Preparing Your Child For First Pair of Glasses

 

Are you getting your child ready for his or her first pair of glasses? How do you know if your child needs glasses? I started wearing glasses in second grade. I’ll never forget my first pair, red glasses with Strawberry Shortcake on the sides. I loved them.

Fast-forward 30+ years later, I have two children in glasses. My daughter’s first pair were pink with hearts along the sides. Initially she was upset when she found out she needed glasses. And when my seven year-old son came home from school one afternoon with a list of spelling words he copied from the board wrong, I knew it was his turn. Nine of the fifteen words were spelled wrong. He insisted, “This is exactly how Mrs. L wrote it on the board!”

We got his eyesight examined but I already saw the signs before. He was moving closer and closer to the TV while he watched it. At the movies, in the car, while riding his bike…. he was squinting.

When a child learns they need glasses they may feel scared or embarrassed about the process. But with a little coaching, you can help make the process easier and fun for your child.

How to Prepare Your Child For First Pair of Glasses

First, make sure you have a fun, positive attitude about wearing glasses. Remind your child that the first pair of glasses will help them to see everything better. Tie it into what they already love doing. My son was near sighted so I knew he was having trouble seeing things at a distance and this included not just the white board at school but the darts that were coming at him while he played outside.

Explain to your child what happens at the doctor’s visit. Share your own experiences or ask someone you know to give you some pointers as to what happens when they go to the eye doctor. My daughter walked my son through her last two visits and I did the same.

Let your child pick his or her glasses. Glasses are part of making a fashion statement or expressing your own sense of style. Give your child a budget and let him or her pick the glasses out. My daughter was not at all excited about glasses until she saw all the options available to her. Then we literally spent an hour picking and trying almost every pair and then she debated between her top three choices. My son on the other hand, had his pair in 20 minutes and was done.

Most kids will adjust to wearing glasses within a few weeks. With some planning and your encouragement, the adjustment phase will be an easy one for your child.