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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not want nanny to wear a mask around DS?

218 replies

Rainallnight · 20/10/2020 09:57

DS is two. He’s with a nanny three days a week. He’s prone to colds and runny noses, as are lots of toddlers. The nanny has complained that she has twice picked up a cold from him, and has suggested wearing a face mask around him.

I think this is (a) a massive over reaction and (b) not good for DS. He has speech delay and really needs to be able to see people’s faces to develop his communication.

Surely picking up kiddy colds is a bit of an occupational hazard for nannies?

But tell me if I’m missing something.

(Obviously I have no problem with her wearing one in shops or other situations where it’s Covid-mandated. This would be all the time, including at home).

OP posts:
Mummyoflittledragon · 20/10/2020 13:10

I wouldn’t find this acceptable either. Your ds needs to see the nanny’s face in the day for effective interaction, learning and speech development.

JuiceyBetty · 20/10/2020 13:21

Wow, 392 votes and it’s exactly 50/50! What a divisive topic.

I think she should wear one if she wants to.

MatildaonaWaltzer · 20/10/2020 13:26

provide her with disposable gloves and hand sanitiser as they'll be more helpful than a mask at protecting her. A clear visor is fair enough if she feels it's necessary, and you should look at your sickness policy too. Do you actually pay sick pay over SSP? IF you're not, then that makes it even more important for your employee not to catch illnesses in the workplace. What's going to piss you off more - her being off for 3 days when you're in work, or providing her with a visor / clear mask?

Aridane · 20/10/2020 13:40

@MessAllOver - try not to quote selectively and misrepresent what I was saying, please

Aridane · 20/10/2020 13:44

Whether or not a mask protects you from Covid, it does NOTHING to protect from colds

Grin - that’s not what “the science” says !

Aridane · 20/10/2020 13:45

Time for nanny to find a new employer - she can do better!

Rosebel · 20/10/2020 13:45

But common colds can have similar symptoms to Covid especially the cough. So my point still stands childcare staff are at risk of catching Covid. No one seems to care about that th8. It's more important the children don't spend their time with people in masks. So I hope these parents don't take their child to the hospital or doctors.
My son isn't overly keen when I wear a mask but it's tough really.
Masks are going to be here for a long time, children will get used to them.
It's always childcare staff who are shitted on. Retail workers, office workers and most other jobs you wear a mask. Even in school you are supposed to keep 2m apart (although I'd imagine that doesn't happen) but a childcare worker should just accept the risk and shut up.
I'm so thankful I don't work in childcare anymore.

Original poster
Rainallnight · 20/10/2020 13:48

@JuiceyBetty Yes, I had no idea it would be so divisive. Which was stupid of me.

OP posts:
TheKeatingFive · 20/10/2020 13:52

But common colds can have similar symptoms to Covid especially the cough.

They’re different diseases, spread in different ways.

MessAllOver · 20/10/2020 13:52

It's always childcare staff who are shitted on. Retail workers, office workers and most other jobs you wear a mask. Even in school you are supposed to keep 2m apart (although I'd imagine that doesn't happen) but a childcare worker should just accept the risk and shut up.

It's the nature of the job, I'm afraid. You can't care for little children properly while wearing a mask. You can't sing songs, read books properly, make faces, play peekaboo, cuddle and do lots of the other things which little children depend on for their development.

Hardbackwriter · 20/10/2020 13:52

My son isn't overly keen when I wear a mask but it's tough really.

Do you wear a mask with him all day long, so he never sees you smile? Because it's not really comparable if so. DS sees plenty of people in masks, including me, because he lives in the world, but I find the idea of him spending the entire day without seeing a facial expression from his caregiver horrifying and I'm surprised that anyone thinks that would be ok for a toddler.

HOkieCOkie · 20/10/2020 13:53

@Rainallnight sadly it’s more that people on here like to tear down anyone who make good money or can afford private childcare etc

GrasswillbeGreener · 20/10/2020 14:15

Apologies for only reading the first page. I don't think wearing a mask will do that much to prevent you picking up a cold from a toddler you are looking after, anyway.

cabbageking · 20/10/2020 14:24

You can get masks with a clear insert to see a person's mouth.
You should discuss her risk assessment and how to reduce risks.
It is about protecting her.

flaviaritt · 20/10/2020 14:29

It is about protecting her.

Healthy adults do not require special protection from colds.

LittleMissLockdown · 20/10/2020 14:33

You should discuss her risk assessment and how to reduce risks.

Honest question. In the history of all employment has any healthy non immune compromised adult ever had a risk assessment that included reducing risks to catching colds...

Surely common sense of using tissues and washing hands doesn't require a risk assessment?

It is about protecting her.

She's a healthy grown adult and it's a cold, why on earth does she need protecting?

Mittens030869 · 20/10/2020 14:34

Masks won’t really protect her from colds anyway, so this request doesn’t make sense? Even with Covid, they don’t protect the wearer but whichever people they’re in contact with.

TheKeatingFive · 20/10/2020 14:40

Covid is creating very unrealistic expectations about the degree to which people can/should be ‘protected’ from infectious diseases.

PolarBearStrength · 20/10/2020 14:48

I feel bad for the staff at my son’s nursery. We’ve had three colds in the last 6 weeks (I’m heavily pregnant and my immune system seems to be taking a beating so I catch everything DS brings home!) so I dread to think how shit it must be for them to be surrounded by toddler germs all the time. You must eventually build up some immunity to it though!

But all the same, wearing a mask around a toddler is not going to protect you very much at all. The negatives to the child in terms of their social and language development outweigh a very small reduction in the potential to catch a cold.

Marzipan12 · 20/10/2020 15:14

@Flaviaritt a child wearing a facemask is not child abuse. When people spout this rubbish it demeans the meaning of actual child abuse. Choose your words more carefully 😠

flaviaritt · 20/10/2020 15:35

Marzipan12

I did choose them carefully. Forcing a toddler to cover their mouth and nose for extended periods of time (without very strong grounds) is abuse. I am absolutely certain of that.

Lindtnotlint · 20/10/2020 16:14

Not sure the analogy to nurseries is that helpful. One to one care is very “safe” because the bubble is small. Masks really really not necessary - and almost certainly ineffective given the duration and close proximity of the exposure. I would get a new nanny.

Marzipan12 · 20/10/2020 18:22

@flaviaritt all the under 5s I've seen and know who wear masks actally enjoy it, it's a huge game to them Stop being so dramatic and making it into something it's not.

Storyoftonight · 20/10/2020 18:29

@flaviaritt

It’s her place of work,she has every right to wear a mask. As her employer you must make adjustments during a pandemic 😠

I don’t think so. This isn’t a high risk environment. One small child in contact with one caregiver. No, I wouldn’t say it was an entitlement here.

It's high risk regardless of the number of people. Odd logic.
flaviaritt · 20/10/2020 19:11

Marzipan12

I don’t need your permission to have an opinion. I’ll think what I want, thanks.