AIBU to think a 6 year old is too young to be forced to where a mask?

[Meadow1203]

This is now the law [in France] edited by MNHQ for clarity. I think this could be very frightening for a small child.

You can say that children will be fine with it if the parents present it as no big deal, but most children take against things, and work through what they have control over at various ages. Many take a long time to try new foods, and lots do hate wearing a hat or gloves. Many absent-mindedly take their socks off and leave them somewhere etc.

If you ask them ‘what do you do if you need to cough?’ They may well be able to give you a perfect answer, but will need reminding in the moment.

I’m sceptical that mask wearing can be done effectively in that age group. Fair enough I can spend all day adjusting it on my children, but I don’t think that the school staff should be doing it. They go in in pe kit on their pe day so they don’t have to help with changing, so I’m not sure they would want to be dealing with masks. Some of them will sneeze and cough in them and need new ones and may not be able to do it without help.

I know my kids well, that dosent stop them taking me pleasently by surprise by what they are capable of. You haven't even tried to get her to wear one, she may surprise you 😉

Yanbu it’s too young.

The overwhelming majority of dc are able to follow rules and if needed will be able to wear a mask.
This thread shows that this is the case around the world.
I doubt France or England would be any different.
There may be the odd screaming hysterical child but they are going to be a tiny minority.
Some parents may have issues with masks that they are passing onto dc but that is a separate matter.

@glitterelf

Whilst law here is 11 some hospital trusts are saying from 3 they need to wear a mask.

Yes, they ask this at most of the medical practices and hospitals around here - they also say 'if you are able'

The thing is, I really don't think child abuse and pinning down gasping children, choking on their own snot...is going to be, or is, an issue in the countries where masks are required for over 5s - because there is an understanding that, whilst the majority of young children can wear them quite happily, some will struggle - and that is fine.

@MessAllOver

Look in the mirror. There's a woman who think she child's feelings matter more than a life. That's what is revolting. Shameful that you can't see that.

This is a really very unpleasant thing to say. There are valid views on both sides of the debate so surely it's not that difficult to be civil about it.

You do know it was in response to being called revolting myself? Or was that ok?

I'm sorry if I'm being stupid, but I'm not sure which of those strategies is going to work for getting my very young child to wear a mask for long periods of time?

Yes it's always a challenge to get small children to cooperate. I guess masks are indeed more comparable to shoes or clothes, so whatever strategy you would use in case they refused to keep their shoes on or stripped naked in the middle of the street? If it's an emergency medical appointment then they would hopefully have some options as well.

@flaviaritt

saraclara

I just wore one myself for about 30 minutes. Covering the nose and mouth impedes breathing normally.

Yet, surgeons and nurses manage while conducting surgery. I think your imagination was working overtime. There is no medical evidence that breathing is imparied.

so whatever strategy you would use in case they refused to keep their shoes on or stripped naked in the middle of the street?

I would take her home. But she has never stripped naked in the street. Her clothes are comfortable. Masks aren’t.

I think your imagination was working overtime. There is no medical evidence that breathing is imparied.

No, it wasn’t. It’s more difficult to breathe when your mouth and nose are covered. The fact that you choose to describe this as imaginary means I won’t engage with you again, because you won’t hear me whatever I say.

@LastGoldenDaysOfSummer surgeons and nurses wear surgical masks etc not ones made of cotton like most if us have and generally they remove the mask and put it on in a very sterile way things we mostly don't do
I can't beleive most younger children can wear them for long periods correctly when most adults around us can't

Loads of very young kids, toddlers even, have been wearing them in HK/Singapore all year.

I think it's definitely true that kids follow their parents' lead, and any fear they have would likely be derived from their parents' reaction.

So yes, someone who thinks it's harder to breathe while wearing a mask for half an hour is more likely to subconsciously instil fear of them into their kids.

@flaviaritt i find it difficult to breath in a mask maybe its physcogical as i don't have asthma but I can only wear one for a short space of time so stick to short trips in a shop

If you know your daughter so well then you will also know how to get her to do things that are mandatory but not her preference. Unless you regularly just let her do whatever she wants.

@flaviaritt you may feel smothered or uncomfortable but your blood oxygen saturation will not be affected (unless you hyperventilate and it goes too high).

I wasnt being snidey in my question about your dd having special needs by the way and I'm sorry if it came across like that. I just know that some disabilities come with sensory or medical issues that mean that, for certain children, mask wearing is not happening.

KatharinaRosalie

Please don’t insult my my parenting because you don’t like my opinion. Yes, I probably could force her. I will not.

@LastGoldenDaysOfSummer.

No, though two wrongs don't make a right . This is an emotive issue because it's basically part of a bigger picture of how far we should all accept discomfort and infringement of our liberties in order to slow the spread of Covid. There's room for sensible people to disagree on this!

I know loads of little children around that age and younger who wear them even though they're not required. Kids aren't incapable of understanding stuff like this. Everyone's got a mask on so they do. Easy.

Porcupineinwaiting

My 4 year old won’t understand that. She will just feel like she can’t breathe properly. And no, she doesn’t have special needs. I believe it’s perfectly normal for a small child to find mask-wearing very uncomfortable. I do myself.

The WHO says:

Children aged 5 years and under should not be required to wear masks. This is based on the safety and overall interest of the child and the capacity to appropriately use a mask with minimal assistance.

It's required here in Scotland too and has been for some time. My 7 year old and her fitness are all perfectly happy to do so. I don't know anyone who has had a problem with it

timeforanewstart

It’s definitely more difficult if the mask fits you properly and there is a seal round nose and mouth. If there isn’t you might as well not be wearing it. Maybe that’s why there is such disagreement?

@flaviaritt I think you need to take a look at your parenting, letting your child do what they like and not enforcing boundaries and rules is damaging. But I know you won't reply because you excell at blanking people who disagree with you instead of having a discussion.

With the disclaimer that some kids won't be able to wear masks - we're a couple of days to Halloween, where tons of six-year-olds routinely put on horrible full-face plastic, cloth or rubber masks for fun. I think a half-face, comfortable cloth mask is nothing by comparison.

ArcheryAnnie

But some kids don’t wear them. They don’t like it. And some will wear one for a few minutes at best and then want to remove it.