Chelsea Clinton Says Her Kids Gamely Still Wear Masks Everywhere: 'They Accept This Is What It Is'

Bennett Raglin/Getty Images Chelsea Clinton

Chelsea Clinton's children may be too young to get the coronavirus vaccine, but they're still doing their part to slow the spread of the virus.

In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, the former first daughter, 41, opens up about her family's experience amid the COVID-19 pandemic and how her three kids, sons Jasper, 2, and Aidan, 5, plus daughter Charlotte, 6½, are dealing with the turbulent time.

"Thankfully my kids understand they have to wear a mask to protect themselves and to protect others. They are very good about washing their hands. They're very good about keeping their distance," she says of her children, whom she shares with longtime husband Marc Mezvinsky.

Clinton, who is the vice chair of the Clinton Foundation and serves on the board of the Clinton Health Access Initiative, says her kids have "never asked to stop wearing masks" and "accept this is what it is until they've been vaccinated."

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Owen Hoffmann/Patrick McMullan via Getty Chelsea Clinton

RELATED: Chelsea Clinton's Campaign Against Vaccine Misinformation Began When a Stranger Accosted Her

The mom of three says she and her husband also try to set an example for her children by always wearing a mask when out with their kids.

"That's always been the choice that we've made, even after my husband and I got vaccinated, even being outdoors at the farmer's markets, we wear masks because we don't want [our kids] to feel like, 'Do as I say, not as I do,' '" adds Clinton.

While Clinton says her older kids are "excited" to go back to school, they are aware the "school year will look more like last year than when we finally really move forward from COVID."

The She Persisted in Sports author also reveals that she initially hoped to enroll her two older children in one of the COVID-19 vaccine trials, until she discovered the location of the testing site.

RELATED VIDEO: Chelsea Clinton Opens Up About Motherhood and Raising a 'Precocious and Curious' Daughter

"The nearest trial site to New York City was about five and a half hours away," she says. "I was like, 'Oh gosh, that's not going to be a good experience for my kids.' "

Last year, Clinton chatted with PEOPLE about her experience with "mom guilt," especially during the COVID-19 health crisis.

"[There are times when] I'm on my Zoom and Aidan's science class is crashing and then I'm off my Zoom rushing to fix the science class," Clinton recalled. "And then I can't stay with him to make sure he gets back on the science class. Then I'm running back into the next room to get back on my Zoom and then I feel like, 'Oh my gosh, I'm not doing either thing very well at the moment, but hopefully doing each as best as I can.' "

"There's so many moments like that," she continued, "every day for working parents, and so trying to just be honest about that — honest about the privilege for those of us who can work from home, honest about how much balance still has to happen, honest about how much will fall out of balance, at least some days ... the dishes may not get done until right before dinner or maybe not even until after dinner for the whole day, and that's okay."

"Lots of guilt and navigation and just trying to do the best we can every day, and some days the best is going to be better than others," added Chelsea.

As information about the coronavirus pandemic rapidly changes, PEOPLE is committed to providing the most recent data in our coverage. Some of the information in this story may have changed after publication. For the latest on COVID-19, readers are encouraged to use online resources from the CDC, WHO and local public health departments. PEOPLE has partnered with GoFundMe to raise money for the COVID-19 Relief Fund, a GoFundMe.org fundraiser to support everything from frontline responders to families in need, as well as organizations helping communities. For more information or to donate, click here.