#New Jersey schools want parents to build up their kids’ ‘mask endurance’

New Jersey school officials want parents to build up “mask endurance” in their kids before the start of the new academic year, according to a report.

With many districts set to require near-constant mask use to mitigate coronavirus concerns, acting Summit superintendent Robert Gardella counseled moms and dads to get their kids used to them now before they hit the hallways.

“Please find reusable/washable face coverings that your child is comfortable wearing and gradually build up the amount of time they can tolerate wearing them,” Gardella wrote earlier this month.

Parents and teachers have wondered how amenable students will be to keeping the coverings on while in school buildings — especially younger and more restless kids.

The American Academy of Pediatrics has recommended that all children older than 2 wear masks.

Experts have offered tips to parents who want their kids to embrace masks, from having them put them on their dolls and toys to stressing that superheroes often have portions of their face covered.

Some organizations have told parents to gradually ramp up the periods that their kids wear masks during the summer and to offer them prizes if they do so.

“Give your child a reward for practicing wearing the mask at home. For example, allow your child screen time while wearing the mask,” advised Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.

To ease the transition, parents should use kid-friendly prints and themes for their masks when acclimating their kids to them.

Finally, experts advise parents to be open about the controversy around mask use so their kids understand the issue fully and are able to ask questions they may have.

Schools have acknowledged that some kids will not have the temperament to keep their faces covered all day and that exceptions and latitude should be given when appropriate.