I have two kids – a three year old daughter and a five year old son that attend an in-person hybrid program at school and they both can wear a mask. This isn’t a political post, by any means.
These are simply my three “whys” for why we all should wear a mask:
It’s a mandate
Independence and out of the box thinking is huge and vital and will change the world. However, there are certain rules and mandates that are important to society. Traffic stops, drinking and driving, wearing a seat belt, etc. were created for a reason, and the good outweighed the bad. Not everyone is going to agree with a rule, law, or mandate. But it’s part of being in a society. It’s our duty as citizens.
My kids know they have to sit in their car seat because it’ll protect them from getting seriously hurt in a car accident. My kids know that they have to wear a helmet when they ride their bikes and scooters. And now they know that during this pandemic, they have to wear a mask at school, at indoor places, etc. They know that mask mandate is to protect them and others’ bottom line from the Coronavirus.
It can protect you
Even if you remove COVID-19 out of the equation, if Person A sneezes close to Person B and Person B inhales the droplets, they can get Person A’s germs. It’s that simple. So for my children who are at that “catch all the germs” age, I simple tell them:
“It’ll protect you from germs so that you don’t have to miss school, miss playing outside, and miss doing fun things.”
The concept is very easy for them to understand.
It’s not just about you
This is probably the most important why. One of the most important things I want instill in my children is empathy towards others. I want them to care about their fellow human, to help a person in need, and to be a good neighbor.
We live in a narcissistic world where people only care about themselves and their bottom line. My children go to my parents’ house a few days a week after school for a few hours and wear a mask. I simply say, “we have to wear a masks because Grandma and Grandpa are older and Auntie Anna can get very sick.” (Auntie Anna is my sister who has down syndrome and lives with my parents.)
I’ve only had to explain the “why” a few times and they get it. Of course, they love their grandparents and Auntie Anna so why wouldn’t they do their part?
And the same goes for school. Of course they care about their teacher so why wouldn’t they do their part?
Last but not least, I know that parents often feel bad for their children – I know I did, especially my three-year-old.
I remember at Virtual Back to School Night a parent asked, “What will happen if my three-year-old refuses to wear a mask?!” The staff replied, “Well honestly, we haven’t had that issue, and if we do we’ll figure it out.”
Kids are resilient.
I think that sometimes as parents we want to shield them from the harsh realities of the world. Whether or not we want to admit it, masks have become very politicized and have become symbols.
For me, I try to remove myself from the politics, from the conspiracy theories and I find the why and I’m telling you…once I tell my kids the why, it becomes so very simple and easy to understand that even my three-year-old get it.
