Starting to wear glasses can be a big change for kids.
They may often be tempted to leave their glasses at home instead of wearing them to school, even if that comes at the expense of hours of squinting and fuzzy scenery. We’re here to help parents appreciate the advantages of wearing their glasses.
Age-Appropriate, Well-Fitting Glasses Go Over Better
Most children think it’s fun to try on a parent or grandparent’s glasses for a minute, but when getting them their own glasses, they should properly fit the size of their face. Kids grow fast, so they will need new glasses more frequently than adults. They’ll be more likely to wear comfortable glasses that don’t look too young for them.
Make the Adjustment Easier With Small Goals
If your child doesn’t like wearing glasses, it can be a massive adjustment to go from no glasses to wearing them all day. Take it slow. Start out by asking them to wear them for just half an hour each day, then gradually add time until they’re wearing them from breakfast until bedtime. You could even incentivize them with little prizes for each step in the process.
Give Them Good Glasses-Wearing Role Models
Many kids might find it embarrassing or lame to wear glasses, so help change that for them by reminding them of some of the great glasses-wearing role models out there. Does a family member they look up to wear glasses? How about characters in their favorite shows, movies, or books, like Harry Potter? Superman and Supergirl wear glasses as part of their secret identities, and even Iron Man wears them sometimes.
Bring in Reinforcements and Stick to Your Plan
If you don’t stick to the rules and goals you make for your child’s glasses time, they won’t do much good. However, you won’t always be around to keep an eye on them and make sure they’re actually holding up their end. Let their teachers, babysitters, and other adults in their lives know about the plan so that they can help see it through!
Your Child Will Like the Glasses They Choose Best
A great way to help your child love their new glasses is to let them pick the ones they like (from a selection of frames that fit them properly). Glasses are like a customizable facial feature, and they’ll love having a new way to express their own sense of style. If they choose bright or clashing colors, don’t worry about it. The goal is for them to actually ear their glasses, even if they aren’t quite what you’d choose yourself.
Make Use of Another Great Resource: The Optometrist
We’re happy to offer more tips to encourage your child to wear their glasses. Just give us a call or bring your child in to get advice in person. Nobody knows how cool glasses are like we do, and we’re eager to share!
Whether our patients are young or old, we love helping them love their glasses!
Top image used under CC0 Public Domain license. Image cropped and modified from original.
The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.
