Help Your Child To Wear Glasses With Confidence

*A collaborative post*

Has your child been prescribed glasses but doesn’t want to wear them? There are some excellent ways to help your child to wear glasses and get them on board. 

Some children might feel excited by the prospect of getting glasses for the first time. It’s new, different, and it might make them feel grown-up. In these circumstances you’ve got nothing to worry about, it’s good news for everyone and shows that your child is adaptable to life’s challenges. Some children, however, might find it more difficult to accept. 

They might not understand why they have to wear glasses when nobody else does. It might make them feel different or in the worst cases excluded in their friendship group or the classroom. Sometimes the reasons can be practical. Maybe your child is boisterous; they like to play outdoors and run around, and the glasses keep falling off or getting in the way. 

Your child may not like the way they look with their glasses on. They might think they look ugly or stand out too much and accidentally forget to wear them. If you know your child needs glasses to see but they are intentionally not wearing them, this tells you something about how they feel. But it’s also a worry for you, knowing that not wearing prescription glasses can cause some long term damage. 

Fortunately, in most instances, this reluctance is a temporary phase that will resolve when your child notices the benefits of wearing them and understands that glasses are normal for many people. 

Talk about it

The first step is to talk about the glasses. Talk to your child about the eye doctor and about how she helps people to see better. Then talk about glasses a lot, who wears glasses these days and why they are so popular and stylish. At every opportunity notice characters in films, cartoons, and books who are wearing glasses. They are well represented these days. Children understand more than you might realise, but it’s important to get the conversation going and normalise the process as much as possible. Always be positive around the subject of glasses: they are stylish and cool; you only wish you had a pair yourself – which might be true! 

Be a role model

One of the most difficult aspects of a child needing glasses is the feeling of difference or exclusion that might arise from being the only one in the group who looks different. To get over this initial hurdle you could buy a pair of non-prescription glasses yourself to wear alongside your child. Find a good online catalogue featuring a selection of children’s glasses, men’s glasses and women’s glasses. This means you can all choose a pair from the same place at the same time, and nobody will feel left out. If you’re all wearing glasses it will not only normalize the subject but it will make your child feel included in the family group. 

Let them choose

Glasses are a very individual thing at any age. They are not only a visual aid, but also a fashion accessory. Talk to your child about what styles they like and help them choose one to suit them. It will give them a sense of independence and help build their self-confidence. If you follow these tips, hopefully you’ll be able to help your child wear glasses with ease. 

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