Mask-wearing for kids

mask-wearing for kids What you need to know before the school bell rings.

Provided by Hippo Hug Inc.

There have been many questions and concerns about what school will look like for kids come September. One of the biggest questions was whether or not kids will have to wear face masks, and we now know the answer is yes - all kids from Grades 4 to 12 will be required to wear masks at school, at least in Calgary.

In an open letter, Masks4Canada reported that 80 percent of the public needs to wear a mask. Doing so will drop infection rates, allowing the other 20 percent (small children and those with medical conditions) to opt out safely. According to the CDC, children under two years of age and anyone who has trouble breathing or is unable to remove a mask without assistance should not wear a mask. While it may be upsetting to send your kids out into the world with masks on, it’s a small inconvenience for a greater good.

Here are our top suggestions for getting kids ready for wearing masks at school. Younger kids may not like wearing a mask covering at first (understandably!). Masks can be uncomfortable to wear, hot when not sized right, and feel claustrophobic for the first few times you wear them.

To help your younger kids get more comfortable with wearing a mask, try: • looking in the mirror with a mask on while talking to your kids about why people are wearing masks. talk about how fun and personalized masks can be - it’s a whole new way to express yourself, like Halloween every day! putting a mask on a child’s favorite stuffy. showing your children pictures of other children wearing a mask. taking one of your clean masks and decorating it so it’s personalized and fun (sanitizing your hands before and after touching the mask). For older kids, especially teens, focus on empowering them to learn about masks on their own: • Remind them that even though kids their age typically don’t get seriously ill from COVID-19, they can pass the illness on to others in higherrisk groups. • Involve them in risk analysis by asking them questions like, “When is it a priority to wear masks?” or “What kinds of places pose the most risks?”

For both groups, it is important to: • have your kids practice wearing a mask for increasing periods of time, which will help them get used to wearing a face mask at school. Here are some more suggestions from our readers to help make transitioning to mask-wearing easier:

Make it into a game! Spend some time pretending to be secret agents, superheroes, or ninjas. Then, every time you’re wearing a mask, continue the game. Play ‘doctor’ or ‘vet’ with the masks on and incorporate them into daily make-believe. Consider a neck gaiter, face shield, or wrap instead of a mask. Find episodes of popular children’s shows which discuss wearing masks and watch them together. Purchase or make masks which are personalized to your child’s taste - a favorite character, animal,

color, or franchise can go a long way! try to keep your words positive, even if you’re frustrated with the situation. let them be involved in picking out the style and design of their mask - they are more likely to wear a mask if they choose their own. model wearing a mask in appropriate situations, such as in stores or places you can’t physically distance from others or where there are large crowds of people. Point out that everyone else is wearing a mask, too.

Finally, try a variety of styles of masks. Find ones that are comfortable to wear for long periods of time. A face mask shouldn’t press down or pinch your nose; a mask shouldn’t rub/cut into your ears or neck, and it should have enough space around the front of your face so that when you speak, you don’t end up with fabric in your mouth. Finding a style that works best for each individual is key to success.

Founded in 2011, Hippo Hug Inc. is a Calgary company that switched gears from creating custom weighted blankets to making reusable cotton face masks to help combat COVID-19. Since April, they have made more than 65,000 masks for the community and have donated thousands of masks and maskmaking supplies to local charities. To order your handmade mask, visit hippohug.ca. CCM