Am I too strict about playground kid mask rule?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:unreal how effective the government gaslighting on the overselling of mask effectiveness has been. you would willingly do emotional harm to your own child for public health mandate with no scientific basis, one we've known for 40+ years has little to no effect.

indoors, healthcare settings - sure masks can provide a small to moderate benefit, but outdoors? on kids who won't even be wearing it properly anyway? give me, and your poor child, a break.

So teach your child to wear the mask properly.

Outdoor is not magic. Sure, don’t mask up on an empty street, but wear a mask on a playground. It’s common sense.

Actually. Outdoors with COVID is magic. It dispersed it immediately and makes it pretty much impossible to spread. If you read Zeynep Tufecki she’s been trying to track down any spreading events that were truly outside with no indoor or tented component and so far zilch. Doing anything outdoors isn’t zero risk but it is EXTREMELY low risk. And to another posters point CDC and Mayo and any other authority that deems playground play as high risk has no evidence or leg to stand on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:unreal how effective the government gaslighting on the overselling of mask effectiveness has been. you would willingly do emotional harm to your own child for public health mandate with no scientific basis, one we've known for 40+ years has little to no effect.

indoors, healthcare settings - sure masks can provide a small to moderate benefit, but outdoors? on kids who won't even be wearing it properly anyway? give me, and your poor child, a break.

So teach your child to wear the mask properly.

Outdoor is not magic. Sure, don’t mask up on an empty street, but wear a mask on a playground. It’s common sense.

Actually. Outdoors with COVID is magic. It dispersed it immediately and makes it pretty much impossible to spread. If you read Zeynep Tufecki she’s been trying to track down any spreading events that were truly outside with no indoor or tented component and so far zilch. Doing anything outdoors isn’t zero risk but it is EXTREMELY low risk. And to another posters point CDC and Mayo and any other authority that deems playground play as high risk has no evidence or leg to stand on.

We still wear masks outside (when near people) but I agree this is largely true. With caveats-- we still have poor contact tracing, so we can't prove that more people didn't get it outside. In fact, as a literal statement that's guaranteed to be true. That said, even outside, for sure being very close to others while shouting/singing for an extended period of time would be riskier, so it makes sense to mask or forego an activity like that. Most of the time kids playing outdoors WILL get close, let's be honest, even if they avoid actually touching-- but unless they're holding an all-day singing wrestling tournament, the risk should be very low.

[Anonymous]

There are some reasonable comments here, but DCUM never ceases to make me laugh.

-"Like duh omg grandparents should be vaccinated by now it's totes easy." No, it's not that easy to navigate the system PERIOD, but especially if and when English is not your first language, grandparents might be busy working all day, you don't have easy transportation to a mass vax or other site, grandparents aren't 65, or any combination of those things. None of those things was true for me and I still found it difficult.

OP, please look at a MD/DC/VA "Vaccine Hunters" group for tips and help. For MD (since I'm a Marylander), here are a few good resources, but I've seen them for NoVa and so on. Reading these and/or asking directly for help WILL get you a vaccine for those eligible. I promise.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/462938984877900

https://www.facebook.com/vaccinehunters

https://www.facebook.com/groups/884582065668731


-"Why are you visiting unvaccinated grandparents?!?!" Did it not occur to DCUM that lots of adults live with their parents or even grandparents?


-"The park is unhealthy but donuts are healthy?!!?" OP didn't say that. They said that if they can't go to the park, they do *something* "fun" as a consolation prize. Like your kids never eat sweets? For all we know this is the kid's one sweet of the day. Are there healthier choices? Sure. But come on now.

---

Anyway, OP, I agree that you have "stricter" rules than I do, though we do always mask and I'd feel uncomfortable around a huge group of unmasked kids, even though the risk is relatively low. I am in Downtown Silver Spring though, and agree with the PP that said the vast majority of kids and adults around here and Takoma Park, and into Wheaton in my experience, use masks.

PPs who suggested you figure out which towns/neighborhoods have the best mask compliance and stick to those are giving good advice. I don't think it's a matter of one park vs another in the same neighborhood, as it tends to be a neighborhood culture kind of thing, so maybe you have to drive 20 minutes (luckily it sounds like you're already driving around). Although church or school parks will be emptier, at least.

Honestly I would ease up on the requirement that there be only a very small number of kids, but I can understand wanting to see everyone masked and at least that the playground not be extremely crowded. That shouldn't be impossible to find-- but I say that not knowing where you are in the DMV.

PPs are also correct who suggest that you make this as predictable as possible for your kid. It's the uncertainty that's making him the most upset.

Good luck! Especially with the vaccine hunt.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:unreal how effective the government gaslighting on the overselling of mask effectiveness has been. you would willingly do emotional harm to your own child for public health mandate with no scientific basis, one we've known for 40+ years has little to no effect.

indoors, healthcare settings - sure masks can provide a small to moderate benefit, but outdoors? on kids who won't even be wearing it properly anyway? give me, and your poor child, a break.

And, this is why covid is continuing to spread.

You know nothing about how Covid spreads.

[Anonymous]

Tracy Beth Hoeg, whose data CDC relied on to determine safety of schools, says no masks on kids outside. Also says no masks on kids in school once adults are vaccinated. Seems only a few people are willing to admit risk/benefit of intervention needs to be weighed. So many of you think you are following the science...

[Anonymous]

I carry additional masks to the playground and hand them out to kids who are unmasked. It makes my child and I feel much less anxious as we ease ourselves out of doors and teaches the other children that following the rules isn’t at all difficult.

[Anonymous]

I don’t make my kids wear a mask at the playground. It’s outside, sunny, and not enough evidence to show its transmitted easily at these venues.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t make my kids wear a mask at the playground. It’s outside, sunny, and not enough evidence to show its transmitted easily at these venues.

Same

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Tracy Beth Hoeg, whose data CDC relied on to determine safety of schools, says no masks on kids outside. Also says no masks on kids in school once adults are vaccinated. Seems only a few people are willing to admit risk/benefit of intervention needs to be weighed. So many of you think you are following the science...

She says the opposite in her Twitter feeds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I carry additional masks to the playground and hand them out to kids who are unmasked. It makes my child and I feel much less anxious as we ease ourselves out of doors and teaches the other children that following the rules isn’t at all difficult.

WTF. You ask other children to mask up and hand them masks you provided becasue it makes you FEEL less anxious? Just stay at home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t make my kids wear a mask at the playground. It’s outside, sunny, and not enough evidence to show its transmitted easily at these venues.

Same

As long as they are not near my masked kids, I don’t care.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t make my kids wear a mask at the playground. It’s outside, sunny, and not enough evidence to show its transmitted easily at these venues.

Same

As long as they are not near my masked kids, I don’t care.

They aren’t. We are in a very blue part of a blue state with no outdoor mask mandate. The occasional masked kid shows up at the playground. No one distances.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I carry additional masks to the playground and hand them out to kids who are unmasked. It makes my child and I feel much less anxious as we ease ourselves out of doors and teaches the other children that following the rules isn’t at all difficult.

WTF. You ask other children to mask up and hand them masks you provided becasue it makes you FEEL less anxious? Just stay at home.

My child and I have spent a year at home. No more. Public spaces are for all to enjoy, not just the ignorant or selfish. A responsible parent ensures everyone follows the rules, masked and practicing social distancing in order to make the playground welcoming for all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I carry additional masks to the playground and hand them out to kids who are unmasked. It makes my child and I feel much less anxious as we ease ourselves out of doors and teaches the other children that following the rules isn’t at all difficult.

WTF. You ask other children to mask up and hand them masks you provided becasue it makes you FEEL less anxious? Just stay at home.

+1. This is weird. And I would not let my child take a mask from a stranger. If playgrounds make you so anxious, maybe try a park where you can stay away from other people. The mask isn’t making a difference outdoors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I carry additional masks to the playground and hand them out to kids who are unmasked. It makes my child and I feel much less anxious as we ease ourselves out of doors and teaches the other children that following the rules isn’t at all difficult.

WTF. You ask other children to mask up and hand them masks you provided becasue it makes you FEEL less anxious? Just stay at home.

+1. This is weird. And I would not let my child take a mask from a stranger. If playgrounds make you so anxious, maybe try a park where you can stay away from other people. The mask isn’t making a difference outdoors.

You mean following your rules.
My kids would stay away from yours anyway seeing you as a weird parent.