How to encourage 2 yr old to wear glasses ?

[RachD]

Ds 22 mths has a bad squint.

Has had glasses for over 2 weeks now.

He looks nearly as cute as 'luckykate's litle one.

Have tried to gently introduce them to him.
He was very keen on them the first day.

Since then, when I suggest that he has a story and say " lets get your glasses, mummy's wearing hers" he doesn't want to know , struggles, so I have given up.

My mum said, don't fall into the trap of making it negative, i.e. don't say "no glasses, no story", because that won't help.

But he hasn't worn them for days and should be wearing them all the time.

What should I do ?

[clary]

You just have to persist Rachd.
I know a number of people who have had very small children with glasses and in the end they will get the idea, but they have been through the whole thing of child taking them off, breaking them etc.
How about making it positive, has he got any little friends who wear glasses, or fave characters (eg Harry Potter (he?s a bit young tho!), Josie Jump, Postman Pat etc?

[frogs]

I've had this with dd1. Had we caught it earlier (she had lazy eye, so less noticeable than a squint) her eyesight would not be so poor now. There is a window of opportunity where these things can be corrected -- once they get older, it may be too late.

You get a child to wear his or her glasses the same way you get a child to do or not do anything else that is important to you: by making it entirely clear that it is completely non-negotiable, you are the grownup and here's how it's going to be. If he tantrums about it, you ride it out. After a few days' fuss he'll realise you mean business and get used to his glasses the same way he got used to wearing shoes.

You wouldn't give in to a diabetic 2yo who didn't want his insulin injections; in the same way you need to make it clear that he has to wear his glasses just like he has to wear clothes. Not up for discussion. If you wait for him to come round to the idea of his own accord you could be waiting a very long time, and his eyesight could be permanently damaged.

[RachD]

Thank you both.
Yes I know I must persist.
But shall I do it in a fun way, or shall I do it in a more non-negotiable way as frogs suggests ?

Funny that frogs should mention diabetes, as I am a diabetic since aged 1, so for 31 years !!

Trouble is clary, ds doesn't have any friends with glasses.
Only mummy - whose glasses he loves.
And he has no interest in tv at all - apart from football and emerdale music !!

What shall I do....
Gentle encouragement or no-nonsense - you will wear them !!!

Decisions, decisions ?

[frogs]

You can try gentle encouragement, but what will you do if he won't go for it? Or goes along with it sometimes and not others? Best to start as you mean to go on IMO: 'The doctor says you've got to wear them' is a good way of shifting the blame away from yourself -- then he can hate the Dr instead of you.

[frogs]

Also, glasses are, frankly, the least intrusive of the ways of treating squint, and highly effective IF worn consistently. After that, you're into the realms of patching, which is a whole different level of hassle, particularly as the child is likely to be older then and more aware of others' reactions. And after that, it's surgery.

I know at least two other people whose child's eyesight has been permanently affected by sight problems that were not diagnosed/treated early enough. You've got the chance to preserve your son's eyesight and (with luck) protect him from more unpleasant forms of treatment. A few days of sulks and strops is a small price to pay.

[frogs]

And rewards, obviously -- stickers, toy cars, whatever floats his boat. I only wish I'd had the chance to prevent my dd1's eyes getting to the state they're currently in.

[RachD]

Thank you frogs, I will talk to dh about it.
We should nip it in the bud, to prevent future, more damaging (emotionally) treatments.

[Miaou]

I second frogs on this - in fact I'm probably one of the people she is thinking of!! I have a dd who had a severe squint that was not picked up early enough - she now has to wear glasses permanently and the sight in her bad eye is still so poor that her brain ignores it entirely

Why not try breaking the day up into little sections of half an hour each - for each half an hour he wears them, he gets a sticker, for each whole morning/afternoon he wears them he gets a treat, all accompanied by lots of praise.

[Tortington]

also stuff to boost his self esteem - so the doctor can be the baddy - good idea frogs, but then you can think of cheery up stuff so things like fancy string things ( he maybe too young?) to hold the glasses - stickers to cover the glasses case

can you get hold of a chucky teddy from rug rats e wears glasses.

can you get some glasses to put on a teddy them " you can both put them away in the case at bedtime" or " right you and teddy time for glasses, you will help teddy won't you? sometimes he doesn't like them and he needs you to give him a love" kinda thing.

you could also get posters of whoever he likes off the telly - and get some craft stuff - some glue and glitter and paper and make glasses to put on them all then put the posters up in his room

also a lot of "oh my word, i wish i could have glasses like you. you look so handsome, i think the colour is fab - what colour do you think i coudl have ? right then i'm going to see if i can get some" so which he will prolly tell you you can't
to giggles from him kinda thing!

[RachD]

Thank you for your suggestions.

I want to somehow get the middle ground between making it fun and encouraging him.
But so far he hasn't really responded to this.
But it is early days.
Another part of me agrees with frogs and thinks, right, lets just tell him that this is the way it is.
But I don't want him to become so negative that he refuses and hates them etc etc.

It's such a fine line, isn't it .