Yes.....Another Mask Query 😷

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I started babysitting three children full-time last Tuesday and will be working 10 hr days, Tue - Fri.
I love the kids and the job is great.

All except >>> I am required to wear a facial mask the entire ten hrs!
Is this fair??
While I understand that Covid is still a very serious concern, I also think expecting me to wear a facial covering all day long is a bit annoying.
Especially when neither the parents or the kids wear masks at all.
Never!

What should I do??

Other jobs that involve direct care expect professionals to wear a mask all day. It's not particularly hard or burdensome unless you're wearing an N95.

This is not a group care situation with many families combining. This is someone coming in the house for 40+ hours a week. Either you agree to quarantine when you are off duty and not engage in risky behaviors or everyone over the age of,five needs to mask,

[Anonymous]

I would find another job. Totally unfair.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have our awesome nanny mask, we pay for comfortable kn94s for her. Every teacher and daycare worker does it, why wouldn’t you?

We pay for comfortable kn94s for her? What a wonderful employer you are. Do you yourselves wear these masks all day, since they are so comfortable?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would not agree to this. How are you supposed to eat and drink? If the children are still learning language skills, your face being covered won’t work. If you’re working in their home 40 hrs per week, you’re part of the family pod. If they are uncomfortable bringing someone into their pod, they should not be hiring a nanny.

These kids are alive 168 hours a week. There's no evidence that spending less than a quarter of that time with an adult wearing a mask will impact their language learning.

You understand that children sleep like 14 hours a day right? So if someone is with them 10 hours a day, that’s a huge chunk of their awake time. And yes, in MY experience with MY child, masking around him impacts his responsiveness. I think it’s odd you would think masking the entire day around a child learning language wouldn’t impact their language development. But whatever, all I said was that I would not agree to this and gave my reasons. You can do whatever you want.

[Anonymous]

Hi OP. Back in March/April, I thought wearing a mask was overkill and ridiculous, but I started a new position last August and requested to wear a mask and it's been totally fine. I work full-time and wear disposable masks. I wear a mask in every home outside of my own and around every person outside of my household. No, the parents don't wear one but I'm not going to quit or refuse to wear one because of that (my choice.)

You can either wear one or quit. Everyone has their own standard of what they feel is comfortable for their family.

[Anonymous]

^^Excellent points made.

Did you insist on wearing the mask in their home?
If that is the case - then I would not be annoyed that the parents were not wearing theirs.

However it is clearly unfair for a family to require wearing a mask at all times while working, yet they do not wear them at all.
Sure, it IS their home however many people (myself included) simply do not feel comfortable around unmasked people.

[Anonymous]

Some people really can’t wear masks due to medical reasons. I’m asthmatic, and I can’t breathe well enough with a mask. Therefore I looked for family who was going to be as careful as I am.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would not agree to this. How are you supposed to eat and drink? If the children are still learning language skills, your face being covered won’t work. If you’re working in their home 40 hrs per week, you’re part of the family pod. If they are uncomfortable bringing someone into their pod, they should not be hiring a nanny.

These kids are alive 168 hours a week. There's no evidence that spending less than a quarter of that time with an adult wearing a mask will impact their language learning.

You understand that children sleep like 14 hours a day right? So if someone is with them 10 hours a day, that’s a huge chunk of their awake time. And yes, in MY experience with MY child, masking around him impacts his responsiveness. I think it’s odd you would think masking the entire day around a child learning language wouldn’t impact their language development. But whatever, all I said was that I would not agree to this and gave my reasons. You can do whatever you want.

You do realize that most kids take naps while the nanny is there so their parents have time with them in the evening right? A kid who is sleeping 14 hours a day is probably on two naps.

[Anonymous]

I would want the parents to wear a mask and the children too if old enough. I would wear one myself but protection goes both ways.

[Anonymous]

Yes it’s fair. I’m a medical professional and have worn a mask and shield every day for almost a year. It’s fine.

[Anonymous]

All of the nannies in my neighborhood wear masks inside the house with the kids. If you are unhappy, find another job, but I would for sure what another adult coming into my house to wear a mask.

See if they can get you a vaccine as a child care provider and then they may be willing to let you drop the mask.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I started babysitting three children full-time last Tuesday and will be working 10 hr days, Tue - Fri.
I love the kids and the job is great.

All except >>> I am required to wear a facial mask the entire ten hrs!
Is this fair??
While I understand that Covid is still a very serious concern, I also think expecting me to wear a facial covering all day long is a bit annoying.
Especially when neither the parents or the kids wear masks at all.
Never!

What should I do??

I don’t have a problem wearing a mask all day but I wouldn’t work indoors with people who aren’t masked. My best friend got a horrible case of covid at work as did five of his coworkers because their boss refused to wear a mask even though they all were masked. The boss was in the hospital for over a month.

[Anonymous]

No, that is not fair at all. If you have to wear a mask so do the parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Some people really can’t wear masks due to medical reasons. I’m asthmatic, and I can’t breathe well enough with a mask. Therefore I looked for family who was going to be as careful as I am.

Then your asthma is very poorly controlled. Many asthmatics, like myself, wear masks (double, an N-95 and a cloth, in fact) for 10 hour shifts with no issues. Stop with the "medical excuses", they just make you look bad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some people really can’t wear masks due to medical reasons. I’m asthmatic, and I can’t breathe well enough with a mask. Therefore I looked for family who was going to be as careful as I am.

Then your asthma is very poorly controlled. Many asthmatics, like myself, wear masks (double, an N-95 and a cloth, in fact) for 10 hour shifts with no issues. Stop with the "medical excuses", they just make you look bad.

Per my doctor, who doesn’t want to put me back on steroids, I’m not to wear any mask for more than 15 minutes. 10-15 years ago, I was in the ER at least once per week, while using several preventive inhalers and a nebulizer, and my rescue inhalers didn’t always work. Now, my asthma is controlled: no preventive medications for more than 5 years, no rescue inhalers unless I’m exposed to my triggers, no exercise-induced attacks. When I need my rescue inhaler, I only need one or two puffs, rather than five not working.

Speak for yourself. When my doctor tells me to do or avoid something, I listen.