How I Get My Child to Wear His Mask

It’s a new world, and we’re all wondering – how do I get my child to wear his mask?  Won’t the mask be ripped off?  Won’t my child cry?  This post will give you tips and tricks for getting your child to happily wear his mask!

Let’s pause two seconds before reading this post and come to an agreement…  We are not going to fight about masks in this post.  Ok?  Can I trust you in that?  This is not a post about government overreach.  This is not a post about the effectiveness of masks.  This is not a post about people who cannot wear masks for medical and/or mental health reasons.  Those are all valid conversations, but we’re not having them on this post.  This post is s-i-m-p-l-y about children who ARE able medically/emotionally to wear a mask and are going places where masks are required.  This post is s-i-m-p-l-y about how to get your children to wear their masks in a positive way.  Nothing more.  Nothing less.

Ok, we’ve all agreed to the groundrules, so we can proceed…

How Can I Get My Child To Wear His Mask?

Talk to Them About “Why”

I don’t know about your kids, but mine ALWAYS want to know the “why” behind things we ask or tell them to do.  It helps them realize that these are not just arbitrary things we’re having them do but that there’s actually a reason for it.  Regardless of how you feel about masks, there’s always a positive “why” you can give to your kids.  You could say “Masks are going to help people not get the sickness and things can get back to normal sooner.”  You could say “The law is that we wear masks while we’re grocery shopping, and we choose to respect our government.”  You could say “The school can only be open if everyone wears their masks and that’s how you’ll get to spend time with your friends.”  Be truthful and positive and your kids will start out feeling good about masks.

Lead by Example

No child is going to wear a mask if the grownups in his life refuse to wear masks or complain constantly about having to wear them.  I’d venture to say that most people don’t want to wear masks.  We can’t wait until they’re no longer the norm.  We may even feel as though it’s government overreach that masks are being mandated.  These are GROWNUP discussions and feelings.  Your kids don’t need to hear all your opinions on masks.  Put on your mask when it’s required and then complain about it (if you’re going to) away from little ears.

Be Encouraging

When you’re at a location that requires masks, be encouraging to your kids.  Stop every so often and let them know that you’re proud of them for keep their masks on and their hands away from their faces.  Remind them when they’re not doing what they need to regarding their masks but give 5 words of encouragement (or more!) for every one correction.  When my three year old wants to take his mask off I don’t get upset (because of course he wants to take it off!).  Instead, I just calmly put it back on while thanking him for doing so well wearing it and reminding him of the reasons we are wearing them.

Find a Mask that Fits and Looks Cool

No kid wants to wear a mask that’s pulling on his ears or falling off her nose.  Find masks that fit your little people and styles they enjoy wearing.  Once you have a good fit, let your child pick a fun design or color.  The more they like their masks the more likely they are to be willing to wear them.

Let Them Take Breaks

Everyone needs a break from masks now and then.  Find appropriate spaces to let your kids take their masks off when they have to wear them for a while.  About a month ago, my family went to the aquarium and masks were required for everyone above the age of two.  My boys were doing great wearing their masks but were definitely OVER IT!  The aquarium had an outdoor area that looks over the Puget Sound, so we all went out there, away from other people, and enjoyed some mask free time.  After a while my boys were ready to put their masks back on and enjoy the rest of the aquarium.

Reward for a Job Well Done

I’m not above bribery and rewards for things like wearing masks well.  It’s a strange world we’re living in and I want to make it as light and fun as possible for my boys.  When my boys have to be in their masks for longer amounts of time we go get ice cream or they get lollipops or something else exciting and fun happens.

What do you do to get your child to wear his mask?

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