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AIBU?

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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:
ineedaholidaynow · 08/08/2020 22:22

Can you point me to the evidence @askmehowiknow as you obviously know it?

askmehowiknow · 08/08/2020 22:25

I mean it would be a brave researcher who took on a project such as that. Even braver journal to publish. Very very political

askmehowiknow · 08/08/2020 22:26

Maybe outcomes have been studied. No idea. No point asking for my opinion on it though Grin

category12 · 08/08/2020 22:31

So you have no evidence to back up your contention that outcomes are worse for children whose parents wear face coverings or masks in public.

askmehowiknow · 08/08/2020 22:36

@category12

So you have no evidence to back up your contention that outcomes are worse for children whose parents wear face coverings or masks in public.
Ha ha. Quote me on that!

I said children aren't resilient. Mental health in adult years tells us that

I also said that we shouldn't be thinking masks are ok because people wore gas masks. Or wear burkas. Or are refugees.

None of these things make masks ok.

They're not ok because kids need normality. Facial expression. Language subtleties etc to develop. Plus masks have a negative association for many

echt · 08/08/2020 22:36

The title of this thread reads the way racehorses were named in Brass Eye and On The Hour

ResIpsaLoquiturInterAlia · 08/08/2020 22:39

Luckily your child is very young and already in a way switched on and Covid wise. Hopefully if we all play by best practice safety rules and do our bit for civic duty (to protect ourselves and those around us) your daughter will not remember this current medical war we all fighting. The more we take all necessary Covid mitigation measures the faster we will defeat this pandemic and on to past Covid era. There are countless children’s cloth reusable Covid masks on general sale/home delivery now. Many of the older (young nursery and primary school age) children are quoting hands face space as maybe it’s the new heads shoulders knees and toes?!

mbosnz · 08/08/2020 22:45

Yesterday, I was out and about, and a wee one in a push chair looked at me curiously. I had my mask on. I smiled with all my face, and waved. She waved back, and then did peek a boo. We did peek a boo and waving until we parted ways.

Then there was a tot who was falling behind her extremely knackered Mum, having been given the phone. I was not going to go in front of the wee lass until I knew she was with her Mum. With my mask on, I smiled with all my face, and said, you'd better catch up to Mum, hadn't you?! She looked up, saw where Mum was, said 'whoops!!' and buggered off to catch up with Mum.

Our kids can adjust.

PhilSwagielka · 08/08/2020 22:47

It sucks, but kids are tougher than you think.

steff13 · 08/08/2020 22:52

I was at Target and smiled at a little boy, about 1 year old. Then I realized that he couldn't see me behind mask. It made me a little sad that he's at an age where he's learning about people and everyone's face is hidden.

ineedaholidaynow · 08/08/2020 22:56

But if a child is going for a walk in a park, down the street, in a cafe, they will see many people's faces. It's not like they will never see another person's face ever.

labyrinthloafer · 08/08/2020 22:57

[quote AllWashedOut]@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.[/quote]
I think they're masks to prevent spread of coronavirus, I don't think these masks do have deep meaning, I think they have specific purpose.

Morfin · 08/08/2020 23:02

askmehowiknow no I don't think any of the things I list are OK for children, I wish they didn't have to experience it. But those children that do will cope better if there care givers cope. Kids are the greatest mimics. Plus for many kids clothes seem alien, for many more wearing hats be they summer or winter seem to be a form of torture. Saying kids adapt is not denying their experience.

mbosnz · 08/08/2020 23:11

My kids had just gone through quakes that totalled our city, killed our friends, could have taken their father's life.

I was fretting about the effect that had on my children.

I had a (childless) friend say, look, if the worst your kids have to go through is a few bloody quakes, they're doing alright.

I disagree.

But I must admit to thinking - if the worst your kids have to deal with is people wearing masks in shops etc - well. . .

BogRollBOGOF · 08/08/2020 23:17

Having had a child go through speech delay, face to face speech when out and about is very important. Children take in a lot through observation and masks restrict that.

Some sounds have subtle distinctions in the way they are produced with mouth movement, th, f, and v are easily confused.

Children are exposed to different vocabulary in different settings. I can tell certain words that DS hears more at home than at school because he says them in my accent not the local accent that he generally uses.

There's worse shit in other countries, but that doesn't change the fact that children have had very heavy consequences from the Covid response for the least benefit, and the widespread use of masks is poor for their communication skills.

slashlover · 08/08/2020 23:17

They're not ok because kids need normality. Facial expression. Language subtleties etc to develop.

It's literally in shops and on public transport, even 2 hours, 3 times a week is 6 hours out of a normal 168 hour week.

mbosnz · 08/08/2020 23:22

For my kids, I had to sort out PTSD treatment.

I guess, for parents dealing with the challenges and hurdles presented by the current covid response, they might need to try and sort out things like speech therapy?

mbosnz · 08/08/2020 23:23

And yes, it's an added obstacle, and you tend to be sitting there, saying, 'seriously?! Cut me a bloody break!'

GabsAlot · 08/08/2020 23:30

its the teens i feel sorry for at least toddlers are young enough to either forget all this or if it goes on longer it will be the norm for them

they wont be freaked out either way

The3Ls · 08/08/2020 23:53

It makes me said that I live in a world where my children need a mask to be safe. I'm a frontline NHS worker and have a role in supporting refugees. I totally see the bigger picture but doesn't mean I'm not allowed those feelings whilst still recognising I am privileged to having easy access to something that protects them

OverTheRainbow88 · 09/08/2020 05:59

Masks are the norm for lots of Asian cultures and I don’t see all their children being behind with a speech and language and all the other issues raised here about wearing masks.

If you aren’t a single parent without any kind of support/help from family/friends , you don’t have to take your kids shopping so they won’t see the masks anyway. Saying that our local zoo Still makes you walk through the shop to get out and enforces masks 🙄

DappledThings · 09/08/2020 07:34

Masks are the norm for lots of Asian cultures and I don’t see all their children being behind with a speech and language and all the other issues raised here about wearing masks.

But only for individuals who are ill at any one time. Not for the entire population at the same time. Pretty different to see.

category12 · 09/08/2020 09:01

They're not ok because kids need normality. Facial expression. Language subtleties etc to develop. Plus masks have a negative association for many

We're talking about wearing masks in enclosed public spaces mostly, not wearing them full-time. Talk about dramatising.

And negative associations can be defanged. Social norms can and do change. Why would you prop up negativity about something that could instead be viewed as a positive?

labyrinthloafer · 09/08/2020 09:11

They're not ok because kids need normality

'normality' varies

Used to be normal to clip kids round the ear!

MrsMonkeyBear · 09/08/2020 09:22

I have 2 DDs, my 5 year old needs to wear a mask as we are in Scotland. even though she was reluctant to a first, with a bit of bribery (a piece of chewing gum) she's coping really well with wearing them. She's now noticing more when people aren't wearing them or not wearing them properly.