The seriousness of the coronavirus pandemic has forced us to talk to our children seriously about their safety and the safety of others. In many places, people are wearing medical masks when they’re in public to help slow the spread of the virus. The masks can be unsettling for children, but how to help kids wear masks during this pandemic.
At first, they may feel cautious. At that time, we should give the child a chance to ask, and provide them with honest responses. Draw pictures about it. Explain to older kids that this is how we prevent germs from getting in our bodies and how we keep our germs to ourselves.
Also, parents should give kids time to practice wearing their medical masks before wearing one outside of your home because practicing or rehearsing the behavior can integrate it into a child’s routine. It could be fun to decorate the mask with your child using markers, stickers, and other things that will engage your child and increase their ownership of the medical masks. If you sew masks, maybe kids can select the fabric or patterns for the masks they’ll wear.
In general, staying home and keeping your distance are still the best ways to protect your children and family from COVID-19.
