Older kids not wearing facemasks?

[Cam77]

In a local shop this evening, nice and quiet everyone relaxed and easy social distancing. Suddenly a group of, Id guess, half a dozen 12/13 year olds without masks come in and walk/run here and there, without masks on and everyone is having to try to keep out their way as they have no concept of distancing (or in some cases just don't take it seriously as theyre not in risk group).

What is the logic of older kids, often of a height that puts them on a face level with many adults, not wearing masks inside shops? Many countries even encourage little kids wearing them for the social good.... I know the rule is officially 13 and up but obviously many 13/14 year olds just won't bother.

Feel sorry for the shop staff having to deal with it on daily basis anyway. If youre old enough to go shop surely you can wear a mask for 5-10 minutes to protect older shoppers?

See it all the time, especially on trains. They think they are exempt for some unknown reason 🤷‍♀️

Its from age 11 in England and from age 5 in Scotland. They should be wearing them in shops. Did the staff not say anything or were they scared the teens would trash the shop?

Who cares? Just do you, let them do them.

I make my 12 year old wear one. She is 5ft2 and like older than she is.

Tbh I don’t see many kids around here over the age of 8 or 9 not wearing them in shops.

Who cares? I do.

My dd14 always wears a mask in shops. She won’t leave home without it. Her friends are the same

*looks

@ClarencesMum

Who cares? Just do you, let them do them.

I assume this means Clarence doesn't wear a mask

Because they’ve been raised to be entitled little buggers with no consequences or empathy for others.

How do you know how old they were? Many kids seem tall and older looking these days, my 14 year old is often mistaken for 12 or 13 in comparison.

If they are old enough to wander about shops in groups then they're old enough to put a mask on

You would assume wrong, or I assume he does as he has one at all times and knows the advice.

He has to wear it ar school.

I just cannot see the point in getting so wound up when others don't wear one.

I mean if they worked... you mask protected you surely? Or do they just have a magic one way system, even if it is made out of nans old bed sheet?

For the record and for what it is worth, I wear one, happily.

@ClarencesMum
Who cares? Just do you, let them do them
Complete agree!
Obviously the OP has nothing better to do than hassle kids - bet she's the kind to bully them but not challenge a burly guy with tattoos.

They might have all been exempt? Hidden disabilities and all.

@dementedpixie

Its from age 11 in England and from age 5 in Scotland. They should be wearing them in shops. Did the staff not say anything or were they scared the teens would trash the shop?

Why would they trash the shop? Why are you scared of kids?

@ClarencesMum it doesn't make me boil with rage. I'm quite tall so would have to walk with quite a hunch to get on the same level as a maskless child. Or any child, in fact.
Oh and I'm glad Clarence has a mask

My 11 yo wears one by choice, even though she doesn’t have to at that age and is also medically exempt. She looks about 14 though as she is tall and a short haircut which makes her look older.

However these kids could well be 10 or 11 and you’ve misjudged their age. Sounds like they were acting pretty young for 12 or 13!

Are you sure they're over 11?

Clarence does, but then I'm not with him 24/7 so who knows what happens in the shops at lunch time.

@lifeafter50
Write on mumsnet is hardly harassing anyone is it? I reckon 10/11+ is old enough to show some social solidarity and consideration for vulnerable groups by making a minuscule sacrifice like the rest of us. You disagree? Fine.

I don’t know any 12/13 year olds that aren’t far to cool to be running round shops like little kids.

Maybe they dont care and hope their school will close

We half the autism I see out and about aren't bothering to wear them, or aren't wearing th properly, so why would kids take it seriously?

Maybe they look older than they are.

That was supposed to say half the adults Isle, not half the autism!

Maybe they're sick of having their lives compromised to 'protect older shoppers'. Or they don't care. People are sick of all this shit.