Hot Topics     Home and Family    

Helping teens (and the rest of us) navigate mask wearing



Educate your family members on using empathy to convince others of the importance of wearing masks

teens, COVID-19, masks, empathy

We’ve all heard about the ways in which COVID-19 health protocols have been politicized in recent months. How do we talk to our teens about safety measures that protect our families’ older and more disease-prone members without being seen as obstructive or, heavens forbid, political?

Jessica Castillo has written in Teen Vogue about what responsible teens can do when they encounter people who will not only wear a mask, but question why they’re worn in the first place.

“It can be difficult to find common ground with someone who refuses to wear a mask for whatever reason. Maybe they falsely believe the coronavirus isn’t that serious, even after hundreds of thousands of people have died due to complications linked to COVID-19,” she writes.  “Whatever their reasoning, Julia Marcus, an epidemiologist and an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School, believes that talking to someone with empathy is likely to be more effective in convincing them to wear a mask then shaming them for their actions might.”

Marcus’ advice is to be honest. “I’ll just say it: I don’t like wearing a mask. I find it uncomfortable,” she said. “It’s a constant reminder that I’m living in a pandemic, which I’d rather forget.” She notes that talking about why someone finds wearing a mask difficult — whether it’s the way the loops might irritate the back of your ear, or feeling like breathing is more difficult — allows for problem solving and finding more comfortable options together.”

Castillo adds that family physician Dr. Michael Richardson believes in using a practice called humble inquiry, which focuses on both building trust with the other person and asking questions. “Instead of telling someone what to do right away, you want to explore why they’re doing it, and what is the reasoning behind their behaviors, in a very unbiased and nonjudgmental way,” he says. He suggests that the mask wearer mirror someone’s statements back to them as questions, thereby creating deeper conversations that go beyond roadblock statements like, “I don’t want to.”

“Our country is very divided right now,” Whitney Goodman, a licensed family therapist, told Teen Vogue. She recommends trying to separate your own worth from the other person’s behavior as best you can.

Because masks will likely be part of our public lives for at least the next few months, if not years, Castillo reiterates that it’s important to create good habits, express and enforce your personal limits as soon as you can, and learn how to discuss and navigate the limits of those around you.




Other articles by HVP News Reporters


  • What parents should know about Pediatric Growth Hormone Deficiency (PGHD)

    Pediatric growth hormone deficiency (GHD) is a relatively rare condition, affecting an estimated 1 in 4,000-10,000 children. read more »
  • Simplify summer with light lunches

    Bright, crunchy cucumbers are the star of this sammy

    Take the hassle out of lunch with these Cucumber Sandwiches that can be made in advance for afternoon pick-me-ups. read more »
  • Thinking about renovating?

    Check with your building department first

    From updating an outdated kitchen to adding a home office, home renovations can be exciting. Before you dive in, it’s critical to understand the local safety requirements that impact your projects. read more »
  • Your home safety checklist

    Simple steps to keep a safer, happier space

    Your home is more than just a place to live, it’s where you create memories, unwind and feel most comfortable. Yet, many household items and systems can hide potential safety risks. read more »
  • 4,000 reasons to love bees

    These little pollinators are essential to our food supply

    While most people picture the beloved honeybee when they think about bees, North America actually has 4,000 species of native bees, many of which are busy right now. read more »
  • Laying the foundation for writing

    What you can do to get them started

    Learning to write is one of the defining milestones of early childhood, but it doesn’t happen all at once. read more »
  • Choose play every day

    How to transform everyday activities into playful learning opportunities

    Play is a universal language spoken by people of all ages. Through play, children learn to forge connections with others, build a wide range of leadership skills, develop resilience, conquer fears and navigate relationships and social challenges. read more »
  • A perfect lemon and raspberry pairing

    Try this refreshing summer dessert today

    Enjoy the richness of summer with this Ooey Gooey Lemon Cake, which pairs a soft lemony cake with a sweet-tart raspberry drizzle that’s perfect for sharing with your nearest and dearest. read more »
  • How apartment renters can cut energy costs and save big

    7 tips to keep you more comfy

    With economic uncertainty and soaring housing prices putting homeownership out of reach for many Americans, apartment living is on the rise. read more »
  • A beginners guide to pruning flowering plants

    4 simple tips to keep your yard looking great

    Pruning, or the practice of removing dead or diseased branches from flowering plants – including certain herbs, vegetables, shrubs, trees and flowers – allows them to focus their energy on new growth and blossoms, which can result in a more robust and abundant flowering season. read more »