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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Can you get a two year old to wear a mask?

151 replies

blablablablablablablabla · 02/01/2022 14:42

Has anyone tried ?

OP posts:
CrabbyCat · 02/01/2022 18:49

@ThrobbingToothacheOfTheMind apologies, I hadn't actually twigged that the rules changed in August to require a mask from 12 in Scotland - until then the age requirement was 5.

Lacedwithgrace · 02/01/2022 18:50

Yes, Dniece wears one because she has a matching one for her teddy. Dd is 7 and wears one too so she caught on quickly

Lacedwithgrace · 02/01/2022 18:51

There are lots of ill children who have no choice to wear them so lots of healthy kids can manage them too

Comefromaway · 02/01/2022 18:53

@Lacedwithgrace

There are lots of ill children who have no choice to wear them so lots of healthy kids can manage them too
They will be sedated.
jabmeupthe · 02/01/2022 18:54

No way even though my dc is closer to 3. I'm lucky we live in the UK and don't have to. I felt really sorry for parents on planes or out and about forcing their crying toddlers to wear face masks because the law doesn't consider the fact that these are young humans who have no understanding of the situation and feel like as if some piece of cloth is trying to choke them, restrict them breathing. I can barely tolerate it as a adult and you're doing this to young children. Well done to those parents who have emotionally mature, compliant toddlers but you wouldn't be able to train my child and many other toddlers similar age to wear it ever.

RuggerHug · 02/01/2022 18:54

@KeepingAnOpenMind

It’s cruel and dangerous. So many youngsters are behind on speech development due to covid cultists insistence on masks.
It really isn't cruel or dangerous keepinganopenmind. Parents are also able to speak to their children. Wearing a mask in shops and places keeps places like speech therapy open and safer. Speaking from experience here so please don't 'ooooooh the poor children' when you mean poor me.
Hankunamatata · 02/01/2022 18:58

FFP3 is ridiculous for a 2 year old - we use them in hospital and have to be fit tested and shown proper procedure for use Hmm

octoberfarm · 02/01/2022 18:59

This has been such a bizarre thread to read. In the US where we are (from the UK), it's expected (and has at some points been the law) for anyone 2 or older to wear masks in certain environments. My youngest is 3 now but wore one at 2 with absolutely no problems whatsoever - it didn't cause any distress, no fighting to keep it on, and certainly no suffocation or child abuse. I think we were probably lucky in terms of how well he adjusted to wearing one but with gentle encouragement at the very start and clear explanations of why they're important (especially for us with multiple immunocompromised members in the immediate family), it hasn't been an issue at all.

Mamma43435 · 02/01/2022 18:59

I live abroad where masks are mandated in indoor playgroups and preschools, and I see 2yos wearing them out and about. They need readjusting often, which the teachers remind them regularly about. It makes me sad to see them worn outdoors too, in playgrounds etc, but generally speaking kids as young as 2yo don't seem to have any issues wearing them.

Caterina99 · 02/01/2022 19:01

Another one who’s kids wore them at daycare in the US due to the mask mandate. I personally felt it was ridiculous. As if a soggy piece of cloth hanging under their nose would actually prevent covid spread in a group of toddlers spending all day together in close proximity.

Thankfully our daycare clearly felt the same, so although they were forced to wear them so as to not lose their license, they weren’t exactly militant with them and gave them lots of mask free time.

My DD didn’t seem to have an issue with it though and she was perfectly happy to wear a mask on short public outings from age 2

Scottishskifun · 02/01/2022 19:01

OP they are a suffocation risk at that age it is very clear that children that young should not be wearing them!

Why on earth you would put a FFP2 grade on such a young child I do not know!

Your not protecting your child, covid in very young children is mild in 99.9% of cases unless there is a pre existing condition. Infact my DS when he had it (also 2) had zero symptoms other then he slept in a extra hour for a few days and that was alpha. Omicron is showing to be milder.

Let your toddler be a toddler!

Lesserspottedmama · 02/01/2022 19:03

Why on earth would you want to? Think about how that will feel to a 2 year old and what messages you are going to be sending that child. There is no need to cover their face for ‘protection’. Do you want them to be afraid of air? FFS

sst1234 · 02/01/2022 19:03

OP, curious if to know what you want to protect your child from, How many under 12s have been seriously ill with Covid? Or does that fact not come into it and you just want to feel better yourself for whatever reason. It’s not really about the child, is it?

Bunnycat101 · 02/01/2022 19:19

For an hour, a mask isn’t going to harm the OPs toddler but the chances of keeping it on when they’re not used to it are slim.

I do really disagree with mask wearing in a nursery setting though. Just because some toddlers can do it doesn’t mean it is a good thing. There must be massive implications for language and social development and some of the research on the effects of this decision in some states/countries will take years to come though.

Babies and young children learn from facial expressions and social interaction. Depriving them of that all day is problematic in my view and likely to have much longer-term effects than covid will for that age group.

Cornettoninja · 02/01/2022 19:20

@jabmeupthe

No way even though my dc is closer to 3. I'm lucky we live in the UK and don't have to. I felt really sorry for parents on planes or out and about forcing their crying toddlers to wear face masks because the law doesn't consider the fact that these are young humans who have no understanding of the situation and feel like as if some piece of cloth is trying to choke them, restrict them breathing. I can barely tolerate it as a adult and you're doing this to young children. Well done to those parents who have emotionally mature, compliant toddlers but you wouldn't be able to train my child and many other toddlers similar age to wear it ever.
This post is pure projection. I’ve never felt choked or suffocated by a mask despite wearing one for long periods at work.

If anything I feel sorry for you if you can’t empathise that other people (including children) don’t experience things the same way you do.

JustMaggie · 02/01/2022 19:32

My children go to school in FFP2 masks. Youngest wears a child FFP2 mask, eldest wears an adult size. They're available online OP. If you can't get your DD to wear a mask you could buy a portable battery operated Hepa filter for the flight. Westinghouse does one which you can find on Amazon. I think the battery is supposed to last 8 hours. Good luck and kudos to you for keeping your kid safe.

Original poster
blablablablablablablabla · 02/01/2022 19:43

@JustMaggie

My children go to school in FFP2 masks. Youngest wears a child FFP2 mask, eldest wears an adult size. They're available online OP. If you can't get your DD to wear a mask you could buy a portable battery operated Hepa filter for the flight. Westinghouse does one which you can find on Amazon. I think the battery is supposed to last 8 hours. Good luck and kudos to you for keeping your kid safe.
When we flew before, she wore one of those little hats with a face shield attached to it. But she was much younger then. I'm not sure if it made any difference anyway. But back then covid wasn't as infectious etc.

I doubt there's anyway she would keep that hat on now. But maybe. It was cute for sure. Protects against big droplets I guess. But not smaller ones.

OP posts:
Lacedwithgrace · 02/01/2022 19:46

@comefromaway pardon? Children have to wear masks so they don't catch colds or similar 'harmless' bugs.

OnSilverStars · 02/01/2022 19:55

Hi OP. Some actual nut jobs commenting.

I have UK/US citizenship. We have been in both countries during the pandemic. My 2yo isn't used to wearing a mask in the UK. I was worried about the US and if I had a choice I wouldn't want her to wear one

The airlines (when flying into the US) stated that 2+ masks were mandatory. Much to my relief no one enforced this or even mentioned it. Same out and about with my toddler while in the US

Some of you need to understand that different countries and cultures are different and get off your high horse

justustwoandmoo · 02/01/2022 19:56

@blablablablablablablabla

Wow what a terrible mother I am, for even considering it !

Thank god you're all fucking mothers of the year.

🤣🤣 ignore the ridiculous responses OP. Absolute classic MN response to a perfectly reasonable question. It's got worse on here recently. I think people must be bored....

My friends little one has been required to wear one (US) and kind of got used to it after a while. It's certainly not abuse. If she doesn't want to wear it she soon takes it off. No biggie!

JustMaggie · 02/01/2022 20:02

@blablablablablablablabla I would try her with an FFP2 mask. I think if you play with it at home and make it a fun game you could win her over. Maybe get all her stuffed animals to wear one. Once it's "normal" it won't be a big deal for her. My 3 year old nephew wears a mask (a cloth one) to nursery every day.
But also, if your flight is only 1 hour, and everyone on the flight is masked and has tested negative on a PCR then I think the risk to her is not very high. I think the biggest risk is at the airport where there's lots of people eating and drinking and forgetting to put their masks back on.

Original poster
blablablablablablablabla · 02/01/2022 20:14

[quote JustMaggie]@blablablablablablablabla I would try her with an FFP2 mask. I think if you play with it at home and make it a fun game you could win her over. Maybe get all her stuffed animals to wear one. Once it's "normal" it won't be a big deal for her. My 3 year old nephew wears a mask (a cloth one) to nursery every day.
But also, if your flight is only 1 hour, and everyone on the flight is masked and has tested negative on a PCR then I think the risk to her is not very high. I think the biggest risk is at the airport where there's lots of people eating and drinking and forgetting to put their masks back on.[/quote]
That's what I have actually. It's not FFP3.

OP posts:
LittleBearPad · 02/01/2022 21:15

Whoever came up with a requirement for 2 year olds to wear masks outside playgrounds has lost the plot.

I’d also remove my toddler children from any nursery that required one.

Scottishskifun · 02/01/2022 22:25

@blablablablablablablabla this is taken directly from World Health Organisation......

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.

Why you think it's necessary for your 2 year old to go against WHO guidance for a virus which isn't serious for young children is beyond me. It sounds like your protecting your own fears not protecting your child!

KeepingAnOpenMind · 03/01/2022 19:27

So many children are behind on social development due to this fanaticism in certain quarters that they must wear masks.
How can they learn to read peoples expressions for example?
And what about disabled children or those on the spectrum?