No Mask Policy?!

[Anonymous]

We just found out that our kid's daycare has a no mask policy for outside per their corporate office. Has anyone else heard of this? Our doctor is not pleased with it and we are trying to get around it.

[Anonymous]

You mean they don't wear masks while playing outside?

That's not a big deal to me as long as they're practicing social distancing. The risk of outdoor transmission is very very low.

[Anonymous]

Find a new center. This sounds like they are making a political point and don’t care about the lives of the kids or teachers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You mean they don't wear masks while playing outside?

That's not a big deal to me as long as they're practicing social distancing. The risk of outdoor transmission is very very low.

Correct. They aren't really doing a great job with social distancing...they are little kids. I know outside is SO much better but to have a policy that overrides parents wishes seems not ok. As I mentioned before our doctor isn't in favor of this.

[Anonymous]

No masks outdoors, where there's really no evidence of spread. This isn't the hill I'd die on personally.

Although I would probably ask if it is really making their lives easier to do that - assuming they wear masks indoors, isn't having a separate set of rules for outside just adding unnecessary complexity?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No masks outdoors, where there's really no evidence of spread. This isn't the hill I'd die on personally.

Although I would probably ask if it is really making their lives easier to do that - assuming they wear masks indoors, isn't having a separate set of rules for outside just adding unnecessary complexity?

Even when they aren't social distancing AT ALL?

Yes, their policy is that kids are encouraged to wear them indoors and all teachers must.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No masks outdoors, where there's really no evidence of spread. This isn't the hill I'd die on personally.

Although I would probably ask if it is really making their lives easier to do that - assuming they wear masks indoors, isn't having a separate set of rules for outside just adding unnecessary complexity?

Even when they aren't social distancing AT ALL?

Yes, their policy is that kids are encouraged to wear them indoors and all teachers must.

It may be sensible to expect teachers to wear them outside. Kids, not so much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No masks outdoors, where there's really no evidence of spread. This isn't the hill I'd die on personally.

Although I would probably ask if it is really making their lives easier to do that - assuming they wear masks indoors, isn't having a separate set of rules for outside just adding unnecessary complexity?

Even when they aren't social distancing AT ALL?

Yes, their policy is that kids are encouraged to wear them indoors and all teachers must.

It may be sensible to expect teachers to wear them outside. Kids, not so much.

I agree that outside can be optional but to have a policy where it says it isn't allowed?????

[Anonymous]

Calm down, OP. My kid has been at preschool this entire time. They've had one case at her center and the teacher (who was part-time) didn't spread it to anyone else.

Teachers are in masks, but they only started having the kids wear them (2 and up) this past week. They don't have to wear their masks outside.

[Anonymous]

That sounds pretty strange. I wonder if that policy is due to a miscommunication. I could easily imagine someone turning "there's no policy on masks outside" into "the policy is no masks outside."

I guess they might be concerned about heat and breathing. I know I have a hard time breathing if I'm chasing my kids around in a mask (I do have asthma, but I don't think that's contributing much). And being outside in the heat in a mask is absolute misery.

Still, it doesn't seem like something that should be forbidden.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Calm down, OP. My kid has been at preschool this entire time. They've had one case at her center and the teacher (who was part-time) didn't spread it to anyone else.

Teachers are in masks, but they only started having the kids wear them (2 and up) this past week. They don't have to wear their masks outside.

Agreed. At our daycare the adults all need to wear masks but not the kids. I expect the latter to change at some point, but so far they've been open since May and no cases.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That sounds pretty strange. I wonder if that policy is due to a miscommunication. I could easily imagine someone turning "there's no policy on masks outside" into "the policy is no masks outside."

I guess they might be concerned about heat and breathing. I know I have a hard time breathing if I'm chasing my kids around in a mask (I do have asthma, but I don't think that's contributing much). And being outside in the heat in a mask is absolute misery.

Still, it doesn't seem like something that should be forbidden.

Yeah OP I would clarify what they mean. At our center the kids usually take them off for outside and I'm fine with that (by choosing to go back to daycare we are accepting a certain level of risk to begin with), but they can leave them on too. However, if your kid is going to wear a mask outside, you probably would need to bring a fresh one for after that time because it will probably be sweaty and gross.

But if you clarify and still don't like the policy, you're free to find a new daycare.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Calm down, OP. My kid has been at preschool this entire time. They've had one case at her center and the teacher (who was part-time) didn't spread it to anyone else.

Teachers are in masks, but they only started having the kids wear them (2 and up) this past week. They don't have to wear their masks outside.

My family is very sensitive to all of this as we had a very closer relative die and we have a high risk person in our household. We do value the preschool education our children have been getting and think, on paper, the school is doing a good job, that is why we were comfortable with this decision to send them back. We know outside people are 19 times less likely to catch COVID but to have masks taken away from kids seems just odd when they can't social distance.

[Anonymous]

It doesn't seem safe to have kids running around playgrounds in masks--tripping, falling, having a hard time breathing, masks slipping up over their eyes, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That sounds pretty strange. I wonder if that policy is due to a miscommunication. I could easily imagine someone turning "there's no policy on masks outside" into "the policy is no masks outside."

I guess they might be concerned about heat and breathing. I know I have a hard time breathing if I'm chasing my kids around in a mask (I do have asthma, but I don't think that's contributing much). And being outside in the heat in a mask is absolute misery.

Still, it doesn't seem like something that should be forbidden.

Yeah OP I would clarify what they mean. At our center the kids usually take them off for outside and I'm fine with that (by choosing to go back to daycare we are accepting a certain level of risk to begin with), but they can leave them on too. However, if your kid is going to wear a mask outside, you probably would need to bring a fresh one for after that time because it will probably be sweaty and gross.

But if you clarify and still don't like the policy, you're free to find a new daycare.

They did clarify that the policy was in fact no masks outside. We also do send our kids with multiple masks and a strap to keep them on them around their neck. Our children wear masks all the time so they are used to them and well versed with them. We did speak with some senior people there today and were granted an exception for our kids (yay, they are keeping other people's kids safe) and they are going to work on revisiting this an potentially gaining clarification from parents on when they want their kids to wear and not wear their masks. We have been with this school for over 5 years at this point so we would rather work with them then just peace out. But obviously I know I'm free to find a new daycare.