Let’s be honest, change is hard! Especially for babies, toddlers, and young children. Finding out you need glasses at any age can be a struggle and convincing your little one to wear their new frames may be a constant struggle in your home. Follow our tips below help encourage your child to keep their new specs on.

Remind yourself that this is normal

Before we talk about your child, we need to address your own feelings. Remember, it is completely normal for your child to resist wearing glasses at first. Imagine you’re adjusting to a new senses, new smells, new experiences, and all the sudden you have these new glasses right on your face, even worse, right over your eyes! Items close to the face can be harder to adjust to, especially with an active toddler who wants to move around and explore. It will take some time for your child to acclimate and remember, that is typical and even expected.

Let them help pick their frame

Once your child is old enough to communicate, let them help pick out their frame style to ensure they feel confident with their new look. Allowing them to be a part of the process ensures the experience is positive and lets them to feel like they have more control of a situation that directly affects them.

Ensure their glasses fit properly

Remember, glasses are a medical device and should be fitted properly by an eyecare professional. If your child is struggling to keep their frames on, there is a chance they might not fit properly. Talk with your trusted eyecare professional to ensure your child’s frame fit correctly so that they’re comfortable and confident in their new specs.

Use our glasses strap or ear locks

Sometimes it’s not that your child doesn’t want to keep the frame on, but that it’s too easily moving around or falling off. Utilizing our Dilli Dalli strap or ear locks can help ensure a better fit for your child and keep their glasses more secure. Our strap and ear locks can even be used together for maximum support!

Take baby steps

The feeling of wearing glasses all day can be tough to get used to right away. Rather than expecting your child to wear them all the time on day 1, set small goals and work your way up. For example, you can start with 10 minutes of wear in the morning for week 1, then add another 10 minutes of wear during week 2, then another 10 minutes during week 3, and so on. Work your way up until your child can wear their glasses for several hours a day. Eventually, your little one will be a pro and may even forget they’re there!

Implement a Reward System

Sometimes giving your child something to work towards provides excellent motivation. Think about setting up a reward system in conjunction with your schedule. Stickers are a fun, affordable option when rewarding a child but you know your little one best. Choose a reward you know they’ll appreciate. If that reward is bigger and its unreasonable to award it to them each day, have them work their way up to it. For every day they do wear their glasses, they get that much closer to their reward and in turn, to wearing their glasses more often! This might not work for your family and that’s okay. If you’re uncomfortable with a reward system, focus on our other tips. Our guide is flexible, and we encourage you to use it as much or as little as you’d like.

Be Consistent (& Supportive!)

Be consistent with whatever schedule you set for your child to wear their glasses each day. Schedules provide needed structure for children, and the more you incorporate their glasses into their day consistently, the easier it’ll be for them to adjust. On the flip side, be sure to keep up with a rewards system if you start one! Most importantly, don’t forget to provide encouragement! When you child successfully wears their frames (even if it’s only 10 minutes), let them know they did a great job. Positive reinforcement is a powerful motivator and helps your child build up their confidence as they adjust to their new look.

Remember, you’re never alone. Dilli Dalli is here to support you and your family throughout your vision journey. Reach out to us at info@dillidalli.com if you need assistance, advice, or just want to share a sweet photo of your little one. Don’t forget to enter your little one into our weekly #DilliDalliKids photo contest for a chance to win! All you need to do is post a picture of your child rocking their Dilli Dalli frames to Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter, use the hashtag #DilliDalliKids or tag us @DilliDallieyewear, and that’s it! The more photos you submit for entry, the more chances you have to win, so show us those Dilli Dalli smiles and funny faces today!