To think my 5 year old shouldn't have to wear a face mask in school?

[Jumpers268]

Head teacher has stated all children at my son's primary school need to wear face masks when arriving & leaving school and going around the school building (toilet, library etc).

I'm not anti masks or anything but I posted the other day about my son being a compulsive chewer of his tops (fixed, touch wood, by getting chewelry) and I just can't see him keeping a mask on, not continuously touching it or not chewing it (which surely defeats the whole point in wearing one ). The exemption list on the gov website states children under 11 so does that mean his school have to let him in without a mask?

Anyhoo... If you think I'm being unreasonable do you have any tips? Pack 500 masks in his book bag?

Thank you 😊😊.

@Fastestbrownie

Your son is five, not two. There are 5 year olds out there dancing full dance routines, acting in films, playing piano pieces, caring for sibilings, doing housework. I think he will survive wearing a piece of fabric over his mouth. He is not incompetent.

Why did people have to be so cunty? How the hell do you know what's going on for her kid? Bigot.

@AcrossthePond55 that's so kind of you to say ❤️. I don't think it'll be overly effective with children this young but I'm no expert! Also I know a lot of parents and teachers are anxious about all children going back to school at one and if this helps at least somewhat relieve that anxiety a little it's definitely worth trying .

@drspouse yes he does tend to do it when concentrating on something but also sometimes it's quite absent minded. Like in Tesco he almost chewed the Lego chewy in half and we were only in there for half an hour. He also prefers fabric but it's only been a few days and no more wet t shirts! Hoping it's a phase too 🤞.

@oakleaffy oh he can chew like you wouldn't believe. He can get through 5-10 t shirts a day and I mean soaking wet and chewed through. Like actually eating pieces of fabric 🙈.

@MWNA cunty made me laugh out loud hahaha. They didn't see him draw the map of the US this morning including all the states with their names . I guess it's a common conception that it's children being "naughty" and parents not disciplining enough when it's really not the case. Thank you for the laugh. Haha. Cunty 😂.

*misconception.

Can one not buy something like bitter aloes to stop compulsive chewing? It works with teething pups so they don’t gnaw wooden furniture. Harmless but just tastes rank

Compulsive chewing is a form of stimming. It serves an important purpose for ND children as it helps relieve anxiety, reduce fear, avoid sensory overload, etc and it shouldn't be discouraged or stopped. Obviously if they're chewing something you'd rather they didn't chew, such as clothes, then you should redirect the urge onto something suitable like a silicone chew.

Christ. Some people have no bloody idea do they?

All this “children in other countries have coped” bollocks. Typical kids have - kids like mine and potentially OPs have not been able to leave the house where there are no exemptions.

Ableist shite as usual here.

@FoxyTheFox thank you! I have to keep reminding myself of this as it's all new to me .

@Jumpers268 I live abroad and our kids have been in masks for school - all day - since last September. My tips are to let your son try out a few varieties to see what he likes (my son prefers the feel of the disposal ones, to the washable. Not environmentally ideal I know, but he’s 6); create a little pack in his bag with spare masks in, so he can change them during the day if he wants, and chat to the teacher to let her know he might struggle a bit. We were really careful not to make a big deal out of it, so our son took his lead from us, and was very unbothered by it all. Plus, the whole school is in masks, so it feels standard.

I hate it, I can’t lie. But for my son, being in a make and in school was infinitely preferable to learning at home by himself. So we paste on a smile and get on with it.

Can one not buy something like bitter aloes to stop compulsive chewing? It works with teething pups so they don’t gnaw wooden furniture. Harmless but just tastes rank

WTAF?!

Let him try, be positive, and see how he gets on. It might go ok. Deal with problems if they arise.

Try one of these:
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/133328841003

DT2 can chew through an extra strength chew toy in under 10 mins. One day last year, he broke £80 worth in one day.

He still hasn’t managed to break this one and we’ve had it for over two months! Has saved me a fortune!

Sorry *being in a mask.

Also: I don’t mean to minimize the difficulty for your son of wearing a mask. I think all you can do is supply them, and speak to the teacher/school about giving him either breaks or an exemption from wearing them. I hope he finds it ok.

If your dc teacher is helpful about his Lego necklace I am sure they will be understanding if he has any problems with the mask wearing.

I completely agree about redirecting but I do think it's interesting that my DS has reduced his need to chew by chewing something else. I don't think it's an absolute need as he's not a different child now!

You wouldn't like it here then! (Spain)

We all wear masks, all the time. No fuss, no bother.

Schools have been open since September. No issues, we all want to protect each other, the teachers especially.

@BillieSpain

You wouldn't like it here then! (Spain)

We all wear masks, all the time. No fuss, no bother.

Schools have been open since September. No issues, we all want to protect each other, the teachers especially.

You are absolutely and utterly incorrect.

Those who can’t wear masks can’t wear masks whichever country they’re in. The only difference is whether those people can leave their homes or not.

I bet children in Spain who chew clothes are all chewing their masks, making them unsanitary and spreading more gems.

Kids here have to wear them all day, every day, unless eating. I have no idea how it is going with the 5yos because my child is older and we chose to homeschool for the year. The mandatory masks were one of the reasons in favor of keeping her home, though far from the deciding factor. I expect she will go to school next year and expect she will be wearing a mask all day.

He is exempt. End of issue.

Do not encourage him to use a chewy with a mask, that's an incredibly dangerous choke hazard if he slips on a wet floor for example, and the chewy can not fall on the floor. Nothing against the chewy in itself...I wish DS1 would use them. He chewed through a coat. He currently favours chewing his hair...

YANBU

It's a face covering which does not necessarily need to be a mask. A snood or a scarf, and it is only for a few minutes. Would an alternative work better?

@Fastestbrownie

Your son is five, not two. There are 5 year olds out there dancing full dance routines, acting in films, playing piano pieces, caring for sibilings, doing housework. I think he will survive wearing a piece of fabric over his mouth. He is not incompetent.

Caring for siblings 😂😂

You wouldn't like it here then! (Spain) We all wear masks, all the time. No fuss, no bother. Schools have been open since September. No issues, we all want to protect each other, the teachers especially.

Spain make specific exemptions in their mask rules for people with disabilities and illnesses.

My daughter has ASD and sensory issues and can not tolerate a regular face mask so we got her this

@GnusSitOnCanoes oh I know you were minimising it and I appreciate the helpful tips!

@SinkGirl thank you so much!

@BogRollBOGOF I hadn't even considered the choking risk and considering the shape of it that's a fair point. I'm going to try the masks with him tomorrow anyway as he won't need to wear it the entire day (will only be when leaving the class room really). But with the exemption thing, how do I go about doing that? Just in case? Will I need the paediatrician to provide a letter or anything or do I just say he's exempt? Sorry if that's a stupid question.