This weekend marked two years since we went into lock down in the Bay Area. My kids left their classrooms on March 13, 2020 and didn’t really return to them until the fall of 2021. This Monday my daughter was allowed to stop wearing her mask at school, though it’s still strongly recommended. The elementary schools are still requiring masks, so my son is still wearing his at school, but the dojo stopped requiring masks for his age group, and he took his off for the first time there on Monday afternoon.
My school’s mask mandate is also gone, but most students are still wearing masks. I am too, for now. I figure I’ll wait for a couple weeks to see how it goes. My daughter is also waiting for a week or two. We’re not in a big hurry to stop wearing our masks, though we’re tentatively excited to stop wearing them in the future.
At my son’s school students are allowed to take off their masks outside, but so far it’s been fraught for those who do because other kids taunt anyone who takes off their masks and calls them “contagious.” This has not happened to my son, but he’s seen it enough that he’s not interested in trying to take his mask off outside.
My daughter’s friends came over a couple weeks ago and all kept their masks on inside our house, despite the fact my daughter and I were not wearing masks. When I asked my friends if it was something about our house specifically, they assured me it wasn’t, and that their daughters just didn’t want to take their masks off, really ever. When I brought it in the car later, one girl said she planned to wear her mask until high school (she is in 6th grade), even if she’s the only one doing so. At this point, wearing a mask helps her cope with social anxiety; she doesn’t want people to see her face. I find it really sad, actually. The next couple of years are going to be very, very interesting, as we start to learn how the pandemic has changed the way people think and feel about being near each other without their faces covered.
Two years ago I found the pandemic unfathomable. Last year I was demoralized. Now I’m just resigned. I know it’s not over and I don’t expect it will feel over for a long, long while. My plan is to just do what I can do when I can do it, and expect that what I can do at any given point will likely change. This feels like the calm before another eventual storm to be sure.
And life goes on.
I’ve had a tension headache for five days now, and I’m pretty sure it’s perimenopause related. My hormones have been all over the place, but this headache is definitely the worst symptom I’ve had to manage recently. I’ve taken SO MUCH ibuprofen, but the minute it wears off the headache is back again. I’ve tried all my normal strategies to get rid of it and none of them are working. It’s frustrating to say the least. And it’s not helping my attempts to spring forward without disruption. Tuesday morning I slept past my alarms by 45 minutes. I lost pretty much all my prep time at work and suffered the rest of the day for it. I like Day Light Saving Time better than normal time but I do not enjoy springing forward. I really, REALLY hope we end this bullshit time change stuff soon.
I guess I’m still pretty crabby, so I better go. I hope everyone is getting through this week without any major issues, even as the world burns all around us. I’m really not sure how to manage reality right now. I know I’ve very privileged to be able to tune it out when it feels overwhelming. So, so, so privileged.
I finally got a prescription med for my migraines and it has been so helpful. I too had the Ibuprofen work for 4-6 hours and then wear off, even in the middle of the night. I only need to take the med a couple times monthly but it’s so nice to have.
It makes me so sad that kids are shamed for taking their masks off outside. They should see what it’s like in FL (and we’ve had no cases in our school for several weeks now).
I haven’t thought to ask for an Rx for the tension headache because the pain is so not debilitating (as I assume migraine pain to be), but it is waking me up in the night when the NSAIDs wear off so maybe it’s time to ask for one.
And yes, the idea that kids are being shamed for taking off their masks makes me so mad. And sad. I hope it gets better.
I suffer from debilitating migraines (FAR less since getting a mouth guard) but also what I thought were non-migraine/tension headaches because, as you said, they were bearable. My neurologist assures me they are, in fact, migraines when they go on past three days. In fact, several times they’ve had to “break them” using a steroid pack for me.
Ah man! This might be a migraine? I guess I should email my GP to see what she thinks. Thanks for letting me know.
Another migrainer (sigh) here. One other thought I had is maybe you are getting “rebound” headaches, which can come from taking meds (even OTC) and then not taking them.
Dang, taunting for removing their masks when actual scientists and adults have said it’s okay? That is freakin’ terrible. I’m with SHU – it’s SO different where we are. Maybe 1/4 of the kids still wear their masks, but at least according to my kids, there hasn’t been any taunting one way or the other. It’s just been a personal preference (or likely, parent preference) and people are doing what they’re comfortable with – as it should be!
It’s so sad that masks are now being used to deal with social anxiety. Therapy is a much better tool than hiding our faces. 🙁 I’m scared for the huge part of our population moving forward who are going to be mentally scarred by these past 2 years for decades to come.
Yeah, I’ve read very little (maybe nothing?) about kids struggling to transition to not wearing a mask, but it’s clearly going to be an issue for a while, at least in some places (like the Bay Area).
I believe the NYTimes has an article on this. It’s very much a big deal where I am.
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/17/well/family/teenage-student-mask-anxiety.html
Huh, I read the anecdote about your daughter’s friend as a positive thing- as in the pandemic helped her find a tool for managing anxiety that she might not have discovered otherwise. Might therapy be a better long term solution? Sure but that doesn’t mean she can’t use other strategies short term or as needed. Honestly the pandemic has been a nice break from all the crap women and girls get about smiling more and regulating our natural resting expression to be “nicer.” Maybe a 6th grader can’t articulate that but she can feel it. Or maybe the mask lets her hid eczema or acne or some perceived flaw- I would have loved a mask in HS that hid my braces allergic reaction. Anyway, the mask itself is harmless- assuming her parents aren’t ignoring whatever the underlying issue is, why is it a bad thing?
I have an anxious child and have had to learn more than I ever wanted to about the problems with accommodating anxiety. Something like a mask is an accommodation for social anxiety and it starts out as something nice, oh look, this is easier! But the problem is that anxious people become reliant on their accommodations and eventually feel they NEED them be successful or even ok. So when you are in scenarios where you don’t have your crutch you can panic. Like if in a year this child needs to have some sort of interview where masking is no longer appropriate. Hopefully we will all slowly adjust but I would NOT encourage my child to use a mask to deal with their anxiety.
Sure, if a particular tool is the *only* thing you are allowing your child to use. I would assume you and the friend’s parents are both getting your kids professional help for the underlying anxiety and helping them learn multiple strategies for managing anxiety-provoking situations. Personally, as someone with lifelong anxiety my parents’ approach of “no crutches because you have to learn to deal” was well-intended but ultimately very harmful. A mask to go out and socialize is a tool that can be weaned eventually with good support. It’s better than never going out, or going out and having an paralyzing panic attack.
I guess if this child could not leave the house prior to masks it’s helpful. My child is in therapy and has been for years and likely will be on medication for her anxiety in the not too distant future. And yes even still she needs some accommodations to get through certain situations. But we really try not to introduce things if it’s not absolutely necessary because it’s very hard not only to wean off it but also to make sure she has the extra help when she needs it and then it’s very shocking to suddenly not have a crutch you are depending on. I don’t want to go into detail even in a random comment but even things we have been promised in school settings just don’t happen sometimes for reasons that I’m not in control of. Anyway I don’t know this kids situation and I hope her parents are getting her whatever help she needs (I hope they are ABLE to because there are massive shortages in pediatric therapists compared to the demand at the moment). Just explaining my comment a little more. I’m sorry you struggled as a child and hope you are doing better now.
If you want to take off your mask, now is the time because cases will be back up next month. I’m trying to enjoy this respite while I can! Most kids at my kids’ school seem to be maskless as of Monday but there are a few holdouts. I don’t think anyone cares either way.
If your area is doing wastewater covid tracking, not all are, OR can this may help you know covid trends in your area: https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#wastewater-surveillance Wastewater tracking picks up broad changes in covid prevalence faster than testing reports does now as so many people now test at home and do not report to state/county.
Note: the report is comparative over time and there is some delay in processing the numbers so use as an indicator only.
ALL bullying at school is problematic to just plain hateful; masks are just one more topic for it. I wish schools could shut it down but bullying really comes from homes and as a country we are not …….. Well. Nuff on that.
Thank you for sharing what is happening at your schools and in your communities about covid and protections.
From a way past menopause position I can only say getting to steady state hormones is terrific! I still remember in vivid color the headaches and mood swings and deeply sympathize with everyone going through that process. And not supporting that part of the taxable health products industries….. well. LOVELY. Write your elected officials about changing the law on taxing women’s health.
THANK YOU ALL for writing.
Too much Ibuprofen can cause rebound headaches when it wears off. Its a terrible cycle to get into and so I hope its not that in your case. I got into a terrible migraine/rebound headache from medication cycle and had to be basically miserable for three days until it wore off. Before I was taking multiple doses of Ibuprofen and Excedrin Migraine every day. Hope you feel better!
I was told the same about the painkiller rebound effect. I was then treated for jaw clenching and excessive frowning (due to sensitive eyes and cornea issues) that caused tension all around my face. As part of the treatment, I get (covered by insurance, where I live) injections of Botox in the masseter muscles as well as my temples. I also had a few rounds of PT to work on relaxing the jaw muscles. Could be worth looking into if you think that could be a cause!