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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

reaction of other kids to DS wearing glasses in reception

20 replies

gypsymummy · 18/01/2011 11:12

Hi all, I was wondering if anybody could share their experience with me regarding this. DS has been wearing glasses since he was 2.5 ( he can see without them, just long sighted) and all has been well, untill recently ( he is in reception year now) i noticed him taking them off a lot and asking not to wear them which made me suspicious and so, after much persuasion,( he is not a chatty kind of child) i managed to cajole the truth out of him that another kid at school was making nasty remarks about his glasses. I told him that he is special for wearing them and i named all the people we know who wear glasses and who think his glasses are cool and said when this kid says anything nasty again to just tell him: I don't care what you say I like my glasses.
I am also thiking of bringing it up with his teacher.
So, what do you think and have you had to deal with this situation and if so how?
I appreciate it!

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ChippingInSmellyCheeseFreak · 18/01/2011 11:18

I'm suprised he's getting this in reception, they're usually pretty accepting of whatever at that age, I'd wager the little shit boy has older siblings - grr.

I would definintely have a word with the teacher, mostly to make sure DS is keeping them on at school, but also to alert her to the name calling - so it can be nipped in the bud. If he's saying stuff to your DS you can bet he's doing it to others too.

nowwearefour · 18/01/2011 11:18

gosh someone needs to have a word with that nasty kid. my dd wears glasses and has not had a single bad word said to her about them in school (she is now in yr 1) that child is v much the exception and it needs to be addressed. your poor ds. you shoul DEFINITELY bring it up with the teacher and if they do nothing go to the head. it is totally unacceptable. all the best for getting it sorted.

Original poster

gypsymummy · 18/01/2011 11:24

yes i was surprised as well for this kind of behaviour so early on ! DS has been ever so comfortable in his glasses till now. I will tell the teacher because recently DS has not been so keen on going to school although he doing extremely well. HE is a shy little boy who does not know a single bad word bless him so even to be told his glasses were yucky or ugly or anything would certainly hurt his feelings.

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crazymum53 · 18/01/2011 11:28

I would have a word with the teacher too - this is not acceptable behaviour and she should be made aware that this is going on.
My dd wears glasses and has done since she was 1.5 years old. Children have been very supportive and in reception one little boy asked his mum if he could have glasses too !!

On the other hand when I was at primary school there was a horrible boy just the same as the one in your son's class. When the school nurse came to do eye tests it turned out that he needed glasses so I had the last laugh there :)

cheekymonkey2 · 18/01/2011 11:31

Definately not the norm. My ds had a patch as well in reception but no negative comments. Are you sure the other child actually making nasty comments? I have heard children ask my ds (year 1), questions about his glasses like can he see without them etc., which could be taken the wrong way.
Do go and talk to the teacher though.

DurhamDurham · 18/01/2011 11:36

I'd have a word with the teacher asap, just ask her to keep an eye on the situation. My 17 years old dd has been wearing glasses since she was 4yrs old. She never had any negative comments at all, she loved her glasses and was v proud of them. She's got contact lenses now but still has some trendy glasses to wear when she wants a change.

Are there no other children in the class who wear glasses?

HuwEdwards · 18/01/2011 11:37

My DD in reception was DESPERATE to wear glasses because her friend did.

Def have a word with the teacher.

Bucharest · 18/01/2011 11:41

I was mercilessly teased (not bullied, mind) at school for having glasses, so much so that they became a phobia for me and even now, I will not let anyone see me with them on and don't even look in mirrors when I have them on.....but that was 40 yrs ago, and tbh, I'm surprised that it's still a big deal for some children....I agree that they might have older sibs or maybe even ignorant parents who think it's somehow a bad thing....

dd has them and is in 2nd yr primary and never had any comments about them at all.

ILoveItWhenYouCallMeBoo · 18/01/2011 11:45

i am also surprised at the reaction but i know it does happen. i was worried about this when ds1 got his aged 3 and at nursery but now he is in p1 and all the same classmates from nursery, and 6 out of a class of 15 have glasses so it never was an issue.

i would speak to the teacher and ask her to have a word with the calss about their differences and how special and unique they all are.

bumblingbovine · 18/01/2011 11:52

Ds started wearing glasses in reception (the first in the class) and had this reaction the first day or so from a couple of the boys.

I had a word with the teacher and she got the class together and talked about glasses and why we wear them. I think she may have given examples of cool people who wear glasses (eg Harry Potter) as DS started asking me for rounder glasses after that and told me that in their Harry potter game he was always Harry as he wore glasess.
The teasing stopped after that so it worked.

A few weeks later 2-3 other children in the class started wearing glasses as well. now it is no problem.

Children have eye tests in reception and some of the children in your ds's class may find themsleves weatring glasses later this year but I would definitely speak to the teacher now to nip this in the bud.

Original poster

gypsymummy · 18/01/2011 17:18

thanks lovely ladies for your help! .i will be talking to the teacher for sure( she was away today!)..
as for what the boy actually said, my ds did not say the exact words but it was along the lines of "your glasses are yucky" and i guess for ds it was a shocker as it was the first time anyone had been negative about his glasses, which is why it affected him in the way it did..the boy probably was just being childishly nasty as kids will be, but i think the teacher should also help us out with this.
bumblingbovine i love what your ds's teacher did and will be hinting ours does the same! there is another child who wears glasses too , so ds is not the only one.
to be honest DS looks so cool in his glasses, everyone tells us he looks like a mix of Harry Potter and a mini professor

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DreamTeamGirl · 18/01/2011 17:21

Loads of kids in DS' Yera 1 in patches, and several in glasses
No odd comments at all, so I think he has just hit on a meannie...

Def talk to the teacher

redpanda13 · 19/01/2011 00:02

DD has been wearing glasses since she was 3. 3 others from her nursery got them on the same day. Now she is in P1 there are some other children who wear glasses too. I would speak to the teacher (who also wears glasses) if another child made a negative comment.DD is unfortunately a very, very vain child who takes things to heart.

In nursery another child told her she looked like a pirate with her patch. I did'nt speak to them as the child really thought she looked cool.DD did not take it as the compliment it was intended. DD will not go outside with patch on now. Some days it means it is so hard for her to wear it for the prescribed 2 hours.

Original poster

gypsymummy · 19/01/2011 10:48

it seems to me that DS has sort of reached this new place where he has to face others being "critical" albeit in a naty childish way. In one way sadly this is life and he will have to learn about the real wolrd as we can not protect him always but at this tender age I still think we should intereven and put an end to nastiness from other children who probably have endured nastiness themselves ..aren't bullies just scared and hurt persons who lash back at others who are different or weaker..
Oh I dunno..parenting children through such stages is so hard isn't it!

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cory · 19/01/2011 12:04

Never come across this in my dcs' generation (though plenty of bullying about glasses when I was a child). My hunch would be that this is a particularly problematic child who needs to find something to be nasty about- rather than glasses often being a problem in schools these days. I'd go in and have a quiet word with the teacher, so she can keep an eye.

Toughasoldboots · 19/01/2011 12:09

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

civil · 19/01/2011 13:30

Very surprised about his - at least 5 children in my dds reception class wore glasses and they were very proud of them.

Have a word with the teacher.

Bluebell99 · 19/01/2011 13:34

One of the best things JK Rowling did was to make Harry Potter wear glasses imho! Doctor Who (david tennant), Superman also wear glasses.

scurryfunge · 19/01/2011 13:39

Agree with Bluebell -Harry Potter was the key for my son. He starting wearing them in reception and moved onto contacts at 10. He is now 16 and there has been no adverse comments ever. His opticians sold a HP brand then but not sure if they are still available.

Doyouthinktheysaurus · 19/01/2011 13:40

So sad this is happening in reception

DS1 has worn glasses since he was 3, he has only had comments on one occasion now he is in Y3. We spoke about it and how silly they were being. About 5 other children in his class wear glasses

In Reception, I would be horrified tbh and definitely speak to the teacher. So sad that children have to deal with bullying at such a young age...

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