Anyone not bothered that preschoolers are wearing masks?

[Anonymous]

Preschool teacher here - in a part time, 3 hour program. The masks for the three year olds are….not effective. They chew on them, pull them down (some have hard to fit faces) and take them off. They don’t complain, but they don’t like them. And a wet mask below their nose is not protecting anyone.
Plus as a teacher I have to help them put it on multiple times.
I am okay with masks the rest of the year, for families that want that security, but not next year

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can someone explain why my preschool child must wear a mask, at a school where all adults are required to be vaccinated, in a city with a high rate of vaccination?

Like is my kids mask protecting unvaccinated people in Montana or something? I don’t get it.

It’s protecting unvaccinated kids from getting and spreading it. It’s keeping classrooms open and preventing long quarantines. It’s preventing kids from bringing it home to more vulnerable family members who may be vaccinated but still at risk. And, perhaps most importantly, it’s protecting their teachers who’ve had to come to school around unvaccinated kids day in and day out for two years despite breakthrough cases and vaccine resistant variants.

Is it though? There are plenty of in-home daycares that never required masks for kids and still haven't had outbreaks.

Also, as far as "protecting the teachers" goes, all of our classroom closures have been from a teacher testing positive. I'm sure you'll say next that they must have gotten it from asymptomatic toddlers but nope, all the kids had to get tested to return ant there were no additional positives.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: DC is only in school for three hours and doesn’t complain about his mask. We’re also in California where he eats his snack outside.

It’s no big deal for him or us. I think it would be hard if he was in daycare for eight hours a day.

Right- I think there is a huge difference between 3 hrs and 8hrs, especially because when they are there 8hrs, they are taking the mask on and off multiple times, usually with assistance from the teachers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am beyond ready to not have my kids mask at preschool. Teachers and staff are vaxxed and boosted, hospitals in this area are fine thanks goodness, and omicron is mild and kids already at such low risk (even unvaccinated). I feel like folks are starting to come around. This is not a great unknown as we are rare in how much we mask this age group. It’s time to drop them.

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2022/01/kids-masks-schools-weak-science/621133/

“Imposing on millions of children an intervention that provides little discernible benefit, on the grounds that we have not yet gathered solid evidence of its negative effects, violates the most basic tenet of medicine: First, do no harm.”

I agree. But I'm also not so bothered that I'm going to go on the "front lines" and advocate, because I'm exhausted and I think this conversation is going to happen on its own 1-2 months from now. It is bubbling over.

A more proactive parent sent an email to our daycare list about this, and the response was mostly neutral (people like me agreeing that they have limited benefit but kids don't mind) and one person chiming in with strong support of masking (in combination with other precautions like frequent handwashing) since our kids are unvaccinated.

But, it doesn't really matter what we say to ourselves, the guidance will come from public health, and flow to the daycare/licensing.

[Anonymous]

I'm sure all the anti-maskers who are so concerned about masks' "negative" effect on health aren't letting their kids wear costumes on Halloween, too.

[Anonymous]

I'm not going to bring guns to school but I am bothered by it.

Maybe I am biased because my kid has a speech problem but I cannot wait to get rid of them.

Kudos to your perfect child for having no issues though?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am beyond ready to not have my kids mask at preschool. Teachers and staff are vaxxed and boosted, hospitals in this area are fine thanks goodness, and omicron is mild and kids already at such low risk (even unvaccinated). I feel like folks are starting to come around. This is not a great unknown as we are rare in how much we mask this age group. It’s time to drop them.

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2022/01/kids-masks-schools-weak-science/621133/

“Imposing on millions of children an intervention that provides little discernible benefit, on the grounds that we have not yet gathered solid evidence of its negative effects, violates the most basic tenet of medicine: First, do no harm.”

I agree. But I'm also not so bothered that I'm going to go on the "front lines" and advocate, because I'm exhausted and I think this conversation is going to happen on its own 1-2 months from now. It is bubbling over.

A more proactive parent sent an email to our daycare list about this, and the response was mostly neutral (people like me agreeing that they have limited benefit but kids don't mind) and one person chiming in with strong support of masking (in combination with other precautions like frequent handwashing) since our kids are unvaccinated.

But, it doesn't really matter what we say to ourselves, the guidance will come from public health, and flow to the daycare/licensing.

DP. Yeah that's the thing, I'm just tired all the time and my limited energy has been spent on sending emails about the quarantine requirements (I'm in MoCo) because I feel like that's more urgent and more likely to change with continued pushing. I don't see there being any movement on masks right now so long as CDC continues to recommend them in childcare/school settings. I'm also kind of willing to wait and see if things do change in a couple months once this wave is over. However, I suspect that even when masking loosens up, it will continue to be tied to vaccination like last summer and that the toddler/preschool age group will stay masked even when no one else is. But I guess I'm saving my outrage for when that time comes.

[Anonymous]

I could not get my two year old to wear a mask despite well, being a healthcare worker who has been really pro-masking, despite her having an older brother in 2nd grade who masks.

She might depending on her mood, for short bursts of time. But she's been in daycare for 9 hours a day pretty much the entire pandemic, and next year will go to Pre-K 3 where she'll also be there for 9+ hours because we do aftercare.

I've generally felt like it's more theater than anything because when she does agree to wear a mask, I'm constantly adjusting it, and occasionally she gets fed up and refuses to wear it.

When, pre-pandemic did we blame parents or put daycares at risk of fines if a toddler/pre-k children, say, didn't want to wear a hat? But it's ok to do with a mask?

It just doesn't make sense. If your child will wear it, that's great, but as we all know, children are ready for different skills at different times, and for some children that time is later (doesn't even mean their special needs, just that they develop at different speeds plus have different personalities). This policy puts enormous pressure on parents and childcare providers for a behavior that's at the whim of a 3 year old. It's especially egregious when you think of single parents who may be unable to leave the child home while they have to, say, run to the grocery store, or need to bring the child on a metro.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I could not get my two year old to wear a mask despite well, being a healthcare worker who has been really pro-masking, despite her having an older brother in 2nd grade who masks.

She might depending on her mood, for short bursts of time. But she's been in daycare for 9 hours a day pretty much the entire pandemic, and next year will go to Pre-K 3 where she'll also be there for 9+ hours because we do aftercare.

I've generally felt like it's more theater than anything because when she does agree to wear a mask, I'm constantly adjusting it, and occasionally she gets fed up and refuses to wear it.

When, pre-pandemic did we blame parents or put daycares at risk of fines if a toddler/pre-k children, say, didn't want to wear a hat? But it's ok to do with a mask?

It just doesn't make sense. If your child will wear it, that's great, but as we all know, children are ready for different skills at different times, and for some children that time is later (doesn't even mean their special needs, just that they develop at different speeds plus have different personalities). This policy puts enormous pressure on parents and childcare providers for a behavior that's at the whim of a 3 year old. It's especially egregious when you think of single parents who may be unable to leave the child home while they have to, say, run to the grocery store, or need to bring the child on a metro.

100% this

My two year old is fully potty trained, but despite enormous effort, wearing a mask for long periods is not a skill she has yet. Kids this age develop these kinds of skills at different rates. Just because your child can do it, doesn’t mean every child should be able to. What if daycares and enrichment classes required children to be potty trained at 24 months just because kids like mine can do it? The protest would be enormous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am beyond ready to not have my kids mask at preschool. Teachers and staff are vaxxed and boosted, hospitals in this area are fine thanks goodness, and omicron is mild and kids already at such low risk (even unvaccinated). I feel like folks are starting to come around. This is not a great unknown as we are rare in how much we mask this age group. It’s time to drop them.

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2022/01/kids-masks-schools-weak-science/621133/

“Imposing on millions of children an intervention that provides little discernible benefit, on the grounds that we have not yet gathered solid evidence of its negative effects, violates the most basic tenet of medicine: First, do no harm.”

+1

TBH my kid is only 8.5 months so no masks for her yet. She spends 10-11 hours a day around masked caregivers so that is an experiment in itself (but I understand the caregivers need to be protected.) I'd prefer the US to follow the WHO. But not going to protest either even though I think the whole thing is completely irrational.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Preschool teacher here - in a part time, 3 hour program. The masks for the three year olds are….not effective. They chew on them, pull them down (some have hard to fit faces) and take them off. They don’t complain, but they don’t like them. And a wet mask below their nose is not protecting anyone.
Plus as a teacher I have to help them put it on multiple times.
I am okay with masks the rest of the year, for families that want that security, but not next year

+1

Talk to teachers. Our PK teacher is as pro-mask, pro-testing, as they come, but she's now at the point where she thinks we should get rid of the requirement when cases come down. She also said that she thinks that if cases rise again, schools should just assume they will provide masks for kids and then all the kids will be in the same masks and they'll be distributed upon arrival. It will streamline things for teachers and ensure every kid has an appropriately sized mask with the right number of layers, and make it easy to replace a wet mask.

The current system, where we just pretend kids this age can mask as effectively as adults, that it's easy or reasonable to expect families to find appropriate, well-fitting masks for these kids without support, is just silly. We're doing it to make adults feel better and so little thought has been put into whether this is appropriate for kids, or actually improves their safety or health.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can someone explain why my preschool child must wear a mask, at a school where all adults are required to be vaccinated, in a city with a high rate of vaccination?

Like is my kids mask protecting unvaccinated people in Montana or something? I don’t get it.

It’s protecting unvaccinated kids from getting and spreading it. It’s keeping classrooms open and preventing long quarantines. It’s preventing kids from bringing it home to more vulnerable family members who may be vaccinated but still at risk. And, perhaps most importantly, it’s protecting their teachers who’ve had to come to school around unvaccinated kids day in and day out for two years despite breakthrough cases and vaccine resistant variants.

I'm curious - to parents who are strongly in favor of 2-3 year olds wearing masks, have you verified that your children are wearing masks correctly for the entire time they are at preschool/daycare? My 2.5 year old is required to wear a mask at her daycare, but I am under no illusion that the KF94 mask she wears every day is preventing her from getting (or spreading) Covid. Her daycare shares many pictures with us, and in most of them her mask is not covering her nose. And she's contracted many colds/viruses despite having to wear a mask. I'm not going to fall on my sword about mask wearing for this age group, but it seems to me to be more theater than a truly effective mitigation measure in preschools/daycares.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I could not get my two year old to wear a mask despite well, being a healthcare worker who has been really pro-masking, despite her having an older brother in 2nd grade who masks.

She might depending on her mood, for short bursts of time. But she's been in daycare for 9 hours a day pretty much the entire pandemic, and next year will go to Pre-K 3 where she'll also be there for 9+ hours because we do aftercare.

I've generally felt like it's more theater than anything because when she does agree to wear a mask, I'm constantly adjusting it, and occasionally she gets fed up and refuses to wear it.

When, pre-pandemic did we blame parents or put daycares at risk of fines if a toddler/pre-k children, say, didn't want to wear a hat? But it's ok to do with a mask?

It just doesn't make sense. If your child will wear it, that's great, but as we all know, children are ready for different skills at different times, and for some children that time is later (doesn't even mean their special needs, just that they develop at different speeds plus have different personalities). This policy puts enormous pressure on parents and childcare providers for a behavior that's at the whim of a 3 year old. It's especially egregious when you think of single parents who may be unable to leave the child home while they have to, say, run to the grocery store, or need to bring the child on a metro.

100% this

My two year old is fully potty trained, but despite enormous effort, wearing a mask for long periods is not a skill she has yet. Kids this age develop these kinds of skills at different rates. Just because your child can do it, doesn’t mean every child should be able to. What if daycares and enrichment classes required children to be potty trained at 24 months just because kids like mine can do it? The protest would be enormous.

Totally agree. Just because it's possible for some 2 years doesn't mean it's developmentally appropriate to expect ALL 2 year olds to do it-- and to do it effectively.

And I notice that many on here saying that masks are fine for little ones have 3 year olds. The developmental difference between 3 and 2 is enormous-- which people understand for all other skills. Why would it not be the same for masks?

Anyway, we opted out of daycare because of mask requirements. For all other places, we will try to make an effort but usually don't bother. The pediatrician doesn't care, and the vast majority of young-ish looking toddlers aren't wearing masks there either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm sure all the anti-maskers who are so concerned about masks' "negative" effect on health aren't letting their kids wear costumes on Halloween, too.

This is absolutely not the same thing, and you know it. What a disingenuous post, JFC.

[Anonymous]

A 3 yr old in morning preschool is very different than a two year old in 8 hours of daycare.

My three-year-old has no problem wearing a mask and zero speech issues but he was not in daycare. We are talking about two totally different things here. DS is in a regular three hour preschool with vaccinated and masked caregivers and all the little ones wear disposable masks. We’re in a warm weather state so snacks are outside.

Daycare parents need to be heard on the negative ramifications of masked caregivers and masked toddlers. Us plain old nursery school parents with SAHP or nannies should still enforce the strictest policies possible because there is no downside.