Should she wear a mask?

[Anonymous]

I send my 5 year to day care with the toddler since school is virtual and we have to work. It is a small home day care with three families. The owner always wear masks but never mentioned that the 5 year old should. The next oldest child is 3.5 and doesn't wear a mask.

[Anonymous]

They should all be wearing masks. It is beyond comprehension that you didn't ask about masks from the beginning.

[Anonymous]

Only her won’t make a difference. How many kids are 25 months or older?

I can see no kids in masks if there are only two kids over 24 months and they both have a younger sibling there (siblings would probably have the same COVID status).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They should all be wearing masks. It is beyond comprehension that you didn't ask about masks from the beginning.

OP. To clarify, this is in VA where the mandate says, "Masks should never be used on children under the age of two. Adults should use their best judgment in using masks for children between the ages of two and nine while in public places."

[Anonymous]

For a small home daycare? No.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Only her won’t make a difference. How many kids are 25 months or older?

I can see no kids in masks if there are only two kids over 24 months and they both have a younger sibling there (siblings would probably have the same COVID status).

This is the situation. 6 kids, 3 families with sibling pairs. 3 kids over 2.

[Anonymous]

OP if the five year old will wear a mask comfortably for long stretches it is probably good practice to have her do it, simply because everyone who can wear one should.

I understand why the younger kids are not wearing masks. My 3yr old is pretty good about wearing a mask when we go out but there is absolutely no way she could keep one on for a full day at daycare. I think most daycares don't require it for kids because you could spend the entire day trying to keep the masks on the kids faces and not succeed. And under 3? Nightmare. And doctors don't even recommend for kids under 2 because it could pose a risk.

Kids in a daycare are going to share germs. If you are going to send your kid (or work at one), I think you just have to accept that you are risking Covid exposure. Hopefully they have measures in place to watch for symptoms and everyone is washing hands regularly.

[Anonymous]

I agree with PP that you have to accept the risk if you're sending them to daycare. I don't think the mask is going to prevent anyone from getting sick in the scenario you described so I wouldn't fight that fight. I would ask about hand washing, temp checks, air circulation, outside time/open windows when possible. I think those would make more of a difference than one of six children wearing a mask.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I send my 5 year to day care with the toddler since school is virtual and we have to work. It is a small home day care with three families. The owner always wear masks but never mentioned that the 5 year old should. The next oldest child is 3.5 and doesn't wear a mask.

She's basically doing you a favor by taking your 5 year old and dealing with distance learning for you and you are complaining that 1 kid is not wearing a mask?

[Anonymous]

The owner should wear a mask. All kids over 2 should wear a mask as much as possible. It's very unlikely 3 -5 year olds will keep a mask on all day, even if your provider encourages it.

If your 5 year old will keep one on all day that's fantastic.


If you are uncomfortable with the set up, maybe try a nanny.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I send my 5 year to day care with the toddler since school is virtual and we have to work. It is a small home day care with three families. The owner always wear masks but never mentioned that the 5 year old should. The next oldest child is 3.5 and doesn't wear a mask.

She's basically doing you a favor by taking your 5 year old and dealing with distance learning for you and you are complaining that 1 kid is not wearing a mask?

Op here. Not complaining at all. She is amazing and I am eternally grateful. She has helped us through the entire pandemic. I am just wondering what other people would do with their 5 year old in this situation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Only her won’t make a difference. How many kids are 25 months or older?

I can see no kids in masks if there are only two kids over 24 months and they both have a younger sibling there (siblings would probably have the same COVID status).

This is the situation. 6 kids, 3 families with sibling pairs. 3 kids over 2.

I wouldn’t bother. Europe doesn’t use masks under 11 and they have done way better than we have. I would be comfortable with this level of risk woth current stats.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I send my 5 year to day care with the toddler since school is virtual and we have to work. It is a small home day care with three families. The owner always wear masks but never mentioned that the 5 year old should. The next oldest child is 3.5 and doesn't wear a mask.

She's basically doing you a favor by taking your 5 year old and dealing with distance learning for you and you are complaining that 1 kid is not wearing a mask?

Op here. Not complaining at all. She is amazing and I am eternally grateful. She has helped us through the entire pandemic. I am just wondering what other people would do with their 5 year old in this situation.

I wouldn’t do anything. Your kid is already in an enclosed area with this group for eight hours a day five days a week. At that point If he’s the only one wearing a mask or not wearing a mask it doesn’t make a difference.

[Anonymous]

I’d make my five-year-old wear a mask.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I send my 5 year to day care with the toddler since school is virtual and we have to work. It is a small home day care with three families. The owner always wear masks but never mentioned that the 5 year old should. The next oldest child is 3.5 and doesn't wear a mask.

She's basically doing you a favor by taking your 5 year old and dealing with distance learning for you and you are complaining that 1 kid is not wearing a mask?

Op here. Not complaining at all. She is amazing and I am eternally grateful. She has helped us through the entire pandemic. I am just wondering what other people would do with their 5 year old in this situation.

I'm curious why you are worried now? I assumed this was a new situation. Is there an older sibling who is in school? Some added risk?

If she will wear it I'd continue to encourage her to, ,uch easier to keep the habit, than to have to reteach it.