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.

My 4 year old doesn’t. I put a mask on her once when I took her to the local community centre for her flu vaccine, within 2 minutes of standing in the waiting area, she was quite upset as her glasses were fogging up and she couldn’t see, I faffed about trying to fix it for her and she said to me ‘mummy, I really don’t like it’ the nurse just said to me she doesn’t have to wear one if she doesn’t want to. We haven’t made her wear one since, but if we’re out and about with her which isn’t often these days, we do make an effort to social distance as much as we can, and we don’t take our DC’s anywhere at peak/busy times if we can help it. I see very few children under the age of 10 wearing a mask in my local area and I’ve only saw 1 or 2 children turning up to DD’s school wearing a mask so I’m quite surprised at the number of people on this thread saying their DCs do wear a mask.

Dd is 10 and wears a mask every time I take her into a shop. She's old enough that she can wear a mask without too much discomfort, so she does wear a mask. I know it's not legally required, but it doesn't hurt for her to wear one anyway, and it might prevent her passing the virus on asymptomatically.

@Jesscarbqueen87 its the law in Scotland, maybe a fair few of us hail from there?

Yes. 6 and 8. They find it fun and insist on wearing them the whole way to the shop even when I say they don’t have to. It’s just a game to them.

Ps I would never judge other children for not wearing one though!

5 and 7 wear them without issue. 5 year old gets tired after an hour or so, they aren't out often. In Scotland so it's a must here.

I don't have young children so I've no skin in this game, but I do find the content about child abuse quite hyperbolic. I think what has taken me aback more though is the not wanting to normalise mask wearing, because logically the alternative is not very reassuring - practically saying that wearing a mask is abnormal, so all those people who are out and about in masks are not normal and by extension should be feared/treated warily by children? Because that then could lead to more anxiety about going out than the virus does. Maybe I'm wrong though.

Both DD and DS wear them (although DS has severe autism and could be exempt, so he carries a card in situations where he wont wear one, but is generally quite good.)

@EachDubh

5 and 7 wear them without issue. 5 year old gets tired after an hour or so, they aren't out often. In Scotland so it's a must here.

It hasn't made sod all difference in Scotland with young kids wearing masks has it.

Nope.

I'm in Scotland with 2 (aged 10 and 11). They don't have masks as both are exempt.

I will not be buying them sunflower lanyards. IMO it's no one else's business.

They have never been questioned about it (so far!).

Yes if in shops/public transport, cafes, doctors basically anywhere indoors apart from school. Its compulsory for over 5s here (scotland) and older DC wears them in corridors at high school.

Nope. I make it quite clear to DD1 who is a bit on the fence about if she needs to wear one that the law clearly says she's below the age where she has to and if anyone ever says anything to her the law is on her side. Sometimes she chooses to - mainly to be a ninja and gets bored after 2 minutes but I'm not going to make her and she knows that.

My other child has sensory and communication needs so wouldn't be wearing one anyway.

I judge people who brag about putting their toddlers in one - privately but yep, I judge them and they're not the kind of person I want to be voluntarily hanging around with.

One (15) of mine does, but the other (12) doesn't. They both have conditions that would make them 'exempt' but thankfully one of them has found an option that works. I'd prefer it if the other was able to wear one too

The one who does, wears a mask all day - puts it on in the morning before even getting in the car, takes it off to eat at lunchtime, then puts on a fresh one after eating, and keeps that on until she is home after school.

“ I think what has taken me aback more though is the not wanting to normalise mask wearing, because logically the alternative is not very reassuring - practically saying that wearing a mask is abnormal, so all those people who are out and about in masks are not normal and by extension should be feared/treated warily by children? Because that then could lead to more anxiety about going out than the virus does. Maybe I'm wrong though”

Well it depends what you’re saying. If you’re saying “it is NOT NORMAL” then maybe, but I doubt people are doing that. I think it’s probably more about not normalising the situation rather than implying that people are to be feared. I also don’t really have skin in this game as my children are

Mine do- 8 year old is happy to wear one (she's got pretty ones which helps!) and I feel she's safer if she wears one. 11 year old is exempt due to asthma but he copes fine so wears one. ‭