MASKS: Teaching kids compassion

I have a feeling that the Coeur d’Alene Press is not the platform to tout vaccines — most likely it is preaching to the choir. People who care about local news generally care about other citizens, young and old.

When children under 12 or auto immune teens become political pawns in a deadly game of “Mask, No Mask,” then parents fighting masks should be ashamed.

Getting kids back to school in masks to avoid our rolling threat of the Delta strain is a teaching moment in caring for others as well as themselves. Mental health issues in our local youth have hit record highs due to COVID and kids need to be social to learn and grow in all aspects. To do it safely should be topmost of mind for parents and their teachers.

Concerned parents now face the threat of exposing their children to the Delta strain where deep coughing and exhaustion happen quickly and deteriorate swiftly. If you really care about your child more than political points, then acclimate them now to wearing a mask in public, deep cleaning their hands, not sharing food or drink and basically build them a suit of armor against this scourge.

Parents who do not want to follow this line of reasoning should home school and avoid interacting at church or gym or parks until we get through this surge, only one of many to come if we fail to reach herd immunity.

LYNN FLEMING

Coeur d’Alene