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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

Dd (7) has to wear glasses in school, any advice?

15 replies

LiliLaTigresse · 01/08/2006 15:36

Took dd for an eye test this morning and was told that she should wear glasses in school as she is shortsighted. Not exactly a surprise and I had prepared her just in case, so she is in fact delighted! Dh and I a bit shocked and sad (not showing it to her of course), but hey, nothing we can do about it.
We have chosen together (dd and I) a lovely frame for her and she will get her glasses in a couple of days.
Just wondering, once the excitement has worn off for her, how she will cope with these...
Please reassure me, give me advice on how to make it easy for her
thanks
a bit

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HonorMatopoeia · 01/08/2006 15:39

Not sure if this will help but the kids at the school I teach in are not at all phased by glasses. I call it the Harry Potter effect! They all seem to be perfectly happy to wear them and most teachers I know make a fuss over new glasses, pointing out how pretty they look etc. Will she wear them constantly or just for board work? I only ask because one of my littl'uns wears them and takes them off then leaves them somewhere and forgets where! May be worth getting a cheap second pair just incase!!

Original poster

LiliLaTigresse · 01/08/2006 15:43

Thanks for the reassurance
and definitely thank goodness for HP, I know that's one of the reasons she's happy to have them!
I think a second pair is a great idea, hadn't thought of that....
I wouldn't expect her to wear them outside, but probably to keep them on all the time during class so that she doesn't forget to put them on when she has to look at the board.

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HonorMatopoeia · 01/08/2006 15:45

I'd make sure she hands them to teacher before she goes out to play, maybe get her a 'special case' (you know, a pink sparkly one, or something a bit out of the ordinary) then she can put them in the case and go to play. I've had kids leave them on the floor or in their drawer they don't last long!! It really helps with glasses now-a-days (she said, sounding 90!) that there are such pretty stylesaround. Not the NHS jelly glasses of my day!

Original poster

LiliLaTigresse · 01/08/2006 15:52

The special case is another good idea (you're good at this!!), and I will have a word with her teacher when she starts there (new school for her as well, piling on the stress!!)

oh well, I guess maybe it will take dh and I longer to get used to the idea than dd....

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HuwEdwards · 01/08/2006 15:53

DD's friend had to wear them after Easter (they're in reception). Her dad got her beautiful blue frames that really matched her eyes. My DD came home asking for glasses!

Original poster

LiliLaTigresse · 01/08/2006 16:03

HuwEdwards that's encouraging!
dd is going to girls school, so I hope they won't be bitchy about it

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Original poster

LiliLaTigresse · 01/08/2006 17:19

any more advice?

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PrettyCandles · 01/08/2006 17:29

Ds has recently had to start wearing glasses only for 'concentrating' work (ie not for PE, playtime, dinner time, etc). We made sure that he had a robust case; knew how to open and shut it without pinching his fingers; knew to handle the glasses by the hinge when putting them on and taking them off, and by the bridge when they were folded; and knew always to put them down lens side up.

We discussed with him when he was to wear them and when not (they're now called his 'concentrators'), and what to do with them when not wearing them (during termtime they live in his bookbag to make sure they're not forgotten when he goes to school, at school they live in his drawer, during holiday they live on a particular shelf). Sounds pedantic, but ds feels comfortable with clear boundaries and rules, and this way we haven't yet lost or forgotten them.

I wrote a note to his teacher, and talked to her as well, asking for her help to make sure that ds wore the glasses only at the right time and so on, and she was perfectly happy to cooperate.

Ds was not worried by the glasses and wears them (though often needs reminding), but was quite delighted when, a week or so before the end of term, another child in his class started wearing 'concentrators'.

Original poster

LiliLaTigresse · 01/08/2006 17:31

thanks PrettyCandles
love the 'concentrators'!!!

all sounds like very sensible advice, in particular the case handling thing as I would forget to teach her that I'm sure.....

I want more stories like this to cheer me up!!!!

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southeastastra · 01/08/2006 17:33

ah my ds(5) has just started wearing them for concentrating ! too he seems to be getting on quite well and they have lasted so far! (3 months)

fullmoonfiend · 01/08/2006 17:36

My ds was gutted because he didn't have to wear them (dh and I both v shortsighted). He is nearly nine and his best mate is the most rough and tumble child, plus very very popular!

A good, strong case and a spare pair is very good advice

I had to wear them at 7, and in those days you had a choice of 2 frames NHS pink or NHS blue And, incredibly, there was only one other child in the whole school who had to wear them.

Original poster

LiliLaTigresse · 01/08/2006 17:40

mmmm so it's quite fashionable to have glasses then, that's good
dd's are nhs, but they are really pretty, rectangular, dark bronze, just right for her face.
I only started wearing glasses when I was 18, and only for driving, watching TV, cinema. Still the same today. Dh only got his at the age of 30, but wears them all the time.
fullmoonfiend do you remember if it took you long to get used to your glasses?

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fullmoonfiend · 01/08/2006 18:01

No, it was fabulous! Noone had realised how short sighted I was. I do remember walking round saying: ''WoW! Trees have leaves'' and ''Look at the bricks, mum'' cos it hasd all been a dreadful blur for ages. No-one noticed because I could read so well!

I did get teased for a while, but as I said, noone else in school had them, so I was that week's novelty.
BTW, a 4-yr-old at preschool came in with her first (very pretty) glasses just before the hols, and we had to get them to form an orderly queue as every single child there wanted to try them on

Original poster

LiliLaTigresse · 01/08/2006 18:10

lol at "Trees have leaves!"
dd reads all the time too, we only noticed there was something wrong with her eyesight when dh was watching rugby on TV once and she couldn't read the score in the corner of the screen...

Hopefully she won't be the only one in her class with glasses

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southeastastra · 01/08/2006 18:15

i think they are really 'hotting' up at the moment, and trying to catch children when they are younger. i've noticed lots of children wearing them now. my little boy has some really sweet blue steel ones. (my other son thinks he looks like paul o'grady)

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