Five Ways To Get Kids To Actually Keep Their Face Masks On
HONG KONG, CHINA - JANUARY 29: A woman carries a baby wearing a protective mask as they exit the arrival hall at Hong Kong High Speed Rail Station on January 29, 2020 in Hong Kong, China. Hong Kong government will deny entry for travellers who has been to Hubei province except for local residents in response to tighten the international travel and border crossing to stop the spread of the virus. (Photo by Anthony Kwan/Getty Images)
Sure, the CDC recommends wearing cloth face masks in public to help slow the spread of coronavirus, but do kids care? Not so much. I can’t get Cash to wear a facemask to save my soul which is why I started looking for solutions.
The Academy of Pediatrics advises children over two should also wear masks when they’re outside the home, but actually getting your toddler or first-grader to keep a face mask on isn’t always easy. So if you’re struggling to wrangle your kids into one, try these tips from real-life moms who have done it successfully.
- Make sure it’s actually a child-size mask – Not only do the masks made specifically for children fit their faces better, they also come in fun prints, like dinosaurs and unicorns, so kids are more likely to want to wear them.
- Add a cape and make it a superhero thing – Wearing a mask is a lot more fun for the kids when they have on a cape and you’re off on a mission to pick up a prescription or groceries.
- Help them make a matching mask for their favorite stuffed animal– Putting a bandana or piece of cloth around their favorite doll or stuffed animal’s face may help make kids more comfortable with the idea of wearing a mask.
- Talk to them about why they have to wear a mask – If your kids are old enough, explain why we wear masks and wash our hands so much during the day.
- Bribe and reward – When all else fails, use whatever works, stickers, quarters, bonus screen time, or anything else that you can bribe them with.
LauRen Merola Strager is a former NFL & NBA cheerleader turned radio host. LauRen is a former Miss Pennsylvania USA and is a proud wife and mother of two. She is the owner and chief editor for her fashion and lifestyle Blog “All Of The F-Words” and is a champion for the Autism community. You can read all about LauRen’s thoughts on motherhood, pageant life, and everyday life through her online content.
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