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?

@PumpkinsandAutumnLeaves yes all the teachers definitely have to wear masks all day. Everyone does in our state, whether we are indoors or outdoors (except for inside our homes of course).

I guess it would be hard for a baby to learn facial expressions and speech etc. Didn’t think about this. But I don’t have much choice in this as it’s a state mandate.

@imalmosthere I’m not sure what you mean that it didn’t happen?

Blimey.
I can't get my nearly 4 year old to wear one!

She says the babies are happy with it? Most of whom can’t speak and probably haven’t read mask guidelines? Ummm, no. Would not let my baby anywhere near this. Seem a bit fibby. (Fib-y sounds better than liar-y)

surely this is a child protection issue & unsafe

This is madness. In the words of Ariana grande..thank you, next

That’s crazy, my almost 1 year old would never keep a mask on.. surely the other kids would be the same!

Really? It’s a huge suffocation risk.

This. And possibly a strangulation risk.

That would be a no from me. Not sure I like their adult:child ratio either tbh.

This is RIDICULOUS. Suffocation hazard and flat out stupid. Are you in California by chance? I live in the UK but I know they are mask mad there with everyone wearing them outside for walks etc where the risk is infinitesimally small. My sister doesn't like taking her 3 year old places because masks are mandatory.

I would not be happy with this and I can't really see the benefit. How could a 1 year old wear one properly?

It’s not compulsory for under 2’s- say you will, get her place- then change you mind after a ‘home trial run’

Risk of suffocation
Risk of strangulation
Risk of choking

Absolutely no way will my under 5 wear a mask. And under 3? Over my dead body. I'm a doctor on COVID icu currently, and there isn't any need for them to wear masks and every need for them not to.

It would make me question their ability to risk assess.

This is absurd. I don’t understand how this would work. I can’t even get my 2 year old to wear hat and gloves, let alone a mask. It’s surely a suffocation risk?

Not sure I like their adult:child ratio either tbh.

Ratio is 1:3 in the UK for under 2s, so 3:8 is more than adequate (I appreciate the OP is in the US).

It is not ok for a child to wear a mask if they are incapable of removing it themselves...it is a suffocation risk.

If they are capable of removing it themselves, most young children and toddlers will have the mask off in 10 seconds flat.

I have encouraged my 3 yo to wear a mask occasionally as he likes to copy what is going on around him. He enjoys putting it on and taking it off, but the most he'll keep it on for is around 30 seconds. I would be very, very unhappy for him to wear a mask unsupervised.

Can you imagine the hygiene risk caused by all those discarded masks on the nursery floor?

This is not a setting I would choose for my child...they sound bonkers.

Nope,no way. At my kids nursery there is one kid who is four that wears a mask and I don't think that should be allowed. They are too young to wear a mask

They're also useless unless the child (and adult "helping" them) doesn't continually touch it.

OMG..no way. A health and safety nightmare...

Do you have to use a nursery? Can you hire a nanny instead?

I couldn’t get either of my kids to wear a hat at that age, if just got taken off and lobbed within minutes! How on Earth are they keeping masks on any of these babies?!

That's just so sad.

Not a chance, I doubt very much all the parents are happy either.

I call bullshit - you'd have a room of screaming toddlers within five minutes.

Run away and report for child endangerment.

Ridiculous! My 3 year old was asked to wear a mask for his preschool vaccinations at the doctors surgery last week and he wore it for the 5 mins we were in very reluctantly (and with bribery of a lollipop afterwards) I have no idea how any child younger than that would be able to wear one.