How To Get Kids To Wear Masks
Fidgeting, discomfort, forgetfulness, or just plain boredom are all very valid reasons why kids may have a hard time keeping their face masks on, much to the chagrin of their parents or caregivers.
While this may be a mild frustration for many, schools with mandatory mask policies in provinces like Ontario and Alberta will need masks on everyone in certain grades heading back to class in order to safely re-open.
The first tip to getting kids used to wearing face masks for long periods? Start now, Dr. Peter Maric advises. The chief medical officer of Waterloo, Ont.-based respirator company O2 Canada and father of two knows from experience that getting kids to wear something on their faces, even for short grocery trips, takes tolerance-building over a long period of time.
“Get your kids used to the idea that this is a normal thing to do, so that when September rolls around they’re more accustomed to it,” he told HuffPost Canada.
In an informal callout over Twitter, several Canadian parents shared their go-to tricks to make masks more tolerable for their little ones. While some had cheeky responses (“tape their hands to their sides,” one user suggested; “crazy glue” was another tip made in jest), many were eager to share how their success stories. Here’s what they had to say:
Monkey see, monkey do
New Brunswick mom Jenna Morton was pleasantly surprised when asking her kids to wear masks was met with little pushback from them.
“I think part of the reason is they see us [my husband and I] wearing them and not complaining,” she said.
The digital media owner of Pickle Planet Moncton told HuffPost Canada that modelling good mask etiquette and hygiene — like using clean hands to put it on or remove it — normalized appropriate mask use for her nine-year-old daughter and twin seven-year-old sons.
Other parents like Morton have also found great success by being mask role models, including Ontario mom Christine McNaughton.
