To ask if your children wear masks

[FatimaMunchy]

Been to the hospital today and saw a number of children, some probably 5 or 6, wearing masks. I asked a nurse if children had to wear masks as it was a hospital, and she said not that she was aware of.

Mine did when we went to a big shopping centre and I would ask her to in a medical setting as we're more likely to come into contact with someone vulnerable there who the mask may help to protect. But not on a quick shopping trip

Ds 6 has just got one. He is exempt but wants to wear one. In Scotland dc 5 +wear them.

They are mandated here for ages 5 and up.

Even if they weren’t, I would have my child wear one in a hospital if at all possible. Masks are only contraindicated for children under 2 and while the primary goal is to protect others, there has been some evidence that masks might help the wearers as well.

Yes. I want others to be protected so they would wear them if needing to go to hospital. They had to at the dentist until the actual checkup.

Mine do. I got them from a lovely etsy store which does adult and child masks in lots of different patterns, they are so comfy and help my DD manage her anxiety about going out (she is anxious anyway and covid hasn't helped). They are the only ones I've found that actually stop your glasses from fogging up, so I have some from the same place. It is a sad state of affairs that they are necessary but I would rather she feels confident and if that means wearing a mask then so be it.

Yes mine do, they are ok with it and it feels the fairest thing to do for others as they are mixing most through school etc.

Yes we are in Scotland and 5+ have to wear.

My 3 and 9 year old both do. My 3 year old doesn't have to but she sees us all wearing them and I figured it would normalise it for her also.

As others have said children who are 5 and older in Scotland regularly wear one.
My ds is 4 so I haven't bought him one, he's asked for one a couple of times though.

I think if we were going for a medical appointment or hospital then I would ask ds to wear one though as the likelihood of a vulnerable person being near him would be higher.
Just now he isn't really going anywhere except nursery, each grans house for childcare and occasionally on the train with me and we make sure we sit far away from others.

DD1 (7) has at times out of choice, DD2 (5) doesn't

I thought it was 3+ in hospitals/medical settings (happy to be corrected!)

Sometimes my DDs war them. Depends where we are. For example adults are supposed to wear them watching the swimming lessons, but I don't ask my DDs to wear them watching their sister... We are all spread out. I they wore them to get shoes fitted though, as that was close contact.

My 6 and 8 year olds do because we're in Scotland and 5+ have to. The 4 year old doesn't (and is very glad she doesn't have to).

No thankfully he is exempt as he has asd meltdowns just trying to put 1 on but the amount of abuse we get is disgraceful even with his lanyard on

Where I am children over 2 have to wear them. I’m glad, tbh, because I’d hate to think that my children could be a symptomatic and pass the virus on to someone vulnerable. Not that masks are any guarantee, but it’s something.

They’re just starting back at school here and we’re required to have COVID tests shortly before.

Yes. If we're in shops.

Safer for the wearer as well as others.

No. My child is 3. There’s no way I am forcing her to cover up her mouth and nose.

My children do. By law anyone over the age of 5 is required by law to wear a mask. That includes day cares and schools. The only time they are allowed to remove them is while eating lumch

The only time they are allowed to remove them is while eating lunch

Every bit of me recoils physically from this. 5 years old and forced to spend hours with their mouths and noses trussed up? If this is what it takes, schools aren’t safe.

I keep my 3 year old physically as far as I can from others when we are out and about, but school is a risk we’re going to have to take, and not with a mask on.

Mine do - 14,13,11 and 9 - the 11 year old is autistic and struggles sometimes but we always have a mask for her as well as her sunflower lanyard x

No here too.
Mine are 6 & 4, there is no way I’m normalising mask wearing. It’s not normal.

Mine do - 6 and 9. It normalises them and makes adult mask wearers much less scary.

Mine has been expected to wear one in hospital throughout (age 7). That is paediatric oncology clinic though.... would you really want people not wearing masks there?

My 13 year old does but my 9 year old doesn’t as he can’t cope to due to his ASD- he has tried. I think as long as young children are ok wearing masks then great but not a big deal if they don’t.

I have purchased reusable masks for dd(7) and ds(8 but looks 11) and have them use them in shops etc.

Just to normalise it as it seems pretty clear we're all stuck with the bloody things for the time being.