don't wear a mask. 🤷‍♀️

I agree small children need to communicate. I'm in wales. Masks never dropped and our rates are higher than England. It's ridiculous.

@hiredandsqueak

I think it has become part of our children's world tbh. Dgs 2 and a half is most definitely aware as when I take him to a shop he will always say "Mask on Gangan" as we approach the door. And I laughed when saw he had put stickers over Peppa pig and co's faces as if they were wearing masks whilst we played. I'm sure the short time you need to wear them won't impact on your child's speech.

I think that's one of the most depress things I've read in a vey long time. Your poor poor dgc

Unless you spend all your life in supermarkets you won't affect their development. Be honest, how many hours a week are you wearing one?

I felt like this about wearing them at baby sensory when I was finally snake to go with my April born 2020 baby.

Why can’t the op take her baby to soft play then and wear a mask?

She absolutely can if she wants to - although soft play isn’t many people’s cup of tea! But unless you go in a group it isn’t exactly ideal for socialisation purposes. The point is that toddlers and preschoolers need to come across and interact with a range of different adults (and later on other children) and observe how communication works in different settings - eg a transaction in a shop, buying a ticket on a bus, turn taking in a playground, listening to ‘teachers’ at a rhyme time/toddler group and so on.

Spend a decent chunk of time at home.

No, because I'm not a nutter x

Oh FFS. Ridiculous.

There’s no way anyone needs to be out in shops all day.

Guidance is that we are supposed to limit how much we are indoors around others.

It really isn’t. The guidance you linked to simply doesn’t say that, even though you want it to.

My DD was born in April 2020 so has lived with people wearing masks all her life. Since June this year she has been attending a nursery where the staff have continued to wear masks throughout. Her language development is ahead of where her older brother was at the same age and she is already at 19 months stringing 3 or more words together. I know that is but one anecdote, but from personal experience I don't think mask wearing has affected her one jot.

Guidance is that we are supposed to limit how much we are indoors around others.

No, its not. Are you a year behind the rest of us?

The only bits of guidance which are anything to do with meeting others indoors say
Let fresh air in if you meet indoors.
Meeting outdoors is safer
You may choose to limit the close contact you have with people you do not usually live with

I totally agree OP and won’t be wearing masks again.

One of my daughter’s first words was mask.

Before she was two she would remind me “don’t forget your mask, Mummy”

It’s all she’s ever known.

Totally sucks I know OP. But she is a good speaker.

@Myleo

I totally agree OP and won’t be wearing masks again.

You gonna lie about being exempt then?

My DS is nearly 2 and Ma for mask was also one of his first words. Like other toddlers mentioned on this thread, he thinks they're funny and tells me to put one on when we go into a shop. I'd much rather that than him be scared of people wearing masks or for him to feel that having to wear one makes me sad. As someone said above they are just part of his world now.

It isn't everywhere either. I wear one going round the supermarket but DS tends to be forward facing in the buggy then so he wouldn't see my face anyway. I take him to a baby gymnastics group where most of the parents wear one and it doesn't bother him either, and he has definitely picked up new words and ideas from that group so can't be totally decimating his communication skills.

My DS was born just before the first lockdown. His speech is excellent so I have no worries there but his behaviour and engagement with activities at toddler groups etc is noticeably different in groups where all adults are wearing masks vs those where they are not. I will continue to wear my mask as required, but I'm not going to pretend I haven't observed a negative effect on my child.