Resources for parents

If you have a younger school-age child, start getting them used to wearing masks. Practice a little at a time so if they go back to class in-person, they're already used to wearing masks. Here are some tips from the American Academy of Pediatrics to help make wearing masks a little easier for younger children:

          - Look in the mirror with the face coverings on and talk about it.

          - Put a cloth face covering on a favorite stuffed animal.

          - Decorate them so they're more personalized and fun.

          - Show your child pictures of other children wearing them.

          - Draw one on their favorite book character.

One of the best ways to encourage your children to wear masks is to model the behavior yourself. Wearing your own mask reinforces their behavior.