People naturally take care of things they value, even kids will be extra careful with a toy they especially love. Glasses help your child see better, and can cost parents quite a bit, but how do you help them see the value? You still have to teach your child the proper way of taking care of their new eyeglasses and it has to be the child’s responsibility to learn and follow a protocol of care to prevent them from being accidentally scratched or broken. Here are some eyeglass care tips your children can be taught at home.
Cases
Purchase more than one case for their eyeglasses. You definitely want a hard shell for your child to place eyeglasses in if they carry a backpack full of books. Soft cases protect from scratches, but offer little impact protection. A sturdy hinged hard shell case for eyeglasses can protect the eyewear from bumps, scrapes, and falls. An extra case should be kept in a school locker, at the bedside, and perhaps in the bathroom for showering or bathing. Easy access to eyeglass cases helps prevent accidents.
Sports Glasses
If your child insists on fashion frames for daily wear, purchasing another pair made for wearing during play, sports, or gym class is important. The frames are made to be sturdier, and the lenses are designed to take impact without shattering. Of course, all children’s eyewear should be made of shatter-resistant plastics and you can ask places like Identity Optical what materials they might recommend. Attach an eyewear retainer to the earpieces to keep the glasses from falling off during sporting activities or play. Eyewear retainers are great for some children to use all of the time.
Follow Eyewear Care Protocols
Helping your child take care of eyeglasses is like helping them take care of their teeth. You have to show them how, and you have to be insistent about following the same ritualistic routines every day. After sufficient repetition, a pattern is formed that will stick with your child into adulthood. Establish a daily cleaning ritual using a cleaner and microfiber cloth. Be sure to instruct them never to use paper products that can scratch the lenses. Also, insist that glasses be placed into a protective case whenever they are not being worn. This includes when showering or going to bed.
Just like with any new thing in life, it takes some time before it becomes routine. Teach and insist on good eyeglass wearing protocols and that good care be followed from the beginning. Some kids may take a bit longer to get used to wearing glasses. They feel funny on the nose and ears for a few days and can actually be uncomfortable at first. The joy of seeing things more clearly gives those new eyeglasses value to your child, but you just need to help them follow a routine for keeping them safe and clean for a few weeks until they are doing it on their own.
