2nd Grade Mask Conundrum? UPDATED

[bisous]

See last post for update! We found something that works better for DD.


DD happily wears the Bluna KF94 masks. We really love them! The only issue is...DD manages to get hers FILTHY by the end of the day. I think she chews on them (ick!) and somehow there is a large BROWN spot in the very middle at the end of the day. I mean, she probably fuels any secret anti-mask sentiments among anyone who sees her since it is clear that the mask is SOOO dirty.

Aside from sending an extra Bluna (which may be the best option but I don't like it because they're expensive!) what can I do? Any other good solutions? Of course we want to be really safe! (Come on FDA approval this coming Tuesday!)

TIA!

[SnuggleBuggles]

I think you need to just pay for a few extra to be able to swap during the day. I think it's a good use of money, in this situation.

[bisous]

I think you need to just pay for a few extra to be able to swap during the day. I think it's a good use of money, in this situation.

I guess I was just wondering if using a reusable mask (that could be thrown in the washer) might be a good solution. But I'm just not sure that it would be as protective...

[SnuggleBuggles]

I guess I was just wondering if using a reusable mask (that could be thrown in the washer) might be a good solution. But I'm just not sure that it would be as protective...

Ah. Sorry, I don’t know that brand so assumed it was reusable.
I know you’re very covid careful so my way of thinking probably won’t apply- aka I would just use an Old Navy mask and call it good enough, knowing that it’s not as good as a fancy mask but that the stats for kids in schools are really decent if any type of masks are worn.


Sent from my iPhone using Baby Bargains (http://r.tapatalk.com/byo?rid=87652)

[bisous]

Ah. Sorry, I don’t know that brand so assumed it was reusable.
I know you’re very covid careful so my way of thinking probably won’t apply- aka I would just use an Old Navy mask and call it good enough, knowing that it’s not as good as a fancy mask but that the stats for kids in schools are really decent if any type of masks are worn.


Sent from my iPhone using Baby Bargains (http://r.tapatalk.com/byo?rid=87652)

Maybe I could burn through my Bluna masks and hope that the vaccine goes through...at which point I'm sure the Old Navy would be good enough! It just seems so wasteful!

Has anybody else gone through anything like this? This is the kid that chews on her shirt, picks her nose and has stinky feet, lol. I love her to tears but it isn't necessarily out of character for her to have hygiene issues with masks. I'd love to solve this one!

[AngB]

Maybe I could burn through my Bluna masks and hope that the vaccine goes through...at which point I'm sure the Old Navy would be good enough! It just seems so wasteful!

Has anybody else gone through anything like this? This is the kid that chews on her shirt, picks her nose and has stinky feet, lol. I love her to tears but it isn't necessarily out of character for her to have hygiene issues with masks. I'd love to solve this one!

DS1 is like that and to be extra special, he will ONLY wear these freaking cloth masks we bought from the zoo. All of his from last year have holes in the middle of the face (?!) DS2 and DS3 wore masks all year too and none of them had a single mask with a hole. Most people aren't masked in his class so it is frustrating he won't wear a better mask but since they are optional and he's in 5th grade I'll take what I can get. If I get him a better mask and he refuses to wear it then...bleh. For what it's worth, even without his class masking, and 90% of the school not masking, he hasn't even been quarantined yet this year. (I had expected Delta + mask optional + kids too young to be vaccinated would be a disaster but apparently there's a lot of natural immunity going around I guess, knock on wood.)

I have already told my kids they can stop wearing masks to school if they want after they are fully vaccinated. As it is they are pretty much the only kids wearing masks in their classes.

[twowhat?]

Oh yuck! I don’t know that I’d send a fresh mask to change in the middle of the day. If she’s wearing hers properly all day and it’s kept her well this far into the school year then just keep doing what you’re doing. Which I assume is just throwing it out at the end of the day and sending her in a fresh mask for the next day.

https://bonafidemasks.com/childrens-face-masks/ Might be a cheaper source for the 3D boat design if you wanted to pursue cutting costs. But you’ve gotten this far and you’re so so close so I’d be reluctant to change anything. You just need to make it a few more weeks until fully vaccinated and then you could switch to a washable mask or simple surgical style.

[PZMommy]

My students (and almost all students) at my large elementary school in LA are wearing cloth masks. Teachers seem to be the only ones using KN 95. We have had no spread amongst students at our school, and even district wide I think only 11 instances of student spread (out of 500,000 students). I’d just let her wear the cloth masks and be done with it. My youngest is high risk and I worried at first, I feel pretty safe. He has actually been a close contact twice, but both times the principal didn’t list him as one because if he goes home, I’d have to stay home with him and there are no subs to take my class.

[nfceagles]

Can you get the masks you like in black? They wouldn’t show the dirt. I wear black KN94 masks, thought not for that reason.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[ahisma]

Can you get the masks you like in black? They wouldn’t show the dirt. I wear black KN94 masks, thought not for that reason.


Yes! I was just going to suggest this.

[roobee]

Would she wear these masks with a cloth mask on top? Then they'd still be yucky but at least no one would see it.

Sent from my SM-S515DL using Tapatalk

[jgenie]

I would switch her to a cloth mask. My 11 yo has no trouble keeping his mask clean and ready to wear again. My 13 yo is similar to your DD. His masks are ready for the trash at the end of the day. Their school days are similar but I don’t know what DS1 does with his mask during the day! I stocked up on masks this summer so we’re ok through the holidays but will likely return to cloth masks after break as DS2 will hopefully be vaccinated by then.

[JustMe]

Hmmn, not sure if there is a better choice as I assume she might chew on any type of mask... wouldnt a reuseble mask be just as dirty/chewed by the end of the day? That said, here is one possibility you may want to look into


Sonovia Pro - these are not cheap, but supposed to be very effective and self-sanitizing. I have considered buying them, but have not pulled the trigger. They do have 4 different sizes.

[basil]

Would just burn through your supply in the next few weeks and change to a different cheaper mask once vaccinated.

My kids wear some "surgical" paper masks from Costco and they cost pennies. So we never worry about changing them out frequently (or washing!). My little DD loops the earloops a few times to pull it in a bit tighter. So far so good...just a few more weeks.

[georgiegirl]

We do disposable surgical masks (colors/patterns). New one each day plus extras packed in his backpack and lunch box.

Research shows surgical masks are superior to cloth ones.

[Liziz]

Oh yuck! I don’t know that I’d send a fresh mask to change in the middle of the day. If she’s wearing hers properly all day and it’s kept her well this far into the school year then just keep doing what you’re doing. Which I assume is just throwing it out at the end of the day and sending her in a fresh mask for the next day.

https://bonafidemasks.com/childrens-face-masks/ Might be a cheaper source for the 3D boat design if you wanted to pursue cutting costs. But you’ve gotten this far and you’re so so close so I’d be reluctant to change anything. You just need to make it a few more weeks until fully vaccinated and then you could switch to a washable mask or simple surgical style.

This is my thoughts, too!

[carolinamama]

Can you get the masks you like in black? They wouldn’t show the dirt. I wear black KN94 masks, thought not for that reason.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

My thought exactly! Maybe it wouldn't be so gross if no one else could it. And then after vaccination, you could switch to a cloth mask.

ETA: FWIW, I gave up on requiring the KF94 masks. Mine are all wearing surgical masks or the occasional Enro mask. It's easy for them to keep a few extras in their backpacks for after lunch or PE. Bring on the vaccine for the younger ones!

[Thatchermom]

I see 500 masked kids a week this year in my library. This is a pretty common occurrence! Seeing all the mask options come through at one time or another, for a lick/chew kid I’d stick with disposables. It definitely seems like the fabric ones on chewers get very, very stained and don’t recover from washing. Black or dark pattern disposable sound like a great option!


Sent from my iPhone using Baby Bargains (http://r.tapatalk.com/byo?rid=87652)

[bisous]

Thought I'd update that I bought a pack of BLACK KF94 masks and although I don't think they're as good as the Bluna ones they definitely do not look as disgusting!

Here's what we bought:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09BJGNHP5/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?smid=A13WIJA82FT7BI&th=1

They are not adjustable and they're not as soft as the other kind. They didn't fit DS2 or DS3. But they do fit DD so they'll work. Just wanted to update in case anyone else needs a workable option.

Thankfully DD and DS3 just got the vaccine yesterday so perhaps there will be more options open in the future. But for now she's covered!

Just in case it helps, we now buy FOUR different styles of masks:

DS1 and DH wear these (they have "adult" sized faces):

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08TZQ86PJ/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A1QT1P5NMSPP2P&th=1&psc=1

DS2 and I wear these (we're "medium" sized apparently!):

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08N6721WY/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?smid=AXSK3WL7ZZ4BQ&th=1

These are my favorites for DS3 and DD:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08X47VFH7/ref=ox_sc_act_title_4?smid=A3BH97YZ5YQZMF&psc=1


But DD gets hers so very dirty that we bought the black ones linked above. Hope this helps!

[essnce629]

DS1 and DH wear these (they have "adult" sized faces):

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08TZQ86PJ/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A1QT1P5NMSPP2P&th=1&psc=1


Just wanted to let you know that Ecoguard makes a 4-ply mask, which was on the recommended list that I posted somewhere before. Your link is for the 3-ply mask.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08TMK8G4N/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[bisous]

Just wanted to let you know that Ecoguard makes a 4-ply mask, which was on the recommended list that I posted somewhere before. Your link is for the 3-ply mask.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08TMK8G4N/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Oh! Thanks for the link. I thought we were using the more protective masks. I'll update our cart!