Your child has been to the optometrist, and now you need to tell her that she needs glasses. You might feel apprehensive about the conversation, so you mull over possible ways to let her know about her eye condition. Then, as you tell her, you frantically try to analyze the reaction forming on her face.
Will your child react with fear or anxiety? Or will you see indifference or even acceptance? Most importantly, after the initial conversation, will she feel motivated to wear her glasses? Luckily, you can use proven principles to help your child adapt to and even enjoy her new glasses. Use the techniques in this blog to work with your child, and encourage her to succeed during this transitional period. Prepare Your Child for Glasses For your child to fully accept her new glasses, you must help her frame the situation in a positive way. Proper preparation will help your child understand the purpose of glasses. With the right attitude, she can see glasses as a privilege and not a burden. Here are just a few of the methods available to help your child stay positive. Accept Glasses Yourself Your child will detect any misgivings you might feel towards her glasses. Many parents feel unsettled by their child's eye problems. However, it's important for you to see the glasses as a way to help your child. Make Glasses Cool Kids respond better to glasses when they can identify with others who wear them. Connect glasses to friends and family members who your child holds in high esteem. This will help him feel more comfortable with glasses. Similarly, you can associate glasses with famous people and popular characters. A good example is to help your child see that even heroic characters like Harry Potter have to wear glasses. Watch shows and put up posters of icons who wear glasses, and encourage your child to use hers, as well. Give Them Control of the Situation Children like to feel in charge of important aspects of their life. Problems with their vision might threaten this feeling of control. You can help them restore their confidence by giving them control over the process to get glasses. Let Them Choose Their Glasses If you give your child a choice over what type of frames she wears, she will feel more connected with her glasses. Your child gets to use not only the type of frames she likes, but also wear the glasses she picked. This builds a stronger connection between your child and her glasses. Prepare Them for Teasing One way children can lose confidence with their glasses is through teasing. You can prepare your child for teasing by explaining appropriate responses. If your child would benefit from role-playing, try acting out ways she can counter teasing. This will help her feel in greater control if she encounters teasing from other children. Don't Force Your Children to Wear Their Glasses If your child doesn't wear her glasses as she should, avoid trying to force her to. Nagging or forcefully placing glasses on her can cause her to see glasses as an attention-getting device or a form of rebellion. Instead, lovingly ask her to put her glasses. If she refuses, try not to force her; instead, explain the consequences of her actions (e.g., she won't be able to see as well throughout the day). Encourage Them to Wear Their Glasses Children need to form positive associations with their glasses to feel confident about them. This means they need regular encouragement in multiple forms. Doing so will help them see their glasses as a valuable extension of themselves rather than as an obtrusive, foreign object. Praise Them for Their Independence You should always compliment your child when she wears glasses on her own. Your infectious enthusiasm can help your child feel more confident about her glasses. The more you praise her, the more she will wear glasses on her own. Build Positive Experiences with Their Glasses Even the most stubborn children can recognize the worth of good vision. Your job is to give them opportunities to recognize the benefits. If you have young children, give them their glasses along with one of their favorite toys. Older children appreciate special cases or accessories to go with the glasses. Build a Routine Around Their Glasses Glasses need to become part of your child's life. If you create a routine that gets your children to put on their glasses just as they wake up, they will soon learn to do so on their own. Remind them as soon as they wake up and let their teachers know of their particular needs. Remember to praise them when they remember on their own. The transition to glasses can cause difficulties for many children. You can help them through the process with proper motivation. If you can connect what your child wants with the benefits of glasses, he or she will readily adopt them into their lives. Contact our experts for more info and tips on how to make vision correction easy for everyone.