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?

As other posters have also said, kids have to wear a mask over 2 in daycares/nurseries in the USA

They dont have to in my state. This is the wording

Children ages 2 to 9 are not required to wear face coverings; however, they are strongly encouraged to wear face coverings when in public spaces.

All kids at my child school from kindergarten and up have to wear them but not preschool. I havent heard of any daycares making 2 year olds wear them either.. What state is the OP in?

[quote Peridotty]@Wildswim
@Positivevibesonlyplease

It’s not a windup. As other posters have also said, kids have to wear a mask over 2 in daycares/nurseries in the USA. I can show you many pictures and links to these daycares if you still don’t believe me.[/quote]
Well, not in every state. Mask mandates are set by the individual state so there isn’t a blanket “rule” for the whole country. In our state, on the other coast, it’s mandatory from the age of 5, recommended from the age of 2 with “adequate adult supervision”.

@FromEden

As other posters have also said, kids have to wear a mask over 2 in daycares/nurseries in the USA

They dont have to in my state. This is the wording

Children ages 2 to 9 are not required to wear face coverings; however, they are strongly encouraged to wear face coverings when in public spaces.

All kids at my child school from kindergarten and up have to wear them but not preschool. I havent heard of any daycares making 2 year olds wear them either.. What state is the OP in?

Massachusetts.

I'm genuinely horrified.

This is child abuse.

No way.
Report them this is a choking hazard and just downright abuse imo.

Any nursery that insists on this is the nursery of your nightmares, not your dreams.

What a nightmare. I 100% would be keeping my baby home.

No no no, not a chance in hell!!!! I would not be OK with this for my 3 year old let alone a baby. Awful.

Brookline is so woke its ridiculous. Their requirement is completely against the advice from the Governor. I would keep looking for another nursery and consider looking in neighboring towns for some more sensible solutions. Or send LO to the nursery and tell them that she has an exemption.

The States language is as follows (GUIDANCE FOR WEARING FACE MASKS IN PUBLIC SETTINGS ISSUED November 4, 2020)
"Children under the age of 2 years should not wear face coverings or masks. Masks or face coverings are encouraged but not required for children between the ages of 2 and 5.. Parents and guardians should ensure that the mask fits snugly and does not obstruct a child’s ability to breathe. "

Absolutely not. I wouldn't even consider DD wearing a mask when she is two for entire nursery sessions - she's still too little and doesn't understand what it is or how to behave with it on

This is actually really upsetting. I'm so sad for these children and babies.

No- that's flat out dangerous.

I would not be ever sending my baby there- urgh

No way, it's too dangerous. I would be worried about suffocation or strangulation. They will have lots of kids/babies and won't be able to keep a close enough eye on a baby wearing something that could suffocate them in seconds.

It’s dangerous. If you had told me the OP without saying you were American I would still have guessed it. Keep looking

keep on looking even at 13 months that's extreme and they clearly dont have the safety of the babies in mind

That's nonsense, the babies will rip the masks off and release them to the wild.

My 6 year old has worn a mask twice since the pandemic, he was fine with it but wore it because the rest of us wore it and only for a few minutes. And he's a big 6. I can't even fathom a younger child wearing a mask for any length of time, it is actually horrifying (and I dont use that word lightly)

Jesus Christ! Those poor kids. I can't even begin to fathom the psychological damage this will cause, to say nothing of the choking risk.

Run a mile OP.

I cannot see how babies will be able to learn how to speak& communicate when in a room where everyone is wearing a mask all day.
Would not be happy sending baby there if the carer wearing a mask no way would I let baby in.

I cannot see how babies will be able to learn how to speak& communicate when in a room where everyone is wearing a mask all day

They won't. It's crazy, but children's rights or needs no longer seem to matter.

I cannot see how babies will be able to learn how to speak& communicate when in a room where everyone is wearing a mask all day

Just an anecdote, but several speech and language therapists I know are saying they’re already seeing an uptick in toddler/preschooler referrals, which they are attributing to lockdown and mask-wearing. This is in the U.K., where we’ve only seen limited mask use; I dread to think what the impact will be where masks are worn more extensively.

Big fat NO

Find another nursery. Sounds crazy.

Over 2 is the norm in my state.
The nursery beside my Pilates class wear them, I see the tots going out for a walk in them.
They are surprisingly good wearing them by now.
All school age dc wear them all day including PE etc as do teachers.

We don't have all the restrictions the UK do and I think our 95% mask compliance is part of that.

That said OP under 2 is a safety risk, so I'd pick another nursery.