Nursery requires babies to wear masks

[Peridotty]

Just to clarify we live in the USA in a state where masks have been mandatory for over 2s since March and takes covid very seriously.

I was viewing a nursery and found the one of our dreams (ok slight exaggeration but it’s got what we’re looking for). However! This owner wants all kids to wear masks. They start taking babies from 12 months up and our baby would start when she is 13 months old.

The national guidelines are that masks on babies and toddlers under 2 is a suffocation and choking hazard and should not be worn but this is only a guideline and the owner can do what she wants. The owner says that the parents of the babies are all happy with it and the staff members help the babies wear masks. She says that the babies will wear them when they see other babies wearing them too. I don’t think they wear them when they’re sleeping or eating. Only when supervised by three staff. The ratio is 8 kids to 3 staff.

What would you do? Keep looking for another nursery?

Just to state that I am VERY uncomfortable with the idea of my baby wearing a mask but I don’t think the owner would bend her rules right ?

No way on earth would I allow my baby to wear a mask

Absolutely keep looking for another nursery.

This can't be for real? So the other parents who already send their child there are going along with this?

What?! That's ridiculous. Are you sure?

My daughter is 14 months old and there's not a chance in hell she'd keep a mask on, she won't even wear a hat.

you don't think they wear them when they are eating... really ?

Yes I am sure because we were a bit taken aback when she said ALL kids wear a mask. I said even under 2s? She said yes. I said what if they don’t want to wear one? She said the teachers will help put them on. She said we have to supply the masks. All the other nurseries encourage over 2s to wear a mask but this one is the only one where even babies have to!

Really? It’s a huge suffocation risk.

Yes I guess the other parents are okay with it too. Perhaps it makes them feel like it’s safer if their baby wears a mask?

Yes, keep looking for another place. That shows a singular lack of understanding about the safety aspects of masks in young children and the likelihood of small babies spreading the disease.

I'd be very surprised if all the other parents are happy about it...

Not a chance would i go there....

Absolutely no way would I be OK with that. DD is just 2 and I wouldn't be happy with her in one all day either. Suffocation risk for little ones and for slightly less little ones they will just fiddle with them which pretty much defeats the point of wearing them.

No way I would be putting a mask on an infant. As well as the choking/strangulation risks, children this age are starting to babble, how are they going to develop language properly if they are wearing a mask?

I think this says quite a lot about the way the place is run.....

RED FLAG

WHO

"Are there situations where children aged 5 years and under may wear or be required to wear a mask?"

"In general, children aged5 years and undershould not be required to wear masks. This advice is based on the safety and overall interest of the child and the capacity to appropriately use a mask with minimal assistance. There may be local requirements for children aged 5 years and under to wear masks, or specific needs in some settings, such as being physically close to someone who is ill. In these circumstances, if the child wears a mask, a parent or other guardian should be within direct line of sight to supervise the safe use of the mask."

That's for 5 year olds and younger children. I absolutely would not want a 2 or 3 year old in a mask, let alone a toddler. I'd be looking for another nursery.

It's a suffocating hazard even WHO says no under 2 masks. Report them for child endangerment. They are brewing a child death

Absolutely no way would I send my child there.

Name and shame that daycare!

I wouldn't want to live in a country where this is actually allowed to be honest. I am already not keen on France (I am French) requiring kids from age 6 onwards to wear masks. I prefer for my kids to have zoom classes than wear masks when in primary school. It's just absolutely bonkers to expect babies to wear masks and I worry about the impact on their development further down the line. Absolutely bonkers.

What state are you in? Mine doesn't have that rule for under 6 since they're in their bubble. Only six year olds for before and after care or holiday care.

no fucking way

id pull my child out of nursery or school before that happened

Also if they're thay fussy about it I'd be worried that the staff will be suspending more time putting masks on children than playing with them or caring for them. We all.know that most children that young will pull them off like they do their hats, or socks or gloves...

I wouldn't send my child, no way.

Absolutely bloody ridiculous. No way OP- keep looking! I wouldn’t be happy with my 2 and 3 year old in a mask all day, let alone a baby. In any event they’d never keep them on and surely all the handling / repositioning would actually pose even more of a risk?!

It’s a no fucking way from me

8 kids to 3 staff. Surely all they'd ever have the time to do is supervise the bloody masks?