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Original poster

To ask if your children wear masks

240 replies

FatimaMunchy · 22/10/2020 19:06

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.

OP posts:
TheGreatWave · 23/10/2020 09:57

I really dislike seeing young children in masks and I do wonder what is the motivation behind it. I also really don't like it when people claim that their 4 year old has asked to wear one as they want to protect others and don't want them to die, I personally would not be putting my child in the situation where they were thinking that.

14 yr old does, 8 year old doesn't (has only worn one when we went for a walk in covid test) and the 12 year old doesn't including at school (with school's agreement)

flaviaritt · 23/10/2020 09:59

. I also really don't like it when people claim that their 4 year old has asked to wear one as they want to protect others and don't want them to die, I personally would not be putting my child in the situation where they were thinking that.

We have no idea of the psychological impact this is going to have. My nearly 4 year old does not listen to me talking about the virus. She doesn’t need to know.

SoVeryLost · 23/10/2020 10:38

@TheGreatWave

I really dislike seeing young children in masks and I do wonder what is the motivation behind it. I also really don't like it when people claim that their 4 year old has asked to wear one as they want to protect others and don't want them to die, I personally would not be putting my child in the situation where they were thinking that.

14 yr old does, 8 year old doesn't (has only worn one when we went for a walk in covid test) and the 12 year old doesn't including at school (with school's agreement)

I would think they are lying tbh. Although I have a friend who has a three year old that asks to wear a mask. In her case it is mimicking her mum, what’s the harm in letting her wear a mask if she wants to? Her mum would not be having conversations about protecting others with her.

I’ve never watched the PM’s announcements about the virus as my DS was generally around. He doesn’t need to be scared, even if it was the apocalypse what good can come of making a child scared. A child can wear a mask without being scared though, for lots of very young children this is their normal.

GrouchyKiwi · 23/10/2020 10:47

My four-year-old's understanding of the virus is expressed by her calling it "Covid-Stinkteen". This is because it has cancelled our Christmas trip to NZ and because it is harder to meet up with friends and family. I don't think she has any understanding of it causing death (or what death is). I'm willing to believe that other four year olds have different understandings and different life experiences from her.

She has worn a mask once and hated it so we're not asking her to wear one again.

Our older children (6 and 8) wear them at church and if we have to go out anywhere, but we home educate so they don't have to wear them very often.

HazeyJaneII · 23/10/2020 10:50

I also really don't like it when people claim that their 4 year old has asked to wear one as they want to protect others and don't want them to die
Fortunately I haven't heard any children say that, most children I've seen wearing them want to do it because they have seen mummy or daddy or older siblings wearing them. I think that children should not be given the impression that they could be responsible for people dying!

I do think though, that it is important to talk to children about the world they see around them in an appropriate way....and at the moment the world they see around them is a strange one, with people wearing masks, places they normally go to closing, they maybe not be able to see someone close to them who might get very ill, their early years settings looking a little different etc.

I think it's important to answer children's questions when they have them, and reassure them when things look different. I think we should ask children what they already know and offer age/development appropriate information based on their responses. I think its important to empasise staying healthy, and how we can do that and help others to do that, by following the guidelines.

There are some really good resources aimed at different ages of children to help answer any questions and support any worries. Also for young people with Learning Disabilities, it's really important to try and provide information in a way that reassures rather than increasing anxiety, and again there are some really good resources to support this.

Unicorners · 23/10/2020 10:56

I'm in Scotland too. My 3 year old sometimes asks to wear one if we are in a shop or cafe as she sees everyone else wearing them. I got her a neck buff so she can just pull it up and down as she likes.

pastandpresent · 23/10/2020 10:59

It's quite understandable if it was in hospital. Children with illness and their parents are conscious of risks, and those children are more likely to listen to parent's advice to wear masks if parents thought they should, especially at the hospital where you are more likely to exposed to all kinds of illness.

wasthataburp · 23/10/2020 11:13

No way and I wouldn't let them. I absolutely do not want them to think that wearing a mask is normal in any way

Aragog · 23/10/2020 11:18

My 7y nephew has a couple of masks he chooses to,wear on public transport and when out and about. Obviously at his age he doesn't have to wear one but he often chooses to.

We have a handful,of,children who wear them when they arrive at school (infants) especially those coming by bus and/or taxi. Again, due to their age they don't have to but want to.

Many little ones like to copy the grown ups I think too, so that can influence some children.

WankPuffins · 23/10/2020 11:24

My Dd age 6 does as she likes them. It’s like a fashion accessory to her more than anything (although she does know why adults have to wear them).

onedayinthefuture · 23/10/2020 12:22

I can't believe children 2 and up are wearing masks. It's fucking ridiculous. I can understand hospital settings if children want to but not elsewhere. Bullshit! And before someone says I would hate for them to pass on the virus and kill someone, I hope you never went anywhere before with a cold (a normal cold can kill an old person), I hope you don't drive a car.....!!

HazeyJaneII · 23/10/2020 12:28

Bleeding nora, calm down!

Sb2012 · 23/10/2020 12:33

Mine don’t have to but they do. My eldest is 10 no reason he can’t. And my 5 and 3 year old boys do too. However, the 3 year old chews on his sometimes 🤦‍♀️
Have a baby (4 months old) obviously she doesn’t.

flaviaritt · 23/10/2020 12:42

onedayinthefuture

It is ridiculous, of course. A mask is only useful for about twenty minutes before it needs to be changed. Kids wearing them for hours at nursery is just pointless unpleasantness. I had mine on for about half an hour earlier while shopping and was claustrophobic and a bit breathless. I wouldn’t subject a child to that.

HazeyJaneII · 23/10/2020 13:46

This is the WHO poster for wearing a mask correctly (for children 6 and above).
I haven't seen guidance stating they should only be worn for 20 mins.
I must have missed it, but is there a post here that says 2 year olds are wearing them all day in nursery?

To ask if your children wear masks
HazeyJaneII · 23/10/2020 13:47

Sorry...any child wearing them for hours all day at nursery.

unmarkedbythat · 23/10/2020 13:51

Yes, my 5 y/o (6 next month) does. We had some Batman ones from Etsy that he has outgrown (that was the first real upset moment of oh god this has lasted so much longer than I hoped I have had) and now he has some blue camouflage ones we got from Superdrug. He is fine with it and it's not like we go anywhere he has to wear one much anyway.

Sitt · 23/10/2020 13:55

Not in the U.K. no. In other countries I believe so. I posted the PHE guidelines because someone said face coverings were contraindicated for under-2s but in the U.K. according to PHE it is under-3s where it is considered a risk to cover their faces

flaviaritt · 23/10/2020 13:56

I must have missed it, but is there a post here that says 2 year olds are wearing them all day in nursery?

There are plenty of posts not ruling it out, implying such small children have no reason not to wear a mask. They are not specifying context, and I was clear that I mean for longer periods of time, not a minute here or there.

I can’t remember where I read the 20 minute guidance, but certainly if they get wet, which they will if you are breathing into them for any length of time, they might as well not be there. I’m not forcing my kids to cover their mouths and noses for hours when the coverings are probably filthy anyway.

LadyCatStark · 23/10/2020 14:06

Yes but he’s 11

yawnsvillex · 23/10/2020 14:17

No way

notil · 23/10/2020 14:22

No, mine is 2 so she doesn't have to (in UK). I'm doing everything that's legally required, so if it was the law then I'd get one for her, but otherwise I wouldn't encourage it. In her nursery even the staff don't wear masks once inside the classroom, they just wear them on the doorstep (as do the parents) when they bring the children in. Personally I only wear my own mask where it's legally required, e.g. I take it off as soon as I leave a shop, as it's simply not pleasant to wear.

ginsparkles · 23/10/2020 14:27

Mine is 8 and she wears hers when we go out shopping and would definitely wear one in a hospital.

vinoandbrie · 23/10/2020 14:36

No, absolutely not.

U8myufo · 23/10/2020 14:38

No, only if she's in a medical setting like a doctor's surgery. She's four. If I absolutely had to take her shopping she would probably wear one to save us getting hassle - can do without hassle