Anyone Can See That Your Child Hates Their Glasses, And Here’s Why
07 Jul 2021
Photo by Rene Asmussen from Pexels
Surprisingly common childhood vision problems like amblyopia (lazy eye), and strabismus (misalignment of the eyes) mean that an astounding 25% of children at school age require glasses to reduce the risks of issues in later life.
This is the main reason why regular screening with an eye doctor is essential from as early as three or four years old. Unfortunately for children who do need glasses, the adjustment can sometimes be difficult to manage. Here, we’re going to look at the main reasons for that, and what you can do to offset those worries.
Reason 1 – A lack of representation
It’s not unusual for children to seek behaviours they can relate to from their friends or favourite characters. At some stages, kids are even likely to mirror the behaviours of the people around them – it’s all part of growing up! Unfortunately, this is also a large reason why many kids who wear glasses struggle to feel confident – they feel ‘other’ from all the kids that they see around them. To overcome this, it’s important to make sure that glasses are at least represented in the books or programs they watch. Fantastic picture books like ‘Specs for Rex’ specifically address the need for glasses, while characters like Arthur wear glasses without drawing attention to the fact, thus normalizing them and even making them cool!
Reason 2 – Their frames aren’t right
Like any accessory, glasses frames should be comfortable, cool additions. If your child refuses to wear their glasses or looks clearly uncomfortable when they do, then you may need to reassess their frames. Firstly, getting a good fit is imperative, and opticians can help with that. Equally, it’s worth considering whether your child likes the overall design. There are now loads of cool kid’s frames out there, and letting your child choose the one they love the most can turn glasses from a chore into something that they look forward to showing off.
Reason 3 – They’re being bullied
It’s also important for parents to know that kids often lash out at children that they see as different from themselves and, unfortunately, glasses are that point of difference in a surprising amount of cases. Luckily, this, too, is easing as more children realize their need to wear glasses, but if your child shows reluctance to put their frames on in the morning, this could well be the issue. If this is the case, it’s essential that you talk to your child and their teacher as soon as possible. No child deserves to be bullied, let alone for something that they can’t help, and pushing for not only preventative action but also improved education regarding things like childhood glasses, could see your child feeling more confident and accepted in no time.
Vision problems in childhood can be difficult for parents and children to cope with, but glasses at school age can work wonders for eye health later on. Simply make sure that your child loves rather than loathes their glasses by keeping these essentials in mind!
Cheers,
Big Daddy
If you would like me to review your product, service, restaurant, or travel destination, please send me an email at craig@bigdaddykreativ.ca or tweet me at @BigDaddyKreativ
Craig Silva
Craig is a husband, a father, team leader, travel and food writer, senior youth group coordinator, designer, brander, community builder, volunteer, and social media strategist. Craig likes to travel, go camping, go on road trips, watch movies, build stuff, operate the grill, and sing with his band. Craig is a member of the Travel Media Association of Canada. In June 2017, PR firm Cision identified Craig as one of Canada’s top 10 most popular male bloggers in the parents and family space.
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