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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Toddler mask reaction

104 replies

Whosaysyoucanthaveitall · 08/08/2020 20:10

I have no problem wearing a mask, I think it’s a social responsibility - even if they don’t prove to have a medical impact if they make another person feel more secure, it’s worth a few moments of overheating.
But I feel an overwhelming sadness that this is the world that my DD is living in. She’s just turned two and has been trying on masks when she’s been playing. Today I was about it pop into a shop carrying her and she touched my face to show me I need to put a mask on. It’s great that she finds it normal, I guess I’m just sad she has to think that!
Am I the only one?

OP posts:
Nannewnannew · 08/08/2020 20:49

I follow a woman on Instagram and she is totally obsessed with hygiene, especially since Covid. Now her DC who is about 6 is showing the same behaviour, a video was posted showing the DC doing some extreme cleaning. There are photos of cupboards literally full to bursting with cleaning fluids. I just feel it is so sad for her DC.

AllWashedOut · 08/08/2020 21:03

OP you are so right. This covid related behaviour is terrible. Isolating oneself physically on a daily basis. Obsessive hand washing, fearing bugs round ever corner, from every encounter out of the house. Hugs are now taboo. Sharing drinks with friends. Touching of arms. Catching people if they fall. We live in an increasing isolationist society and this covid business has tapped into that preexisting distrust of the other and made it into a virtue. What a place for our children to grow up!

AllWashedOut · 08/08/2020 21:07

@labyrinthloafer But masks have deep meaning. This is why veiling and burkas are so controversial in our society. Masking is about putting the other at a distance, to retain privacy in a public setting.

category12 · 08/08/2020 21:07

But wearing a mask has been quite the norm in Asia for years - do you think they've all been traumatised and dissolving like the Wicked Witch "what a world, what a world?!"

If it's treated as normal, it becomes normal.

askmehowiknow · 08/08/2020 21:09

@Freddiefox

It’s great she’s so resilient. We underestimate children sometimes.
I wouldn't agree that children are 'resilient'. Look up what causes mental health problems...
askmehowiknow · 08/08/2020 21:10

@Morfin

Toddlers have to listen to bombs falling, go to bed hungry with little chance of enough food the next day. Of course it's not what you planned for your child but if anything it should make you see how lucky we are, we've lived in a privileged bubble for so long. These are only fabric masks, we are not putting on gas masks and waiting for the bomb to drop. Rather than feeling sad use it as a chance to count your blessings.
Do you not understand that NONE of these things are ok for children?
Hoggleludo · 08/08/2020 21:12

@Morfin. 100%. My grandfather used to listen to the whistle bombs. He used to call them. Knowing that if the sound stopped above you. you’re dead. My grandmother was sent off to live with her auntie in the countryside. To never ever see her family again. Father gone. Mother gone. Sisters gone. Brothers gone. (She was the young one). Whole family. Apart from her auntie. Poof.

My cousin lives in Africa and opened a school. She’s known students. Who only come in if they’ve not got to work. Never come back. Because of illness or hunger. Or their parents died and no one to get food or money for the family. So these little kids. Some no more than 4 or 5. Having to look after younger siblings. It’s so incredibly sad.

Grandmi · 08/08/2020 21:14

I also worry that children will be more prone to OCD type of behaviour and scared of germs !!

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 08/08/2020 21:16

YANBU my 3 year old looks confused and asks me “what’s that” every time I put a mask on....I hate it. I hate the expressionless faces- same hate for the burka if I’m honest. Blah blah all the “nothing is worse than death” brigade, some of us worry and care about our children’s development and mental health. But yes I’ll slap on a mask

AnnieP1 · 08/08/2020 21:18

God forbid that the wearing of masks should come to be considered normal. It's not.

Whatafustercluck · 08/08/2020 21:20

One day it will all be a distant memory. Life will return to normal and children will adapt again. I do get where you're coming from op, but that's small fry in comparison to my very vocal 3yo saying, loudly "look mummy, they're not social distancing" and "they're not from the same family mummy, are they?!" I have learned to laugh at the surrealism.

onedayinthefuture · 08/08/2020 21:20

My 5 year old thinks it's funny that adults have to wear masks. I don't think he really notices in shops at all. However my 7 month old just stares at me looking very confused. I try to avoid shops with them if I can, but one of the wonders of having a baby in their buggy is being able to coo and smile at them. I got no smiles from my baby in the shop today because he couldn't see me smile :(

threesecrets · 08/08/2020 21:23

@stationview tha interesting but unless you are a farmer or lived very rural then F and M is nothing compared to covid.

category12 · 08/08/2020 21:23

God forbid that the wearing of masks should come to be considered normal. It's not.

Well, you've got a choice to make a massive deal out of it and therefore exacerbate any worries for children - or just to get on with it and reassure them that it's no biggie.

Wondergirl100 · 08/08/2020 21:25

I smiled at a random baby in a buggy today - to test whether my eyes would show the smile! and the baby gave me a big grin back.

So - we can show emotions without our mouths - give it a go - not ideal but I think we can do it.

I don't love the masks but think people are overreacting a little.

ThatDamnScientist · 08/08/2020 21:27

@Morfin

Toddlers have to listen to bombs falling, go to bed hungry with little chance of enough food the next day. Of course it's not what you planned for your child but if anything it should make you see how lucky we are, we've lived in a privileged bubble for so long. These are only fabric masks, we are not putting on gas masks and waiting for the bomb to drop. Rather than feeling sad use it as a chance to count your blessings.
I agree with this 100%.
askmehowiknow · 08/08/2020 21:29

@category12

God forbid that the wearing of masks should come to be considered normal. It's not.

Well, you've got a choice to make a massive deal out of it and therefore exacerbate any worries for children - or just to get on with it and reassure them that it's no biggie.

Come on as if any parents are making a massive deal out of it in front of their kids. Believe it or not young children know it's not normal. Thank goodness!
NoGinNotComingIn · 08/08/2020 21:31

You are having to put a mask on whilst you nip into asda, I don't understand what's sad for your child about that?? I have a 3 and 4 year old and they don't even notice, it isn't a thing. They didn't mention it today when we my husband and I put them on to go into the garden centre, literally couldn't care less/didn't notice, to them it's like we put a hat on.

You do realise in ww2 children had to learn to wear gas masks and don them during an air raid. Now that's sad. Real risk of death, real threat and it went on for YEARS. You putting a mask on for 10 mins to get some milk in ASDA I'm pretty sure the kids will cope seeing you in a mask!! The same as they cope when you put goggles on to go swimming, there really isn't much difference to them!

Whatafustercluck · 08/08/2020 21:32

Yes, agree with @Wondergirl100 the first time I wore one in front of my 3yo dd I was concerned she would be scared. I told her to look at my eyes and she would be able to see me smiling. I got her to guess whether I was smiling or not. She got it right every time of course and now we play the game whenever we're out.

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 08/08/2020 21:33

You do realise in ww2 children had to learn to wear gas masks and don them during an air raid must be a very happy life comparing any complaint, issue or feeling to WW2 Hmm

askmehowiknow · 08/08/2020 21:35

@OnlyFoolsnMothers

You do realise in ww2 children had to learn to wear gas masks and don them during an air raid must be a very happy life comparing any complaint, issue or feeling to WW2 Hmm
Imagine if rationing came back. No complaints allowed. You do realise post WW2 you couldn't eat that! Imagine the outrage Grin
category12 · 08/08/2020 21:38

It is quite normal in parts of Asia - their kids are not traumatised. I really don't get the hand-wringing over it.

ThatDamnScientist · 08/08/2020 21:42

@Grandmi

I also worry that children will be more prone to OCD type of behaviour and scared of germs !!
I personally don't think the extra cleanliness we are needing atm is going to cause any serious issues in the majority of children (I have a 'slightly' germphobic autistic child whose issues haven't been exasperated with emergence of covid and the need for extra vigilance surrounding hygiene. Hopefully though it might have an impact on the amount of grotty adults who don't wash their hands after using the loo...
CinnabarRed · 08/08/2020 21:44

This made me laugh more than it should have done.

Toddler mask reaction
OnlyFoolsnMothers · 08/08/2020 21:45

It is quite normal in parts of Asia - their kids are not traumatised - and in Saudi burkas are normal,
only a couple of years ago you couldn’t get an abortion in Ireland,...we’re different nations, what we consider normal is different. Don’t certain countries in Asia also have the highest suicide rates?