Daycare mandating masks for 2+

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd give it a while. They'll prob figure out it doesn't work and the rule will eventually disappear.

With a lot of things in life, you can wait it out until others realize the idea is a bad one.

Yea it won't work because of parents intentionally sending sick kids and poorly fitting masks. Somehow mine has never been sick in 2+ years thanks to masks. And my kid was super verbal well before preschool age, unless you wear mask non stop at home I don't even understand the argument that masks are too blame for your kids speech issues. My niece had a speech delay and it was obvious we'll before she was old enough to mask or be enrolled in preschool where she was around kids during say in masks. Obviously her family didn't mask in their own home

[Anonymous]

I would prefer a masking policy just for kids with cold symptoms. And then require a proper KN95 style mask. The issue with a mask mandate, especially for this age, is that it just results in a bunch of kids wearing cloth and paper masks poorly. They get damp almost immediately and it renders them ineffective, and the kids' small faces means it's hard to find a good fit. The kids get uncomfortable and are constantly taking them off or letting them sag, and the teachers have to decide whether to police them or just let it go.

To me the best policy is:

1) Strict guidelines for when kids are sent home based on fevers (easy to take temps when kids are on the way into school to enforce this -- lots of daycares do this at this point) and signs of lethargy or serious illness. Kids with those symptoms shouldn't be at school, for their sake and that of others. If you want to require tests for Covid/RSV/flu that's fine too, but be really clear about what kinds of tests are allowed (can it be OTC or does it have to be at a doctor, when or how often do you need to test, be realistic about what families can do).

2) Provide KN95 masks for kids who are fever free and who have cold symptoms. School should provide the masks -- in general I think in all settings where masks are required, the setting should provide appropriate masks because it's way easier to bulk supply them than to put that on individuals.

3) Enforce good hygiene habits generally. Especially in a preschool where they are learning these skills for the future. Regular handwashing especially after using the bathroom or before eating. Frequent reminders not to put things in their mouths or to keep their mouths away from other people (yes the kids will do it anyway but part of preschool is teaching them not to). Teaching kids when it's okay to touch things and when it's not okay to touch things -- I remember at that age having to teach my kids not to run their hands along every wall and railing when we were out in the city, and explaining why (very effective to just explain to kids that dogs pee on freaking everything everywhere). Again this is a normal preschool skill to teach. Preschool is about learning to be a person in the world.

I don't think we should just accept that illness is going to spread unchecked in schools and it's reasonable to ask people to make a good faith effort to limit it. But also blanket masking policies or draconian threats to send a kid home if they sneeze or cough at all don't make sense. They are impossible to enforce and just encourage people to try and skirt the rules because they are unreasonable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'd give it a while. They'll prob figure out it doesn't work and the rule will eventually disappear.

With a lot of things in life, you can wait it out until others realize the idea is a bad one.

Yea it won't work because of parents intentionally sending sick kids and poorly fitting masks. Somehow mine has never been sick in 2+ years thanks to masks. And my kid was super verbal well before preschool age, unless you wear mask non stop at home I don't even understand the argument that masks are too blame for your kids speech issues. My niece had a speech delay and it was obvious we'll before she was old enough to mask or be enrolled in preschool where she was around kids during say in masks. Obviously her family didn't mask in their own home

And yet, speech delays skyrocketed during covid, despite access to special education services and developmental pediatricians and therapists being limited.

And while it's not clear exactly how much of that can be attributed to masks, that's the main thing that was different about this years for young kids. Infants and toddlers were spending most of their waking hours interacting with masked caregivers. When they got older, they were interacting with masked peers. That's not developmentally normal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would prefer a masking policy just for kids with cold symptoms. And then require a proper KN95 style mask. The issue with a mask mandate, especially for this age, is that it just results in a bunch of kids wearing cloth and paper masks poorly. They get damp almost immediately and it renders them ineffective, and the kids' small faces means it's hard to find a good fit. The kids get uncomfortable and are constantly taking them off or letting them sag, and the teachers have to decide whether to police them or just let it go.

To me the best policy is:

1) Strict guidelines for when kids are sent home based on fevers (easy to take temps when kids are on the way into school to enforce this -- lots of daycares do this at this point) and signs of lethargy or serious illness. Kids with those symptoms shouldn't be at school, for their sake and that of others. If you want to require tests for Covid/RSV/flu that's fine too, but be really clear about what kinds of tests are allowed (can it be OTC or does it have to be at a doctor, when or how often do you need to test, be realistic about what families can do).

2) Provide KN95 masks for kids who are fever free and who have cold symptoms. School should provide the masks -- in general I think in all settings where masks are required, the setting should provide appropriate masks because it's way easier to bulk supply them than to put that on individuals.

3) Enforce good hygiene habits generally. Especially in a preschool where they are learning these skills for the future. Regular handwashing especially after using the bathroom or before eating. Frequent reminders not to put things in their mouths or to keep their mouths away from other people (yes the kids will do it anyway but part of preschool is teaching them not to). Teaching kids when it's okay to touch things and when it's not okay to touch things -- I remember at that age having to teach my kids not to run their hands along every wall and railing when we were out in the city, and explaining why (very effective to just explain to kids that dogs pee on freaking everything everywhere). Again this is a normal preschool skill to teach. Preschool is about learning to be a person in the world.

I don't think we should just accept that illness is going to spread unchecked in schools and it's reasonable to ask people to make a good faith effort to limit it. But also blanket masking policies or draconian threats to send a kid home if they sneeze or cough at all don't make sense. They are impossible to enforce and just encourage people to try and skirt the rules because they are unreasonable.

Yeah no crazy lady - you’re not forcing 2 yr olds to wear KN95s. Sorry.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would prefer a masking policy just for kids with cold symptoms. And then require a proper KN95 style mask. The issue with a mask mandate, especially for this age, is that it just results in a bunch of kids wearing cloth and paper masks poorly. They get damp almost immediately and it renders them ineffective, and the kids' small faces means it's hard to find a good fit. The kids get uncomfortable and are constantly taking them off or letting them sag, and the teachers have to decide whether to police them or just let it go.

To me the best policy is:

1) Strict guidelines for when kids are sent home based on fevers (easy to take temps when kids are on the way into school to enforce this -- lots of daycares do this at this point) and signs of lethargy or serious illness. Kids with those symptoms shouldn't be at school, for their sake and that of others. If you want to require tests for Covid/RSV/flu that's fine too, but be really clear about what kinds of tests are allowed (can it be OTC or does it have to be at a doctor, when or how often do you need to test, be realistic about what families can do).

2) Provide KN95 masks for kids who are fever free and who have cold symptoms. School should provide the masks -- in general I think in all settings where masks are required, the setting should provide appropriate masks because it's way easier to bulk supply them than to put that on individuals.

3) Enforce good hygiene habits generally. Especially in a preschool where they are learning these skills for the future. Regular handwashing especially after using the bathroom or before eating. Frequent reminders not to put things in their mouths or to keep their mouths away from other people (yes the kids will do it anyway but part of preschool is teaching them not to). Teaching kids when it's okay to touch things and when it's not okay to touch things -- I remember at that age having to teach my kids not to run their hands along every wall and railing when we were out in the city, and explaining why (very effective to just explain to kids that dogs pee on freaking everything everywhere). Again this is a normal preschool skill to teach. Preschool is about learning to be a person in the world.

I don't think we should just accept that illness is going to spread unchecked in schools and it's reasonable to ask people to make a good faith effort to limit it. But also blanket masking policies or draconian threats to send a kid home if they sneeze or cough at all don't make sense. They are impossible to enforce and just encourage people to try and skirt the rules because they are unreasonable.

You think 2-year-olds are going to wear KN95s? Come on now.

[Anonymous]

This thread popped up in 2025.

Are you all saying that there are daycares in 2025 requiring kids to wear masks?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This thread popped up in 2025.

Are you all saying that there are daycares in 2025 requiring kids to wear masks?

Yes, this thread is only a month old.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would prefer a masking policy just for kids with cold symptoms. And then require a proper KN95 style mask. The issue with a mask mandate, especially for this age, is that it just results in a bunch of kids wearing cloth and paper masks poorly. They get damp almost immediately and it renders them ineffective, and the kids' small faces means it's hard to find a good fit. The kids get uncomfortable and are constantly taking them off or letting them sag, and the teachers have to decide whether to police them or just let it go.

To me the best policy is:

1) Strict guidelines for when kids are sent home based on fevers (easy to take temps when kids are on the way into school to enforce this -- lots of daycares do this at this point) and signs of lethargy or serious illness. Kids with those symptoms shouldn't be at school, for their sake and that of others. If you want to require tests for Covid/RSV/flu that's fine too, but be really clear about what kinds of tests are allowed (can it be OTC or does it have to be at a doctor, when or how often do you need to test, be realistic about what families can do).

2) Provide KN95 masks for kids who are fever free and who have cold symptoms. School should provide the masks -- in general I think in all settings where masks are required, the setting should provide appropriate masks because it's way easier to bulk supply them than to put that on individuals.

3) Enforce good hygiene habits generally. Especially in a preschool where they are learning these skills for the future. Regular handwashing especially after using the bathroom or before eating. Frequent reminders not to put things in their mouths or to keep their mouths away from other people (yes the kids will do it anyway but part of preschool is teaching them not to). Teaching kids when it's okay to touch things and when it's not okay to touch things -- I remember at that age having to teach my kids not to run their hands along every wall and railing when we were out in the city, and explaining why (very effective to just explain to kids that dogs pee on freaking everything everywhere). Again this is a normal preschool skill to teach. Preschool is about learning to be a person in the world.

I don't think we should just accept that illness is going to spread unchecked in schools and it's reasonable to ask people to make a good faith effort to limit it. But also blanket masking policies or draconian threats to send a kid home if they sneeze or cough at all don't make sense. They are impossible to enforce and just encourage people to try and skirt the rules because they are unreasonable.

Tell me you have a girl without telling me you have a girl.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would prefer a masking policy just for kids with cold symptoms. And then require a proper KN95 style mask. The issue with a mask mandate, especially for this age, is that it just results in a bunch of kids wearing cloth and paper masks poorly. They get damp almost immediately and it renders them ineffective, and the kids' small faces means it's hard to find a good fit. The kids get uncomfortable and are constantly taking them off or letting them sag, and the teachers have to decide whether to police them or just let it go.

To me the best policy is:

1) Strict guidelines for when kids are sent home based on fevers (easy to take temps when kids are on the way into school to enforce this -- lots of daycares do this at this point) and signs of lethargy or serious illness. Kids with those symptoms shouldn't be at school, for their sake and that of others. If you want to require tests for Covid/RSV/flu that's fine too, but be really clear about what kinds of tests are allowed (can it be OTC or does it have to be at a doctor, when or how often do you need to test, be realistic about what families can do).

2) Provide KN95 masks for kids who are fever free and who have cold symptoms. School should provide the masks -- in general I think in all settings where masks are required, the setting should provide appropriate masks because it's way easier to bulk supply them than to put that on individuals.

3) Enforce good hygiene habits generally. Especially in a preschool where they are learning these skills for the future. Regular handwashing especially after using the bathroom or before eating. Frequent reminders not to put things in their mouths or to keep their mouths away from other people (yes the kids will do it anyway but part of preschool is teaching them not to). Teaching kids when it's okay to touch things and when it's not okay to touch things -- I remember at that age having to teach my kids not to run their hands along every wall and railing when we were out in the city, and explaining why (very effective to just explain to kids that dogs pee on freaking everything everywhere). Again this is a normal preschool skill to teach. Preschool is about learning to be a person in the world.

I don't think we should just accept that illness is going to spread unchecked in schools and it's reasonable to ask people to make a good faith effort to limit it. But also blanket masking policies or draconian threats to send a kid home if they sneeze or cough at all don't make sense. They are impossible to enforce and just encourage people to try and skirt the rules because they are unreasonable.

I think this is way, way too much and would lead to kids with crummy immune systems and general neuroses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Little kids are SO germy, and this is flu season. They're trying to prevent kids from spreading sickness and getting sick. That's great, and exactly what I'd want my daycare to do.

I agree- please tell me the name so I can sign up my kid! My 2 year old is great about wearing a mask and she has a bigger vocabulary than most adults so quiet down with your concerns about speech therapy-- her speech was well developed before 2

Why does your toddler wear a mask??

so she doesn't get sick or get us sick- i'm pregnant and immunocompromised, husband also has health issues. never quite understand the "kids won't wear masks" comments- she's been great about it for almost 6 months now... the parents who care about it and teach it it works, those of you who always thought they were useless chose masks that didn't fit and were uncomfortable to prove it doesn't work (as shared in many anecdotes above..)

most illnesses are spread through air, handwashing can only go so far. why is everyone posting about how important hand washing is without knowing that can't prevent most illnesses?

Sounds like your 2 yo is your first and you have not realized what most parents by now would have recognized - every child is different. Yes, some kids can keep masks over their noses. Most 2 year olds cannot, and any daycare teacher will tell you that.

I'm glad your child's speech is developing well! The issue with masks is that for kids with speech delays, masks are a problem. Speech therapy does not work as well with masks. And there are tons of research articles on the importance of seeing people's faces for social emotional development. Since most people aren't wearing masks, that's not an issue for your kid. For my kid, it absolutely was. And you dismissing that very real experience that so many parents had makes you a total jerk and not someone worth listening to.

But hear me out. The PP is only concerned about the health and wellbeing of *her* family. She wants all kids to mask to do what she thinks accommodates her health. Those other kids with speech problems or not yet diagnosed Autism or just general difficulty tolerating masks don’t matter and she will be sure to let all their parents know that she thinks they are So SElfIsH~~!

And yes this totally screams FTM of a toddler. She hasn’t been a parent long enough to understand her child is not the ~*barometer of all children*~ and also she was childfree during COVID. The rest of us are 5 years ahead of her on this issue.

And I’ll add as a mom of 3, the sickest my family has ever been was that first winter kids went back to school and masks came off. I mean every single virus just hit us so hard, even minor colds. Which was weird b/c we had never gotten so sick before. I’m convinced it’s because our immune systems took an 18 month vacation. Now several years later and we get occasional illnesses, but it doesn’t even spread through the house and it lasts a short time. I’d totally rather just get a cold a couple times a year than mask a family of 5 to leave the house all the time. That is what is best for my family and if others decide to wear masks for their families that is fine, but I will not go through this a second time (unless some novel virus comes out that is really scary and then that is a whole other issue).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would prefer a masking policy just for kids with cold symptoms. And then require a proper KN95 style mask. The issue with a mask mandate, especially for this age, is that it just results in a bunch of kids wearing cloth and paper masks poorly. They get damp almost immediately and it renders them ineffective, and the kids' small faces means it's hard to find a good fit. The kids get uncomfortable and are constantly taking them off or letting them sag, and the teachers have to decide whether to police them or just let it go.

To me the best policy is:

1) Strict guidelines for when kids are sent home based on fevers (easy to take temps when kids are on the way into school to enforce this -- lots of daycares do this at this point) and signs of lethargy or serious illness. Kids with those symptoms shouldn't be at school, for their sake and that of others. If you want to require tests for Covid/RSV/flu that's fine too, but be really clear about what kinds of tests are allowed (can it be OTC or does it have to be at a doctor, when or how often do you need to test, be realistic about what families can do).

2) Provide KN95 masks for kids who are fever free and who have cold symptoms. School should provide the masks -- in general I think in all settings where masks are required, the setting should provide appropriate masks because it's way easier to bulk supply them than to put that on individuals.

3) Enforce good hygiene habits generally. Especially in a preschool where they are learning these skills for the future. Regular handwashing especially after using the bathroom or before eating. Frequent reminders not to put things in their mouths or to keep their mouths away from other people (yes the kids will do it anyway but part of preschool is teaching them not to). Teaching kids when it's okay to touch things and when it's not okay to touch things -- I remember at that age having to teach my kids not to run their hands along every wall and railing when we were out in the city, and explaining why (very effective to just explain to kids that dogs pee on freaking everything everywhere). Again this is a normal preschool skill to teach. Preschool is about learning to be a person in the world.

I don't think we should just accept that illness is going to spread unchecked in schools and it's reasonable to ask people to make a good faith effort to limit it. But also blanket masking policies or draconian threats to send a kid home if they sneeze or cough at all don't make sense. They are impossible to enforce and just encourage people to try and skirt the rules because they are unreasonable.

Yeah no crazy lady - you’re not forcing 2 yr olds to wear KN95s. Sorry.

+1

Also we can’t go back to requiring testing to return to school. By 2022 pediatricians were begging to end this because it was creating a huge workload of appointments just to swab kids and write return to school notes for kids who otherwise would have stayed home sick for a few days drinking fluids and not seen a doctor. Which takes valuable appointment slots from kids who really need medical care. (Not to mention parents were forking over copays every time their kid got a sniffle). It was horrible public policy once widespread vaccination was available.

The only time I test my kids for anything is when I think they have strep and need an antibiotic. Otherwise respiratory viruses and stomach bugs get treated with some rest at home.

[Anonymous]

The masks were nothing but theater. You realize these kids eat together and nap together and they don’t wear masks for either of those activities which probably end up being over two hours of their days. These kids are in close contact with each other.

During Covid strict exclusions for any symptom worked. But that doesn’t work anymore because parents are back at work, back at the office and don’t tolerate their kid being excluded if they have a little cough. That’s why illnesses are back. And I hate to say it, but thats a part of life and a part of having kids and being a kid.

We are back to pre covid illness exclusions, and back to parents medicating their kids before they drop off (thanks for nothing).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would prefer a masking policy just for kids with cold symptoms. And then require a proper KN95 style mask. The issue with a mask mandate, especially for this age, is that it just results in a bunch of kids wearing cloth and paper masks poorly. They get damp almost immediately and it renders them ineffective, and the kids' small faces means it's hard to find a good fit. The kids get uncomfortable and are constantly taking them off or letting them sag, and the teachers have to decide whether to police them or just let it go.

To me the best policy is:

1) Strict guidelines for when kids are sent home based on fevers (easy to take temps when kids are on the way into school to enforce this -- lots of daycares do this at this point) and signs of lethargy or serious illness. Kids with those symptoms shouldn't be at school, for their sake and that of others. If you want to require tests for Covid/RSV/flu that's fine too, but be really clear about what kinds of tests are allowed (can it be OTC or does it have to be at a doctor, when or how often do you need to test, be realistic about what families can do).

2) Provide KN95 masks for kids who are fever free and who have cold symptoms. School should provide the masks -- in general I think in all settings where masks are required, the setting should provide appropriate masks because it's way easier to bulk supply them than to put that on individuals.

3) Enforce good hygiene habits generally. Especially in a preschool where they are learning these skills for the future. Regular handwashing especially after using the bathroom or before eating. Frequent reminders not to put things in their mouths or to keep their mouths away from other people (yes the kids will do it anyway but part of preschool is teaching them not to). Teaching kids when it's okay to touch things and when it's not okay to touch things -- I remember at that age having to teach my kids not to run their hands along every wall and railing when we were out in the city, and explaining why (very effective to just explain to kids that dogs pee on freaking everything everywhere). Again this is a normal preschool skill to teach. Preschool is about learning to be a person in the world.

I don't think we should just accept that illness is going to spread unchecked in schools and it's reasonable to ask people to make a good faith effort to limit it. But also blanket masking policies or draconian threats to send a kid home if they sneeze or cough at all don't make sense. They are impossible to enforce and just encourage people to try and skirt the rules because they are unreasonable.

This is a fantastic plan!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DD just turned 2 this month and daycare sent a note home today saying that they had to send a child home with a fever and funny nose today and that from now on, all kids 2+ will have to wear masks.

My older daughter didn’t even have to wear a mask until she turned 3 during Covid and I have really mixed feelings about this.

We just started at this daycare after 18 months on the waitlist and I’m having second thoughts - except I don’t know that we’ll get in anywhere else now. I was never against masking during the pandemic and still wear one to travel but 2 seems way too young. WWYD?

This is unacceptable. Start looking for a nanny share situation if you don’t have a good daycare option.