Was your child recently fitted for eyeglasses after visiting the eye doctor? Routine eye exams that are required for school are effective at identifying vision problems in young children. Now that you can send your child to school with the confidence that they can see, how can you help them adjust to wearing glasses? Some children adapt perfectly fine, while others need a bit more encouragement.

Here are a few tips to help your son or daughter adjust to wearing eyeglass at school.

Pick the Best Pair

The first step in helping your child learn to love their spectacles is choosing the right pair from the start! Some parents let their children pick out any pair they want, thinking this will help them ease into the transition. However, the first step is choosing glasses that flatter the shape of your child’s face. From there, your child can choose the color and style that he or she likes best.

Wear Them at Home

You may be tempted to give your child a break from wearing glasses when they are home. But, use this time as practice. Your child might feel a little dizzy at first, especially if they move their eyes a lot. It can be helpful to move the head instead of the eyes when focusing on an object. Fortunately, the dizziness typically goes away in a couple days.

Encourage Ownership

Many children “forget” their glasses at home during the first days of wearing them. Encourage your child to take pride and ownership of this new accessory. The eyeglasses should have a special place where they are kept. Also, purchase a cleaning kit that includes a lens cleaner and scratch-free cloth. Teach your child how to safely clean their frames and lenses. Clean eyewear is always more flattering to wear!

Focus on the Benefits

Remind your child of all the wonderful things that come with wearing glasses. They will be able to see like their friends, which means they can learn easier and perform better on tests. Improved eyesight can also help during sports, music, and art. And, your child won’t have to suffer through headaches or eye pain that are common from straining without glasses.

Most children have no problem adjusting. By the time your child reaches age 10-12, you can consider soft contact lenses. Until then, continue encouraging your child to wear their glasses regularly and embrace this new accessory that will be unique to them!