Something happened, recently;

In fact, many somethings.

My baby daughter became a kid;

She started to go to school;

She got recognized for her glasses.

Back in the early days, when her diagnoses, and spectacles, were so new,

my greatest fear was that she’d be judged.

I worried that she would be ridiculed

and prayed that she would not be marginalized.

I hoped that people would be able to look beyond the tiny, wire frames that sat upon her nose,

and not see a girl who was bespectacled,

but instead, a girl who was being spectacular.

I hoped. I wished. I waited.

And then, she grew up.

She started preschool.

She met children.

She made new friends.

And, by coincidence, we found out that another girl in her class had the very same name.

I wrestled with the idea of how to tackle the name situation, as I am in the role of both mother and teacher,

and with the girls being so young, I wanted to avoid as much confusion as possible.

Should I call by daughter by her full name, although she’s used to going by the abbreviation?

Should I tack on the first initial to their last name?

But, before I could come up with the right answer,

it was handed to me;

handed to me by two, tiny, sticky, toddler hands.

A little boy in the class, for whom my daughter has the utmost affection, began to ask for her on his drive to school in the morning.

His mother shared with me that as they would pull into the parking lot, he would ask for his teachers, the puppets, and my daughter.

And he would say her name, and then, to be absolutely clear, he would modify it, by saying,

“With glasses.”

His mother told me this with a smile.

Her son loved my daughter. His friend. His friend with glasses.

And when I heard this, I was overcome with great emotion.

For all those many days and weeks and months, I had felt so worried that my daughter would not be seen for who she was

for what she could do,

and here it was: The affirmation of my fears. My kid was the little girl who was known for having glasses, and even given a nickname, as such.

And as soon as her words hit me,

I felt

absolutely

nothing

but

love.

I thought it was precious.

I felt grateful.

I felt proud.

Because for me, her glasses are just one of the many things that maker her special. And they make her special to her new friend. And they have absolutely nothing to do with why he loves her.

He loves her because she shares his obsession with animals. He loves her because they do puppet shows for one another. He loves her because they sit quietly together, in the corner, and read books. And he loves her enough to have a nickname for her. And it is true. She’s with glasses,

but she’s also with so much more.

Filed under: babies with glasses, day in, day out, glasses, kids with glasses, toddlers with glasses Tagged: how to handle bullies, mommy ever after, toddler glasses, toddler in school with glasses ]]> http://littlefoureyes.com/2012/02/13/with-glasses/feed/ 2 mommyeverafter http://littlefoureyes.com/2012/01/31/pediatric-glaucoma/ http://littlefoureyes.com/2012/01/31/pediatric-glaucoma/#comments Tue, 31 Jan 2012 23:28:39 +0000 Ann Z http://littlefoureyes.com/?p=3854 ]]> As we come to the end of January, which this year is Glaucoma Awareness Month, I wanted to post a few resources for families who are dealing with pediatric glaucoma.

Glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness, and while older people are more at risk, glaucoma can occur at any age.  Pediatric or Childhood Glaucoma may be congenital (1 in 10,000 babies in the US are born with glaucoma) or may develop later in childhood.  Glaucoma is also closely associated with cataracts, children who have cataract surgery are at higher risk of developing glaucoma, and so are often closely monitored.  Some symptoms of childhood glaucoma include light sensitivity (photophobia), corneal opacification (hazy gray cornea), enlarged eye and cornea, epiphora (overflow of tears), and vision loss. (Information is from the Pediatric Glaucoma and Cataract Family Association, and the Glaucoma Research Foundation).

You can find more information about pediatric glaucoma and support support for those dealing with it here:

• Congenital Glaucoma Network - this is a social network for all people affected by childhood glaucoma come to share their story.  There is a forum, blogs, a place to share photos, videos, and links to more resources.
• Pediatric Glaucoma – information on pediatric glaucoma from the Pediatric Cataracts & Glaucoma Family Association.  You may also want to check their Knowledgebase for more articles on glaucoma.
• Children’s Glaucoma Foundation – a non-profit dedicated to supporting children with glaucoma.
• Childhood Glaucoma – symptoms, treatment options, and stories about childhood glaucoma.  From the Glaucoma Research Foundation.

You can also read other posts on Little Four Eyes that deal with glaucoma.

If I’m missing anything, please let me know!

Other links of interest about Braille:

• Reading to your blind child – from the Louis Braille school
• Braille resources for parents – from the American Foundation for the Blind
• More about Braille Literacy Month and the low rates of Braille literacy among the blind and visually impaired – from Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired

More

Books

Books would be my first place to start (but I’m a librarian, so of course they’re my go to resource).  Most books on our list are written from the perspective of the child who needs glasses, but some also follow friends or family members of kids who get glasses.  One person has already recommended Magenta Gets Glasses! by Deborah Reber, a Blues Clues book.

Shows

I’ve written before about some kids’ TV shows with characters who wear glasses.  Depending on the age of the siblings, the Yo Gabba Gabba episode from season 2 called Differences tells the story of Muno getting glasses, and his friends reacting to that.  I didn’t like that at the end Muno wears contacts (because I had hoped that he’d become a character who regularly wore glasses), but I think it talked a lot about other people’s reactions to seeing someone in glasses for the first time.  Sid the Science Kid also has an episode called Grandma’s Glasses in which Sid learns about vision and why some people need glasses.

Websites

There are a whole lot of websites aimed at kids that explain how the eye works (my favorites are from the Exploratorium – warning, it contains graphic images of a cow eye dissection, and the National Eye Institute), but not nearly as many that talk about glasses. Here’s a few:

• Whyzz - a site that helps kids explore questions, it provides not just answers, but also experiments to help learn more, and links to more information.  I’d start here.
• Annie’s Unite for Sight website for kids - a dog named Annie, who wears glasses, explains how the eye works, amblyopia, strabismus, as well as other vision issues.
• Kid’s Health has sections about eyes and glasses.

So what other resources are there?  Have you had to prepare an older sibling for their younger brother or sister getting glasses?  Any words of wisdom?

Question:
My 26 month old son chews on the rubber nosepads on his metal frames.  I’ve lost count on how many times we’ve had them replaced.  Nothing seems to work.  The tech at the doctor says that he’s going to have to start charging me for them since we’ve cost them a small fortune.  I’ve tried soaking them in vinegar so he doesn’t like the taste and we’ve given him other things to chew on.  Nothing has worked.  Any suggestions.

…

Answer:
No worries, any optician who has dealt with children knows that this happens from time to time. It is just a phase or a new habit. Quite frankly, I know that it is more bothersome for the parent then it is for me. Changing nose pads only takes a few minutes and they cost pennies for me, but as a mom and a dad you have to take the time to come in and deal with the scrapes on your child’s nose because the pads are all chewed up. I know this is frustrating, but there is something you can do
First, let me explain that there are several types of nose pads. Each one is made out of a different material. I’ll list them here from the softest and more comfortable pads to the hardest pads (or we could say from the chewiest to least chewiest)

1. Silicone
2. Silicone with metal insert
3. Vinyl
4. Vinyl with metal insert
5. Solid Plastic
6. Solid Metal

The plan is to start from the top of the list and work your way down until you find the pad that your child doesn’t want to chew on any longer. I guarantee you child will not be able to chew the solid metal ones. I know the temptation is to go right to the solid metal ones, but I have found this is not the best approach. The softer nose pads are more comfortable and as you go down each level you are giving up some on comfort. The last thing we want is your child to not want to wear their glasses because they are uncomfortable. Once your child stops chewing for a couple of weeks the habit will be broken and you can return to the softer pads.

Question:
Does anyone have difficulty with a flat nasal bridge? Nolan’s glasses sit too low because he has a depressed nasal bridge, and he looks over the top of his glasses a lot. He has amblyopia and we’re trying to avoid patching, but since he almost always looks OVER the lenses, I doubt the glasses are doing much good! Any suggestions??

Nolan's glasses slipping down his nose

Answer from Danielle:
“I definitely understand a parent’s frustration with glasses slipping down on children with flat bridges. In fact, most kids don’t have much of a bridge at all. First of all, it’s important to know that in a properly fitted pair of glasses the nose holds about 90% of the weight of the glasses. The other 10% is distributed behind both of the ears. So when your child has a very flat bridge or very small bridge, we need to make sure that the ears have the right size temples fit behind them. To help with that, you can have your child fit with comfort cables. The comfort cable will carry more weight of the frame behind the ear and then distribute it evenly around the entire ear, keeping your child from getting marks behind his ears. Frames that have two seperate nose pieces give the best possibility of fitting well on a flat nose bridge. It is also important that those nose pads stay in adjustment or the glasses will begin to slip down. That means you may need to get more frequent adjustments! Again the comfort cables will hold the gap when the nose pieces get bent out, minimizing the slipping.

What I’m trying to say is that it may not be the way the bridge fits as much as it is how the temples fit. Parent’s should make sure that both the temples and bridge are fit properly and don’t be afraid to go back in when your child get’s their glasses a little askew “

. . .

Leah sent a follow up note to say: “We found that her advice is perfect – we have cable arms and they are snug enough to help with the ‘slippage.’ He also has the saddle-nose bridge piece. We had to get wire frames to fit alongside the hearing aids, but everything is fitting together very well now!”

Princesses Wear Glasses, by Kristin Ellsworth, illustrated by Christina Turner

UPDATE:  “Princesses Wear Glasses” is now available from Amazon.  It’s bundled with the cape and crown that were included in this giveaway.

The book I’m reviewing, Princesses Wear Glasses, by Kristin Ellsworth, is not available in bookstores or libraries (yet – update, it’s available now).  It is also sold in conjunction with the Peeps Eyewear glasses.  Ellsworth, founder of Peeps Eyewear, wrote the book to accompany the glasses and sent me a copy to review.  And fear not, if you’d like to read the book, read to the end of the review, because she’s doing a giveaway.  She tells me that she’s working on getting the book released separately from the glasses.  And that she’s working on one for boys.

The story is based on one that Ellsworth told her own daughter when she got glasses at age three.   The story is told in rhyme, and follows Annie, a brave and curious princess who is off to do some adventuring.  Oh, and Annie just happens to wear glasses.  This is one of the parts that sets this book off from many others.  Annie is simply introduced as a princess in glasses.  This isn’t a story of starting out in glasses or learning that she needed glasses..  This story takes place after that initial introduction of glasses that most books focus on, instead taking place when the glasses are simply one of the things that she wears.  I think that stories about getting glasses are important, but it’s refreshing to run in to books that feature kids who are already comfortable in their glasses.  Annie is a fun character, and you have to love a princess who goes off on her scooter (wearing helmet and glasses), looking for adventure.

Annie decides to seek out a dragon because she wonders what makes their scales so bright.  Upon finding one, she realizes that the dragon must need glasses, since he is having trouble seeing:

“I’m lost,” the dragon sniffled.
“And I can’t see far away.
It’s hard to fly.  Which way is home?
What an awful day.”

“I’m sorry you’re so sad.
My glasses help me see.
Try this spare pair from my pocket.
Then you’ll see like me.”

The illustrations by Christina Turner are bright and charming.  They often surround the text, an effect that I think is lovely.

The book is small and thin, it’s designed to fit in a box with a pair of glasses (that match Annie’s from the book) and a dress up princess cloak and crown.  If I had any complaint, it would be that it feels like the binding might break.  Though Zoe’s copy has weathered repeated readings just fine, I wouldn’t expect it to hold up well to a baby or young toddler’s readings.

…

So, now for the giveaway! … Author and Peeps glasses creator, Kristin Ellsworth and I, are doing a giveaway of two of the kits that go along with her glasses, and one book without the kit.  The kits include the book, a princess cape, and a crown – great for Halloween or dress up!  To enter, become a fan of Peeps Eyewear facebook page, and then leave a comment here.  Three entries will be drawn at random on October 24th.

Princesses wear glasses kit - the giveaway does not include the glasses, but will include the book, crown, and cloak.

…

Full disclosure, I was given a free copy of this book for review.  That did not impact this review.

…

UPDATE:  I went to random.org to generate random numbers for the giveaway.  Congratulations to Rebecca and Alyssa who won the kits, and Cody B who won the book!

UPDATE #2:  Surprise! Kristin would like to thank every one who participated in the Peeps Eyewear Giveaway,  by sending all of you a copy of the book!   Thanks again for commenting, any feedback on the book is welcome!

• 

  2012 Visions of Home calendar

  Children’s Eye Foundation 2012 Visions of Home Eye Care calendar (this link goes to the store, but you can see the full calendar by clicking the “View the 2012 Calendar” link).  This is a beautiful calendar, featuring images of children, many of whom wear glasses.  Children’s Eye Foundation has run a photo contest each summer since 2009 to find photos for their annual calendar, and this year’s calendar is my favorite so far.  Proceeds from the sale of the calendar support the Children’s Eye Foundation.

• VSP Eye Pledge.  VSP is asking people to take a pledge on their website to take care of their eyesight.  For every pledge they receive, they will donate an eye exam and pair of glasses to a child served by the Boys & Girls Clubs of America.
• Pinterest board – Little Four Eyes.  There’s been a lot of discussion on the facebook group of cute clothes for our kids that are glasses-themed.  Christie has started a Pinterest board of images of such clothes.  Check it out, and feel free to leave links to others you’ve found.
• 

  "A Book Lover"

  Speaking of cute glasses-themed attire…I just today realized that all of my favorite t-shirts from Threadless were created by the same designer, Lim Heng Swee aka “Ilovedoodle”, and that many of his designs feature animals that just happen to wear glasses (and many of them clearly love reading, too).  You can see all of his shirt designs here.