Finding it hard to get toddler to wear glasses

[Janeystow]

Hi,

My 18 month old DD has just got her first pair of glasses. I'm feeling quite emotional about it all.

She really doesn't like wearing them. I 've been trying to build up the time that she wears them each day. I can persuade her to keep them on if we're watching TV and i try to keep her busy while she has them on. But as soon as she remembers that she's wearing them they get thrown off and she gets really cross when I try to put them back on. It seems to be having a negative effect on her behaviour, we've had lots more tantrums in the last few days.

Just wondered if anyone had any strategies to try or just reassurance that she'll get used to them eventually...

Thanks!

[KCEHNR]

I would just get her to wear them all the time. If she takes them off, just put them back on. It will take a bit of encouragement. She's too young for bribery I'm afraid!

Do they fit well & are you satisfied she has the correct script?

[workshy]

my dd2 started wearing them at the same age -very long sighted and starting with a squint -now 8, now no squint and perfect eyesight so it is worth persevering

I used to put hers on when she got up, when she got fed up with wearing them I would leave them off for about 15 minutes then try again as she didn't then see it as a battle. I would also put them on when it was something that I knew she would need them for eg when it was story time I would make it aprt of the routine -I put my glasses on (I didn't wear glasses but bought some of those £1 reading glasses purely for this reason) and she put hers on and we shared a story

took about 6 weeks and pairs of broken glasses before she realised that she could actually see!
must be very weird for them if you think about it -everything blurry then all of a sudden everything looks different -toddlers don't like change

I understand what you mean about being emotional about it all -took me about an hour to choose her first specs, but you are doing the best thing for her x

[cardamomginger]

When I had to wear glasses as a 3 year old (so older than your DD, so not sure how helpful this is going to be), my parents did a whole number on me about how lucky I was - Mummy wears glasses, Daddy wears glasses, Granny wears glasses, Granddad wears glasses, and now you get to wear glasses too Little Cardamom! How grown up you are!! Apparantly after I had my eye test at the hospital and DIDN'T get to go home with my glasses, cos they had to be made up, I threw a total screaming fit and could not be consoled....
No. This isn't helpful at all, is it? Sorry. Might be helpful for anyone with slightly older DCs who come across this thread.
Could she be picking up on your emotional state? Can you make it a fun thing or into a game? Do you wear glasses? Maybe mimicry might help. Could you make more of a thing about putting them on in front of her and making a big deal of it? If you don't, can you pick up some frames from Oxfam or something and then you can both put them on together?

[Janeystow]

Thanks for your support guys. I think you may be right about her reflecting my emotional state, I need to relax and trust that she'll get the hang of it

That's great advice workshy - just what I needed to hear!

Thanks again!