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Original poster

those of you whose children wear glasses...

82 replies

booyhoo · 30/07/2009 22:00

have they ever been subject to bullying?

both my sister and i wore glasses from primary school age and were both bullied for it. also there was a boy in our school was bullied quite badly for wearing glasses.

my 4 yo ds has just been prescribed glasses and i want to make sure he's able to stand up for himself and hopefully not be affected as badly as i was if he is bullied.

any advice would be appreciated.
tia

OP posts:
misdee · 30/07/2009 22:03

my 4yr old dd3 has been wearing glasses since she was 18months old.

we have had some problems at nursery with some children taking her glasses off her, but not bullying because she wears glasses iyswim.

glasses are very cool atm, and my older girls tried to tell me a couple of years ago that they needed glasses, which was quite funny. all eye tests for the big girls have been fine.

dd3 glasses have garfield and little miss naughty on them, so they are pretty cool for kids ones.

elliott · 30/07/2009 22:04

my ds1 has worn glasses since he was 3. He's never been bullied about it to my knowledge and its just never been a big deal. He's 7 now and I suppose there may be times as he gets older when it may be a focus for unkindness - but tbh anyone who wanted to pick on him has a big choice - he has red hair and freckles too!

Sidge · 30/07/2009 22:06

Nope, not at all.

She is one of 3 children in her class that wears glasses and I'm not aware of any bullying.

Mind you they are only little (have just finished Reception).

I think for older children glasses are actually now pretty cool - Harry Potter wears glasses!

Original poster
booyhoo · 30/07/2009 22:07

we let him pick his own and are trying to make it a really exciting thing for him but they are a really strong prescription and very thick which makes his eyes quite large which i know will draw attention to them even more. its really when he's a bit older as i know that children his age wont really see it as anything different worth picking on him over but older children will.

OP posts:
TrinityRhinoIsInDetention · 30/07/2009 22:07

dd1 is nine and has been wearing glasses since she was 3

no bullying whatsoever at all

I wore glasses from about 2
I was bullied alot at primary school because of my glasses

I think it has alot to do with the glasses not beinghorrid plastic, ginger, ugly nhs things
dd1 has alwasy has nice metal pink or purple ones and they were free on the nhs

I think your ds will be fine

misdee · 30/07/2009 22:07

dd3 perscription is a +9 so her eyes are huuuuge behind her lenses, it adds to her cutness lol

Original poster
booyhoo · 30/07/2009 22:08

wow, just read other posts. thats very reassuring. i never knew glasses could be cool amongst such young children, i suppose because they werent for me.

OP posts:
SixtyFootDoll · 30/07/2009 22:08

DS2 is 6 and started weraing glasses all day every day in January this year.
He has not been bullied at all, he has very cool starwars glasses.
In fact a lot of his friends want glasses too, to be like him!!

TrinityRhinoIsInDetention · 30/07/2009 22:08

you can pay to have them thinned
I understand what you mean about the eyes looking big

tbh I just dont think that glasses are a bullying target nowadays

they used to be but I dont see it now

Ponders · 30/07/2009 22:09

My kids all had glasses at primary school & were never bullied because of it - it is quite common after all (PITA all round but not rare enough to be a big issue...)

Elk · 30/07/2009 22:10

dd1 has just finished yr 1. She has been wearing glasses since she was 2. So far the only comments she has had is being told she looks 'weird' when she takes them off for PE/swimming. I do wonder what will happen as she gets older (she is also in bifocals so not even normal glasses).
Childrens glasses these days are much nicer than they used to be and some children actually get jealous and want to wear the glasses!!

elliott · 30/07/2009 22:10

Its interesting (and encouraging!) that things seem to be different now. I think its partly that the glasses are not as obviously clinical these days, and partly I think that schools are better at making sure this kind of thing just isn't tolerated. And maybe more children wear glasses these days.

Original poster
booyhoo · 30/07/2009 22:11

so really i should be worrying about him sharing them about and them getting swiped!!

OP posts:
seeker · 30/07/2009 22:14

0y dd has red hair, freckles and glasses!

She's never been bullied because of them. Occasional "Hey Carrots" or "Spekky!" from the back of the bus, but even that didn't happen til Secondary school. Never an issue at primary.

BrigitBigKnickers · 30/07/2009 22:15

DD1 wore glasses from 16 months DD2 from 2.5.

Neither of them were ever bullied for having glasses; in fact the frames are so trendy these days, lots of DDs friends want to start wearing them too.

Up until recently DD2 has had very high prescription lenses (+7.5) We have always had them thinned down and some opticians do this on the voucher.

LynetteScavo · 30/07/2009 22:15

DS has worn them since he was 4. He's now 10, and has never been bullied. DS2 and DD are very disapointed they don't need any. DD has taken to wearing some old sunglasses which are missing the lenses.

misdee · 30/07/2009 22:16

she thinks she is cool i think she is cute

StripeyKnickersSpottySocks · 30/07/2009 22:17

My 8yo has been wearing glasses for 5 years. Never been bullied. She loves choosing new glasses and showing them off to her friends who are all very jelous of her latest trendy ones. Much nicer than the NHS horrors I had to wear.

Ponders · 30/07/2009 22:19

blimey, misdee, I just looked at your profile & saw DD4's milk rash - is she still that sensitive or has it worn off a bit?

(DD3 is v v cute btw! & DD4 is gorgeous!)

galletti · 30/07/2009 22:20

Another positive here. DD is nine and has been wearing them for a couple of years - we have now progressed from the free ones, which are lovely and trendy anyway, to the pay £20.00 for ones like mummy but purply pink. I wish mine were that cheap! No bullying, in fact as other posters have said, mums have said to me that their dd's wish they could have some. Oh how times have changed from the big round ones in pastel blue or pink with a plaster in the corner after a couple of weeks.

misdee · 30/07/2009 22:23

ponders, we are waiting on allergy results with regards to dd4. she is only 8.5months now , and that rash happened at 6months old. we have stalled with weaning as allergy clinic dont want us to proceed to certain foods just yet. just giving her safe foods for now.

Original poster
booyhoo · 30/07/2009 22:28

your dd is beautifull misdee, very cute.

OP posts:
bradsmissus · 30/07/2009 22:31

Misdee - she is a cutie!

My DD is almost 11 and has been wearing glasses since she was in Y1.

She has never been bullied about it. We do pay to have one of her lenses thinned, otherwise one eye looks enormous!!

In fact, when she first got her current glasses, lots of her friends were envious as they thought they were so nice!

I love the way she looks in specs but she, of course, hates them. Whenever she makes a birthday/xmas list, she always puts contact lenses on it!!!!!

Ponders · 30/07/2009 22:48

Oh well, good luck with DD4 misdee - hope it wears off.

Your girls are all extremely lovely (as you know!) but allergies can be a PITA - like specs - so I hope DD4's won't be a long-term thing

daffodill6 · 30/07/2009 22:49

Don't worry - as others have said they are apparently a fashion statement now - DD loves choosing a new frame every year or so, never any issues around bullying or desires for contacts (yet!)

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