Getting 2yo to wear a mask

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:My now-25-month-old has been wearing a mask since she was about 18 or 19 months old, when we began practicing.

We started with:

1) Telling her, "Just as we put on clothes and shoes when we go outside, we put on masks when we go outside." Now that also,includes a coat, hat, mittens, etc.
2) Letting her put masks on her dolls.
3) Praising when she left her mask on for more than a few minutes, which has now built to her tolerating it for a few hours at a time.
4) Letting her choose among her masks so she always has the one she likes at that moment.

We don't make a big deal of it anymore, just as I don't make a big deal out of her keeping her clothes or shoes on. She sees everyone else wearing masks, and she complies.

Not that it helps OP but I agree practicing earlier, before turning 2, would be easier, even though the CDC says no to. My kids were so agreeable at that age, potty training was a breeze because they were so eager to please. Then at some point a switch flips and they become defiant and introducing new behaviors is more difficult.

I also think wearing a mask is a bit different then wearing a hat, mittens, etc. Sometimes my kids resist putting winter gear on inside or rip it off, but then as soon as we get outside they get cold and ask from the hat/mittens back. Biological instinct kicks in. Wearing a mask goes against biological instinct- it's a perfectly natural reaction to not want something covering up your mouth/nose.

Not everyone has a compliant and easy to please 18 month old.

I know right. It’s like er congratulations for having a kid tolerate something totally developmentally inappropriate I guess? My two year olds are babies and don’t wear a mask. My six year old does no problem. The required masking of toddlers is insane.

And yet every 2 year old in my DC’s preschool class wears a mask with no complaints or issues. How, I wonder?

Do you honestly think you are saving lives by masking your two year old? Even in elementary, middle, and high school the benefits are modest. Don’t believe me, look at the data during high community spread.

https://statsiq.co1.qualtrics.com/public-dashboard/v0/dashboard/5f78e5d4de521a001036f78e#/dashboard/5f78e5d4de521a001036f78e?pageId=Page_ffb4dc52-5543-46b2-8126-2b7229fd1b17

Now, think about masking kids who lick their masks or put them back on without washing their hands. In fact, I bet a daycare worker has helped your kid with his/her mask without washing their hands first. Moms on this thread are admitting to sending their kids into the world with poorly fit masks. Show me data that masking 2-4 year olds is of any benefit. There is a reason the WHO recommends against masking kids under 5.

This is a good point. So many how-to videos early on in the pandemic about the proper way to take a mask on and off. Not kidding myself that my child or her teacher are doing it perfectly. Not that I do either at this point, I’ve probably worn the one in my car too many times now, oops. Contaminated masks FTW!

"It can cause trouble breathing, you're gonna have trouble breathing through a wet mask," Nabha said. "Number two, it can harbor bacteria and fungus, and number three, it may not work as well.”

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.wusa9.com/amp/article/news/verify/does-a-wet-mask-make-a-difference-or-am-i-safe-wet-mask-efficiancy-vs-dry-masks/65-5d760229-9e3e-4649-b420-969c74f219cb

Wonder how many two year olds are wearing wet masks for hours every day.

Your two year old licks their mask?

I don’t mask my two year old. My neighbor works at a daycare and says that many toddlers do. Why does this surprise you? They also tantrum in their masks. Imagine that contamination.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Bumping this thread up as I’m trying to find a cloth mask that somewhat fits and is comfortable for 2yo who will be attending daycare. The ones we have for our 4yo are pretty big on 2yo’s face. Seems like most kids masks are meant more for older kids. Any suggestions would be appreciated- bonus if they are in fun prints or characters! already have to bring lunch in all disposable materials so would prefer to avoid disposable masks if possible, so much trash. TIA!

I’ve tried many masks - Gap, Old Navy, Disney, disposables, random brands from Amazon - and recommend the Green Sprouts masks.

https://greensproutsbaby.com/collections/safety/products/child-reusable-face-mask?variant=33699229270147

These fit my 2 year old well, doesn’t pull on her ears or slip under her nose, and most importantly, stands away from her nose and mouth so she doesn’t freak out about not being able to breath. The prints are very limited, but fortunately my DC doesn’t seem to care about that. We haven’t tried the newer versions with the adjustable ear loops, which with a greater variety of prints.

PP here- thank you for this! We have not tried green sprouts yet but those are exactly the qualities I am looking for. Off to order a couple now!

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Two years and three month old refuses to wear a mask. Rewards fail. Staying home fails. Choosing his own mask fails. He says he can’t breathe right and his face gets sweaty.

Tell people to call the cops. Seriously. I take covid very seriously but come on, this is damaging to a toddler.

I don’t even pretend to apologize or that I give a sh&t anymore. I’m over it. Call the cops. Cross the street. Leave the park. I’m living my life. I’ve done all I can. 2 year olds aren’t the issue here.

I think I’m especially burnt out because my just turned 2 year old is 43 pounds and wears a size 5t. So people incorrectly assume he’s closer to 4-5 but he just turned 2 at the end of January.

Wearing a mask and complying with a public health order durimg a pandemic IS "living your life." You are not special and the rules apply to you and your kid.

Grow up.

The rules are ridiculous and children are suffering because of them. What other country is masking babies?

Yeah cause it’s going well for Europe!!

They are doing better than we are and their kids aren’t masked.

Dude read the news- half of Europe is on lockdown because of the surges. Wonder how much is due to spreading in school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Two years and three month old refuses to wear a mask. Rewards fail. Staying home fails. Choosing his own mask fails. He says he can’t breathe right and his face gets sweaty.

Tell people to call the cops. Seriously. I take covid very seriously but come on, this is damaging to a toddler.

I don’t even pretend to apologize or that I give a sh&t anymore. I’m over it. Call the cops. Cross the street. Leave the park. I’m living my life. I’ve done all I can. 2 year olds aren’t the issue here.

I think I’m especially burnt out because my just turned 2 year old is 43 pounds and wears a size 5t. So people incorrectly assume he’s closer to 4-5 but he just turned 2 at the end of January.

Wearing a mask and complying with a public health order durimg a pandemic IS "living your life." You are not special and the rules apply to you and your kid.

Grow up.

The rules are ridiculous and children are suffering because of them. What other country is masking babies?

Yeah cause it’s going well for Europe!!

They are doing better than we are and their kids aren’t masked.

Dude read the news- half of Europe is on lockdown because of the surges. Wonder how much is due to spreading in school.

Not much. Read the data.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Two years and three month old refuses to wear a mask. Rewards fail. Staying home fails. Choosing his own mask fails. He says he can’t breathe right and his face gets sweaty.

Tell people to call the cops. Seriously. I take covid very seriously but come on, this is damaging to a toddler.

I don’t even pretend to apologize or that I give a sh&t anymore. I’m over it. Call the cops. Cross the street. Leave the park. I’m living my life. I’ve done all I can. 2 year olds aren’t the issue here.

I think I’m especially burnt out because my just turned 2 year old is 43 pounds and wears a size 5t. So people incorrectly assume he’s closer to 4-5 but he just turned 2 at the end of January.

Wearing a mask and complying with a public health order durimg a pandemic IS "living your life." You are not special and the rules apply to you and your kid.

Grow up.

The rules are ridiculous and children are suffering because of them. What other country is masking babies?

Yeah cause it’s going well for Europe!!

They are doing better than we are and their kids aren’t masked.

Dude read the news- half of Europe is on lockdown because of the surges. Wonder how much is due to spreading in school.

Not much. Read the data.

Even living with children does not really increase the risk of poor outcomes. Time to unmask the preschoolers.

https://www.bmj.com/content/372/bmj.n628

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Two years and three month old refuses to wear a mask. Rewards fail. Staying home fails. Choosing his own mask fails. He says he can’t breathe right and his face gets sweaty.

Tell people to call the cops. Seriously. I take covid very seriously but come on, this is damaging to a toddler.

I don’t even pretend to apologize or that I give a sh&t anymore. I’m over it. Call the cops. Cross the street. Leave the park. I’m living my life. I’ve done all I can. 2 year olds aren’t the issue here.

I think I’m especially burnt out because my just turned 2 year old is 43 pounds and wears a size 5t. So people incorrectly assume he’s closer to 4-5 but he just turned 2 at the end of January.

Wearing a mask and complying with a public health order durimg a pandemic IS "living your life." You are not special and the rules apply to you and your kid.

Grow up.

The rules are ridiculous and children are suffering because of them. What other country is masking babies?

Yeah cause it’s going well for Europe!!

They are doing better than we are and their kids aren’t masked.

Dude read the news- half of Europe is on lockdown because of the surges. Wonder how much is due to spreading in school.

Not much. Read the data.

Even living with children does not really increase the risk of poor outcomes. Time to unmask the preschoolers.

https://www.bmj.com/content/372/bmj.n628

I just write the CDC and encourage others to as well

[Anonymous]

Wrote not write

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Two years and three month old refuses to wear a mask. Rewards fail. Staying home fails. Choosing his own mask fails. He says he can’t breathe right and his face gets sweaty.

Tell people to call the cops. Seriously. I take covid very seriously but come on, this is damaging to a toddler.

I don’t even pretend to apologize or that I give a sh&t anymore. I’m over it. Call the cops. Cross the street. Leave the park. I’m living my life. I’ve done all I can. 2 year olds aren’t the issue here.

I think I’m especially burnt out because my just turned 2 year old is 43 pounds and wears a size 5t. So people incorrectly assume he’s closer to 4-5 but he just turned 2 at the end of January.

Wearing a mask and complying with a public health order durimg a pandemic IS "living your life." You are not special and the rules apply to you and your kid.

Grow up.

The rules are ridiculous and children are suffering because of them. What other country is masking babies?

Yeah cause it’s going well for Europe!!

They are doing better than we are and their kids aren’t masked.

Dude read the news- half of Europe is on lockdown because of the surges. Wonder how much is due to spreading in school.

Not much. Read the data.

Even living with children does not really increase the risk of poor outcomes. Time to unmask the preschoolers.

https://www.bmj.com/content/372/bmj.n628

It's not really the layman DCUM posters you need to convince, it's the public health officials. Why aren't THEY reading the data?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Two years and three month old refuses to wear a mask. Rewards fail. Staying home fails. Choosing his own mask fails. He says he can’t breathe right and his face gets sweaty.

Tell people to call the cops. Seriously. I take covid very seriously but come on, this is damaging to a toddler.

I don’t even pretend to apologize or that I give a sh&t anymore. I’m over it. Call the cops. Cross the street. Leave the park. I’m living my life. I’ve done all I can. 2 year olds aren’t the issue here.

I think I’m especially burnt out because my just turned 2 year old is 43 pounds and wears a size 5t. So people incorrectly assume he’s closer to 4-5 but he just turned 2 at the end of January.

Wearing a mask and complying with a public health order durimg a pandemic IS "living your life." You are not special and the rules apply to you and your kid.

Grow up.

The rules are ridiculous and children are suffering because of them. What other country is masking babies?

Yeah cause it’s going well for Europe!!

They are doing better than we are and their kids aren’t masked.

Dude read the news- half of Europe is on lockdown because of the surges. Wonder how much is due to spreading in school.

Not much. Read the data.

Even living with children does not really increase the risk of poor outcomes. Time to unmask the preschoolers.

https://www.bmj.com/content/372/bmj.n628

It's not really the layman DCUM posters you need to convince, it's the public health officials. Why aren't THEY reading the data?

Virginia requires masks over 5. Its moco that requires babies (2+) to wear masks. My kid is turning two this summer so I’m going to start writing them. Masking a two year old in a diaper in 100 degree heat is mean. If parents want to mask their two year old fine knock yourself out. But it should be forced. Elementary age I also don’t agree with especially playing sports but fine. Save that battle for another day. But we need to unmask literal babies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Two years and three month old refuses to wear a mask. Rewards fail. Staying home fails. Choosing his own mask fails. He says he can’t breathe right and his face gets sweaty.

Tell people to call the cops. Seriously. I take covid very seriously but come on, this is damaging to a toddler.

I don’t even pretend to apologize or that I give a sh&t anymore. I’m over it. Call the cops. Cross the street. Leave the park. I’m living my life. I’ve done all I can. 2 year olds aren’t the issue here.

I think I’m especially burnt out because my just turned 2 year old is 43 pounds and wears a size 5t. So people incorrectly assume he’s closer to 4-5 but he just turned 2 at the end of January.

Wearing a mask and complying with a public health order durimg a pandemic IS "living your life." You are not special and the rules apply to you and your kid.

Grow up.

The rules are ridiculous and children are suffering because of them. What other country is masking babies?

Yeah cause it’s going well for Europe!!

They are doing better than we are and their kids aren’t masked.

Dude read the news- half of Europe is on lockdown because of the surges. Wonder how much is due to spreading in school.

Not much. Read the data.

Even living with children does not really increase the risk of poor outcomes. Time to unmask the preschoolers.

https://www.bmj.com/content/372/bmj.n628

It's not really the layman DCUM posters you need to convince, it's the public health officials. Why aren't THEY reading the data?

Virginia requires masks over 5. Its moco that requires babies (2+) to wear masks. My kid is turning two this summer so I’m going to start writing them. Masking a two year old in a diaper in 100 degree heat is mean. If parents want to mask their two year old fine knock yourself out. But it should be forced. Elementary age I also don’t agree with especially playing sports but fine. Save that battle for another day. But we need to unmask literal babies.

This is true, but a lot of NoVA daycares are requiring them on 2+ anyway. There is definitely mixed messaging in VA and some centers just think it’s better to default to the most conservative guidance. We really need the conversation to start from the top.

[Anonymous]

You can call me a covid nazi (still wiping groceries...) but I think masking two year olds is insane. Masks are not 100% anyway - nearly everyone's mask has gaps near the nose and most people's masks have gaps along the cheeks, to say nothing of the fact that cotton or even those flimsy surgical masks are not completely effective to begin with. With the margin of error wide already, I think waiting until kids are 3 and verbal/more reasonable should be the rule to enforce masking.

If you see me with my 2 year old this summer and tell me she needs a mask, I might have to tell you she's just a very tall and advanced 23 month old. *shrug*

(I however, will have been strictly isolating for a year, not going into stores, keeping a kindergartener at home, etc. so you'll be much safer around us than a more "normal" family with masks on.)

[Anonymous]

This is true, but a lot of NoVA daycares are requiring them on 2+ anyway. There is definitely mixed messaging in VA and some centers just think it’s better to default to the most conservative guidance. We really need the conversation to start from the top.

Parents need to petition along side other parents. The daycare directors think this is what parents want - and some of them do. Parents need to advocate for a mask optional classroom. I bet it would fill up fast.

Parents need to inform daycare directors that the newest data supports masking teachers, not elementary kids. In fact, infections were higher in the masked group if elementary kids when transmission was high.

https://statsiq.co1.qualtrics.com/public-dashboard/v0/dashboard/5f78e5d4de521a001036f78e#/dashboard/5f78e5d4de521a001036f78e?pageId=Page_ffb4dc52-5543-46b2-8126-2b7229fd1b17

If masks are not helpful for elementary school kids indoors, explain how they are at all helpful for toddlers, kids playing sports, or kids outside.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You can call me a covid nazi (still wiping groceries...) but I think masking two year olds is insane. Masks are not 100% anyway - nearly everyone's mask has gaps near the nose and most people's masks have gaps along the cheeks, to say nothing of the fact that cotton or even those flimsy surgical masks are not completely effective to begin with. With the margin of error wide already, I think waiting until kids are 3 and verbal/more reasonable should be the rule to enforce masking.

If you see me with my 2 year old this summer and tell me she needs a mask, I might have to tell you she's just a very tall and advanced 23 month old. *shrug*

(I however, will have been strictly isolating for a year, not going into stores, keeping a kindergartener at home, etc. so you'll be much safer around us than a more "normal" family with masks on.)

You are probably way safer than the masked families who have kids in school and sports. But many around here seem to think masking is the most effective NPI and the sole reason the US has has lost so many lives. Never mind our obesity rate, and the fact that we have simply outsourced our risk to the people who live in cramped multi-generational households, who also have less access to healthcare. I digress.

[Anonymous]

I am just doing my parent duty to promote mask wearing to my 2 year old wearing mask, so that she can go to daycare in summer. It will be the job for daycare if mask will stay on or not on her, and I believe that most unlikely at the beginning with crying for weeks.

People can tell that she is 2 years old because she is average height. With mask on, I am able to take her to playground to play, and go to supermarket at non-busy hours. I & DH should be vaccinated before she goes to daycare.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am just doing my parent duty to promote mask wearing to my 2 year old wearing mask, so that she can go to daycare in summer. It will be the job for daycare if mask will stay on or not on her, and I believe that most unlikely at the beginning with crying for weeks.

People can tell that she is 2 years old because she is average height. With mask on, I am able to take her to playground to play, and go to supermarket at non-busy hours. I & DH should be vaccinated before she goes to daycare.

How can someone mask a crying, snotty toddler? Where is the benefit? And how dehumanizing to mask someone who can’t talk while they are trying to express their feelings the only way they can. I hope the mandate is lifted by this summer.