Sending my kids back to school in a few weeks wasn’t the easiest decision. There are so many pros to sending them back, yet at the same time, many cons.

I respect the decisions every parent has had to make, no matter what decision that is. We knew that sending them back was right for our family. And especially for the kids.

We took all the factors into mind and realized that going back will be good for their mental health.

If our numbers weren’t where they are, I likely wouldn’t be making the same decision but alas, here we are.

One of the things that I am skeptical about, is that fact that my kids have to wear a mask for the 6.5 hour day. And I feel for all of the teachers and office staff that also have to wear it.

Teachers are used to using their mouth and facial expressions to speak to their students. For some students to fully understand them.

I know I find it hard to communicate and show my expression when wearing my mask.

The other day a lady I was with made me smile and she couldn’t even tell that I acknowledged what she had said, because she couldn’t see my face. I was at a restaurant patio the other night and could barely understand my server explaining a dish to me. Being able to see lips could make such a difference for so many. It may take away repeating ourselves and make understanding so much easier.

I feel that will be the hardest thing for our children, not to mention those that require special assistance or those that need to read lips and see mouths move when communicating.

If wearing a face mask makes you feel misunderstood, you’re not alone. From not being able to hear clearly due to muffled voices, to breathing in your own hot air, a mask makes it difficult and uncomfortable for many to communicate.

When I heard about Canamasq, a breakthrough non-medical protective mask that solves common issues related to traditional face coverings, I had to check it out for myself and see what my boys thought about it.

Foremost, Canamasq helps users be more easily understood, thanks to its transparent mouth feature, heat-reducing technology and anti-fog coating.

“Even before the COVID-19 outbreak, people who wear face masks in professional settings have all said communication is difficult – with those hard of hearing, with children and with each other,” explained Renyi, Founder and CEO of earAccess Inc.

The owner explains that having the polyethylene window allows for easier communication because the wearer’s expressions are visible. Not only is this great for all kids to communicate with their teachers, but can also solve communication barriers for those hard of hearing so they can lip read. Many children, especially younger toddlers can feel better just by seeing a smile.

I tested it out with my kids and they both noticed a difference. The ability to see my mouth, a smile, made them so much more comfortable.

Not only will these masks work for those with hearing loss and rely on lip reading and facial expressions to communicate, but what about toddlers. The owner of this mask invention knows all too well how that feels as her 14-month-old daughter is afraid of opaque masks.

“When I dropped my daughter off at daycare for the first time a few weeks ago, she cried when she saw the daycare educator, who was wearing an opaque mask,” Renyi explained, adding that the other children reacted similarly. “When I gave the educator a Canamasq to wear, my daughter and the other kids were more receptive because they could see the educator’s warm, welcoming smile beneath the mask.”

Here are some great benefits of the Canamasq:

*uses proprietary technology that combines some of the protective and filtration characteristics of the two or three layers of regular masks into a single layer fabric

*enables easier breathing and less heat to accumulate, while still providing the same – if not better – protection against airborne droplets

*innovative design closes the mask without a heavy nose wire, venting heat upward to further improve breathability and comfort.

*solves a frequent face mask issue of ear loops causing pressure behind the ears when worn for extended periods of time.

*completely adjustable loops, Canamasq removes ear pain by enabling users to adjust the length of the loops to their desired position.

*washable by hand with soap and warm water

Canamasq retails for $10 per mask and can be purchased at canamasq.com.

What are your thoughts on back to school and masks? Share your thoughts below.

xo

D

*Disclosure: I received two masks at no cost for review for the purposes of this post.