To not expect my children to wear masks?

[moita]

Upset MIL yesterday (by phone). She offered to make my 4 year old and 2 year old masks. I said there's no where they'd wear them let alone safely.

MIL is now upset and thinks I'm being irresponsible.

Are children really expected to wear them?

I think we need all to take a stand against masks actually for all kinds of reasons (other than where the law insists on it and other than where required by an employer or place into which you go eg covid 19 ward)

I wouldn’t dream of putting my children of that age into a mask. For many reasons it would be ridiculous to try.

Can’t imagine putting a 2 year old in a mask, but bearing in mind the mask is to protect others, not the wearer , I could imagine a 4 year old wearing one, especially if it was cute.
I don’t think it’s necessary, but unless your child is asthmatic, I would let MIL make one if it gives her pleasure to do that.

I have no plans to make either of my dc (8&5) wear masks unless it was actually compulsory. My eldest has sensory issues anyway and would probably just refuse to go out, my youngest would put it on and then fiddle with it, pull it off, put it back on wrong, wipe his nose on it, take it off etc etc

Babies and toddlers MUST NOT wear masks or face coverings, it is DANGEROUS. Little children have smaller airways than adults, and we mustn't restrict their access to air. So definitely it's a no for your two-year old.

As an asthmatic I won't be wearing one (it is advised by asthma uk) and my 5 year old (with SEN) and my 17yr old (again worth SEN) wouldn't be able to wear them safely but we barely leave our property.

I believe 2 and under are recommended not to wear them anyway?

I don't think it's sensible for children to be wearing them as they won't do safely, but I would have just said 'oh that's lovely if you' and let her crack on with it! You didn't need to use them, but she would have felt like she was helping to keep them safe 🤷🏻‍♀️

I’m sure I’ve seen guidance that they shouldn’t be worn by children under 3 as they should be able to put on, remove and adjust the mask safely themselves. I think this was on the listing to buy masks, so I’m not sure if it’s official guidance but it makes sense. Since this began we’ve seen lots of things about the dangers of wearing and handling masks incorrectly, which can be worse than just not wearing a mask.

YABU. The more people who wear masks, the more "normal" social behaviour can happen whilst keeping the R value down. The four year old should be able to understand is important to stop germs, and the two year old might be able to copy.

I wouldn't force either of them, but I'd definitely encourage it, like a hat on a cold day.

Ok, fair point on safety for the two year old.

My son has autism and sensory issues and he won’t be wearing one

Absolutely don't make your children wear them. FWIW I won't be wearing one, unless they're made compulsory, for a whole host of reasons. But maybe still let MIL make some cute ones for them. It will give her a little peace of mind, something to do, and there's really no harm in having them just in case. It's in the US (I think) where masks have to be worn by anyone over 2. I really hope this doesn't get brought in here but no harm in having one MIL has made just in case.

It is same in one EU country. Ages over 2 compulsory face mask. It worked though

Two year old, absolutely not.
Most countries where face coverings are mandated make it optional of under sixes, so your call on the four year old.
If they are not going to the shops or on public transport, why masks?

Declared interest ~ I'm very pro face coverings, where appropriate.

I would have let her make them and then not use them. I do agree that iT is unsafe for the 2 year old and pointless for the 4 year old.

They can use them to play at being doctors later.

Personally, I will wear one if I go somewhere indoors like a supermarket. It is to help protect others and I don't have a problem with that.

Ours wore some for a short period of time (it was a requirement). They were both drenched with spit and they kept touching them. I remember reading someone saying that you should treat masks as if they’ve been dipped in coronavirus. On small children they’re going to provide fuck all protection to the children (especially if they’re homemade out of regular material as opposed to certain medical grade types) and little to none to anyone else.

Babies and toddlers MUST NOT wear masks or face coverings, it is DANGEROUS. Little children have smaller airways than adults, and we mustn't restrict their access to air. So definitely it's a no for your two-year old.
In certain US states it’s illegal for anyone ages two or over not to wear a mask. I am sure they are not trying to kill off their young children.

I know on the news in Ireland yesterday they were advising people to wear masks but kids aged under 13 were excluded from that so not even specialists are advising this. A child could do more damage with rather than without.

Ds is 10 his sensory issues mean he can’t wear a scarf no chance of him wearing a mask

My personal opinion is that if everyone wore masks, socially distanced and washed their hands often we’d make serious in roads to stopping the spread

Of course little children and sensory challenged people can be excused. My opinion is that people who think it infringes their rights are, simply, idiots.

I would have just let mil make them, take one photo of them wearing them then leave it up to the kids to wear them again or not. They might want to, as they see more and more people doing it.
There's no harm in mil making them.

Masks for children is ridiculous.

Studies have shown that adults without training and outside of hospitals cannot maintain the correct usage and hygiene required to make them effective, so there is no way a young child will use one correctly.

Even if they did work, these mask types are also only for the protection of other people.

There’s no way I’ll be putting a mask on dd (3). I wear one all day at work (nhs) and hate them with a passion. I’ll quit my job and we won’t go out before dd wears one.

In Germany, where we have to wear masks in shops and public transport, children are excluded from this rule.