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First Glasses

Q: My 5-year-old daughter is getting glasses for the first time, and I'm worried that she'll feel different from her friends, or that someone will tease her. I want her to feel confident about herself. Any suggestions?

A: Lucky for your daughter, it's no longer uncool to wear glasses. Among the cool "kids" who wear them: child wizard Harry Potter, Chuckie on Rugrats and Eliza on Nickelodeon's The Wild Thornberrys. Suddenly glasses for kids are hip. (Need more proof: Lenscrafters even has a line of Harry Potter eyewear that comes with a case resembling a leather-bound Hogwarts School book.)

Still, there are things you can do to make getting glasses a positive experience for your daughter. Before she gets her glasses, read her some of the children's books listed on the next page -- all stories of kids getting glasses. Also, point out people who look good in glasses in magazines, on television and in the movies, so she knows she's not alone.

Here's a unique idea: One kindergartener I know had a party at school to celebrate the first day she wore her new glasses. The whole class made their own pairs with pipe-cleaners!

The point is to make your daughter feel special about her new look. Celebrate the day she gets her glasses and treat it as a special occasion to put a positive spin on the event. Your attitude is the most important influence on how your daughter will feel.

But before making a big deal about it, ask your daughter how she feels about getting glasses...she may not mind at all!