AIBU about DDs glasses?

[AwfulMaureen]

DD is 5 and in year one. She got glasses before Christmas....the optician warned that 5 year olds do tend to break them quite often and to be prepared for that.

She only needs to wear them in the classroom which I was glad about as more likely to be broken when she's running about.

Anyway...the optician says it's Very important that she wear them as her left eye is weak and the glasses will strengthen it...her eyes will "set" in about a year and then that's that...

She keeps coming out without them at the end of the day...and I know it is ultimately her responsibility but she's five and most kids her age are forgetful but really...that's not such a problem as I can check and then send her back for them....but it shows that the teachers aren't making her wear them...or even reminding her to put them back on after lunch break.

They're meant to be on her face the whole time she is indoors.

Yesterday, DD had an after school club...so when she was sent out by the club leader, I asked DD for her glasses and she said she couldn't remember where they were. We had a check and no sign...no teacher either.

This morning, I had a word with one of her teachers and said "Are DDs glasses inside? She forgot them last night"

And the teacher said "Oh they're broken."

I was as this is the third time now since she's had them and also, the teacher should have made sure that I knew yesterday...and that I got them back...I could have taken them to be mended last night after school club. All it would have taken was to pop them in DDs bag with a note...

As it is DD now has no glasses all day.

Teacher couldn't tell me how they were broken even though DD only wears them in the classroom. AIBU or should teachers take a bit more care over a 5 year old's glassses?

[Gileswithachainsaw]

Could your dd just wear them all the time just so she didn't have to keep putting them away etc.

Tbh I think it's a bit much to expect the teacher to be taking responsibility. Little jimmy will need sending to office for his medication, Susie needs changing, Sam can't find his pe kit, James won't sit on the carpet, max is looking at a big in the window, Lisa needs help with her shoes etc there's slot of things teachers have to do looking after several pairs of glasses probably isn't an option.

[Gileswithachainsaw]

Bug

A lot

[Seeline]

I think you ABU (a bit). When my DD was in Y1 literally half the class wore glasses. The teacher wouldn't have been able to keep watch on all of them! My DD also only needed them for class room wear at that stage, but always put them back in her tray when she took them off. I always checked after school to make sure she had them. I must admit it is easier now she wears them all the time.
She is generally pretty good with her glasses. I check them frequently to make sure all the screws are tight. The worst pair we had were ones which were covered by the NHS voucher. I have discovered that paying a bit extra, means they are generally a bit stronger and better made.

[DowntonTrout]

It is something that ultimately your child has to become responsible for.

We got over some of these issues by having a second pair of glasses at home as a spare.

[LegoStillSavesMyLife]

Can't she wear them all the time. And in my experience 5 year old rarely break their glasses.

[AwfulMaureen]

She can't wear them all the time as the optician says she needs to practice long distance sight....without glasses. Seeline I did pay for these! I may complain actually...they should not break so easily.

[DanceParty]

Why on earth did you pay for them, Awful - I thought childrens' glasses were free under the NH?

[kinkyfuckery]

Is there a reason why your DD can't be more responsible for them herself?

I'd be tempted to make her wear them constantly at school, and you can practice long distance without them outwith school hours.

[ifyourehoppyandyouknowit]

Get a glasses string and she can put them round her neck when she isn't using them?

[Melonbreath]

Get her one of those granny string things so she's always wearing them?

[nobutreally]

Yes, how did you end up paying for them? Ds has had glasses since Y1 & we've never paid for them.
I'm afraid - esp with after school club -I don't think you can blame the teacher. If you'd have picked up from the door, she would probably have remembered, but with your dd going off to a club....

Tbh, I would want to know what's happening with them if they have been broken 3 x since Christmas - I'd expect a few breaks, but 3 x in 2 months seems bonkers.

NB Ds wore his all day too - it was much easier than taking them off at lunch & breaks (he only needs them for close work) - might be worth another call to the optician to ask whether it would be enough if your dd took them off st after school instead. Much less likely for them to get forgotten & broken if they're on her face all the time

[cosmos239]

I'd get a spare pair, certain opticians do buy one ( free on nhs) get second frames half price so we end up with two pairs for about 40 pounds. Could School pot a little symbol on her Desk to remind het to pour het glasses on before she does any Desk work? Agree school should let you know if they're broken though!

[Nanny0gg]

Get a spare NHS pair. We had this all the time with younger DC and they were worn all the time (extreme short sight).

But - having taught small children, it is possible for the teacher and TA to get into a routine of noticing whether or not they're being worn and put away safely until the child is old enough to take more responsibility.

[TeenAndTween]

My DD started wearing glasses in yR. First just for reading and then by y1 all the time except PE. The taking them on and off is the difficult bit for teachers to manage, they just have too much going on.

My suggestion would be to say she wears them all the time at school, except in formal PE lessons (ie where she gets changed into PE kit). She can practice long distance out of school hours.

[cathpip]

Ds who is in reception has two pairs of glasses, you only get one pair free on the nhs. But after breaking 5 pairs in 8 weeks, a back up pair was required :). ( now we have 2 pairs he has not broken any in over a year)!

[CeliaFate]

I think you need to ask for a meeting to speak to the teacher and TA with your dd.
I used to remind children to wear their glasses. I would notice if they didn't have them on and ask where they were. Most kids replied "I've left them at home." because they didn't want to wear them.
I'm not saying your dd is doing this, but my point is you don't know how many times they've reminded her to wear them. They should have told you they were broken, but mistakes happen at home time when it's a busy time to get all children off site with the right person and the right equipment.

[nipersvest]

i have a dd who has worn glasses since she was 22 months old, get a spare pair. how did you end up paying for them?, nhs provides one pair of glasses for free. we used to go to spec savers, one free pair and a second pair is half price for kids, so only £30.

try rewards with your dd to get her in the habit of policing the glasses herself, 50p per day for wearing them and a comic at the end of the week, she'll soon get the hang of it and realise she can see better with the glasses than without. we had to go to the pain barrier with dd too, she used to break hers weekly!

[AwfulMaureen]

I paid because she liked them and was upset about wearing glasses at all. She was happy with the ones we chose...and 15 quid wasn't much.

[whois]

Probably easier to have her wear them all the time. Get a sports band thing so they don't fall off when running around.

I thinks it's a bit difficult to remember to take them on and off all the time, and more likely to get broken when off and put in a pencil case or drawer rather than the case!

[2tiredtocare]

Can't she practise long distance sight at home and on the weekend, my DD started wearing glasses at 5 and kept them on the full school day and they have never got lost or broken

[AwfulMaureen]

Yes she could I suppose. I am getting a spare (free) pair and will also look at kid's cords for them. Proper PITA for her as well as me.

[Nandocushion]

DD had the same issue at the same age. She was told to wear them all the time, though, and I only gave her a break once she was home. You should get into this habit and have her wear them all the time. Believe me, it's worth it - DD wore them for a year and it 'fixed' her weak eye. She's now 8 and hasn't worn or needed glasses since.

[VegetariansTasteLikeChicken]

can she get one of those little bands for them? I dont think yabu, if she needed a tablet you would expect the teacher to remeber she needed it.

[LegoStillSavesMyLife]

I am surprised that they are broken. Ds has worn glasses since he was 2. A 2 year old breaks glasses daily. A five year old who only wears them in the classroom? Not so much. They should go on her nose then back in the case when not in use. In comparison ds broke one pair of glasses when he was 5 he wears them all day everyday. They broke after a year of hard use (rugby, football, swinging from the light fittings and a little light hooliganism).

I would suspect that the glasses were deliberately broken. So she may be fibbing to the teacher about wearing them. If I were you I'd have a long chat with before talking to the teacher.

[CailinDana]

The teacher can't be responsible for everything every child does. He/she is a human not a robot.

Your child needs to take responsibility for her own glasses.