Many children are thrilled to see their classmates’ smiles in person for the first time in two years, but others are nervous about whether it’s safe for themselves or their loved ones. Some also worry about being mocked for their decisions to wear (or not wear) a mask.

Shannon McCormick, 47 years old, who works in public relations in Upper Arlington, Ohio, says her 12-year-old daughter feels safest wearing a mask at school and has no plans to change that.

“When we go somewhere, she is the first one with her mask on,” says Mrs. McCormick. “I’m going to keep asking her how she feels and measure that against what’s happening in the world.”

For parents helping their kids navigate evolving rules and social pressures, listening to children’s fears and helping them understand why masking is changing is important, say child psychologists. Even kids who are mostly excited about ditching masks might have some anxiety. Parents can also help kids come up with ways to respond to uncomfortable social situations.

Under the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s updated guidelines for assessing Covid-19 risk by county, the agency recommended universal school masking in fewer than 10% of U.S. counties as of Thursday, compared with more than 95% in previous weeks, under its earlier metrics.

As of Thursday, some 40% of U.S. school districts required masks for students and staff, compared with 74% of districts in October 2021, according to Burbio Inc., a Pelham, N.Y., data company that tracks K-12 school closures and mask policies.

In New York City, students and staff in K-12 public schools will no longer be required to wear masks indoors starting Monday, March 7.

Explain what’s changed and what hasn’t

For kids who are anxious about returning to school alongside maskless peers, parents can help by explaining the changing status of the pandemic, mental-health professionals say. For instance, they can note that case counts are falling in their district as the Omicron-driven wave subsides, and that public-health officials in many places have determined that the risks are now lower.

Parents can also talk with their kids about other ways to reduce risk, says Brett Enneking, a child psychologist at Riley Hospital for Children at Indiana University Health in Indianapolis. For example, she says, it can help to reassure children that “we will still do other things that help keep us and other people healthy, like washing our hands and staying home when we are sick.”

Offer choices

Some kids might feel more comfortable continuing to wear a mask. And some parents might want their children to keep masking, too.

Ask for your kids’ input and provide choices within limitations, says Cailin Currie, a developmental psychologist and research scientist with the Seattle-based nonprofit Committee for Children. For example, if you live at home with an immunocompromised sibling or grandparent, you might ask your child to continue wearing a mask during class but let them decide whether to wear it during recess.

Leaving the choice completely up to kids, especially middle- and high-school-age students, can create an opportunity to teach critical-thinking skills, says Dr. Currie. Andrew King, a father in Fairfax, Va., took this approach with his 14- and 15-year-old daughters when their school lifted its mask mandate recently.

“I’ve said it is your choice entirely and I support that decision,” says Mr. King.

His daughters opted to continue wearing their masks in class for now, he says, and they told him that most of their classmates did the same. Safety considerations factor into their decision, but it also doesn’t hurt that the masks hide the girls’ new braces, he added.

Head off social friction

Helping your child develop scripts about why they’re continuing to wear a mask can help alleviate social anxiety, says Dr. Enneking. She suggests offering some sample language for a child to use if someone makes an uncomfortable comment, for instance, “I wear my mask to protect my grandma who’s high-risk.”

It can also help to explain that different families will have different rules on masking, just like they do for other situations, mental-health experts say.

Parents can provide examples when a rule has changed in your house but not in everyone’s, Dr. Currie recommends. For instance: “In our family, we can’t watch TV on a school night, but I know at your friend’s house they watch TV on a school night, and families just have different rules that they follow because every family isn’t the same,” she says.