Eyeglasses are a modern marvel, allowing people of all ages to see the world more clearly. However, they require a certain commitment and level of care that may be difficult for young children. If you are a parent of children with glasses, you know that convincing your child to reliably wear and care for their glasses can be a real challenge. With those difficulties in mind, here are five tips and tricks to help your family make the best of glasses.
Choose Kid-Friendly Glasses
Some kids are comfortable in glasses right away. Others take far more convincing. There are many kid-friendly glasses options that will help your child’s comfort level as well as their eyewear’s durability. For example, some children’s frames are made to measures to withstand twisting and bending in every possible direction. An optician in an optical center can help you find glasses that can stand up to rough handling. Be sure to ask about the best materials for frames and lenses and how to keep the glasses on your child’s face.
Have the Glasses Fitted
When you pick up your glasses, be sure to have them fitted before your child wears them regularly. A fitting can be just as important as the measurements for the frames. Additionally, glasses frames can slowly change shape over time. Therefore, if you notice your child’s glasses sliding down his nose or leaving marks anywhere, return to the optician for an adjustment. Most optical centers offer adjustments for free.
Point Out Other Kids with Glasses
Once you know your child will be wearing glasses, begin thinking of the people in your child’s life who also wear glasses. It would be especially helpful to think of other children you know who your child can relate to. Keep your eyes open as you read books, run errands, and watch television. You’ll be surprised how many people you see wearing eyeglasses. Use these examples to encourage your child that glasses are normal and can be fun. The more your child sees glasses as a normal part of life, the more likely she is to put effort into caring for them.
Teach Proper Glasses Care
It is instinctive for adults to be careful with glasses. This is partially because we understand how much they cost! Small children, however, are far less aware of the need to be gentle and take careful care of fragile or expensive things. Explain to your child how to take off and put on their glasses carefully and with both hands. Similarly, model good care for the glasses in wiping them clean and folding them up carefully. Designate a specific place for the glasses when they are not in use. Encouraging your child to care for their glasses well from the beginning will instill lifelong habits.
Invest in Backup Glasses
While ideally your child will care for and maintain his glasses perfectly, your reality may be very different. Kids can play rough, and sometimes eyeglasses come out worse for wear. Unfortunately, a broken pair of glasses takes time to mend, and a new pair is equally slow in arriving. With this in mind, it is wise to invest in a second pair of glasses in case of emergencies. This allows your child to maintain vision correction even if their primary pair of glasses breaks. The backup pair of glasses doesn’t need to be high-quality, though you should be sure that all the measurements are correct and that they are comfortable for your child to wear.
Success for children with glasses depends on preparation. If you teach your child about her glasses, show her how to care for them, and are prepared if they break, you are well on your way to having a responsible glasses-wearing child. Are you looking for childcare that will assist you in teaching these important aspects of self-care and responsibility? Consider Legacy Academy Roswell. Call or visit today for more information.
