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"Four Eyes": Preparing little ones for teasing...

devilot said:
:shrug: By the second grade, a bunch of people in my age group were wearing glasses, I really don't think most people were ever teased (only the ones that probably would have been teased even if they weren't wearing glasses 😱).
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I think this is true - I had it ripped out of me, but it wasn't specifically about the glasses, just wide ranging geekiness. 😛

See how he gets on, he might well be ok, and you might find they aren't that bothered about it. I think kids see certain people as 'cool' or 'not cool', for various reasons rather than due to one thing.
 
My daughter's been in glasses since the third grade - now finishing sixth grade. She hasn't reported any teasing. These days they just move on to sexual harrassment.
 
Is there a visible minority in the class? They'll probably pick on him instead. We're waaaaay beyond the "geek in glasses" age. You're a geek if you don't have a Nintendo DS or something.
 
blackfox said:
ah, but can you really put a price on a child's self-esteem?
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True. You can't spend a fortune, because those glasses likely won't last too horribly long (if for no other reason because he'll outgrow them). But you can't get the cheapest, ugliest pair either. Let him help pick, and it'll make a huge difference.
 
I didn't get glasses until the second grade. Dorky, black nylon unbreakable type '60s frames (well, understandably, 'coz it WAS the '60's)

It was infinitely preferable to puking every week from the eyestrain of trying to see the chalkboard.

I never knew before then that you could actually see a TV screen from the other side of the room.

Prior, I recognized my friends on the street by the colour of their lunchboxes, as I could see the coloured blob, but couldn't make out any faces half a block away.
 
I got glasses in the second grade. They were the geeky big, brown plastic square frames that covered like half of my face. I don't recall getting harrassed right away. But recall a few times getting harrassed by the class bully in 4th or 5th grade, but then he picked on everyone. I used to get angry at first, but then just learned to ignore it or come up with some stupid comeback (like four eyes are better than two or something lame like that).

Honestly, with the number of kids that need glasses these days I would suspect that the teasing will be minimal. If it does come then he can work on ways to ignore it, or at least get a good support group of friends at the new school.
 
When I first got glasses everyone thought they were cool and wanted to try them on.. 😎 but then again, I was in the 8th grade when I first stared wearing them.
 
balamw said:
Good to know. I didn't expect it to be too bad, but I know it will come up at some point. Kids will be kids and they will resort to name calling at some point in playground battles, and they'll pick on whatever they can.

B
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Well a lot of people wear glasses today and the 4eyes came a long time ago before frams began to be a litlte more stylistion and just didnot look good.

Also I would not cheap out on cost to give up looks because it for protecting selfestem and if you kid doesnt like them then he not going to wear them.
I been wearing glasses since 5th grade and I am 23 now and just replace my glasses. from my first pair cost was never an object for my parents in picking out my frams. They know if I didnt like how they look I wouldnt wear them. I would look into getting him some type of durible frams that cost extra but can take more of a pounding. To add to the cost issue and it should not be a reason not to pick out some frams is your kid going to wear them every day so they will get a lot of use out of them. I know I am older but it is a huge part of the reason my current frams where 220 over me paying 140 for cheaper frames. The 220 ones just look a lot better plus they are made of higher quility matterinal only thing I dont like about it they are made by Okaly and so that O is always on them but it minor and you cann tell useless you know. Plus they look the best.

Also I would say both you and his mother should no wear your contact around him for a while or around the house. Wear you glasses as well so he can see they are not bad. For the most part a lot of kids wear glasses and if he has problems just start pointing out adults who have them on. Heck I wear my glasses more offen than I wear my contacts. Contacts for me are mostly only when I play sports or am going to be driving long distances.
 
<----Optician that specializes in children's eyewear

The great thing about your situation is at 5 and 6 years old, children are more inquisitive than they are ruthless. His peers are more likely to ask a lot of question about why he's wearing them rather than making fun of him. Your best approach is to educate your son on why he need to wear glasses so he'll have the proper response (clever or otherwise). Once it becomes the norm the glasses will become non-issue. Another thing you have going for you is the growing awareness parents have these days when it comes to their children's well being. If memory serves me correctly (and these are accorging to statistics, so take it for what it's worth) 1 in 5 children under the age of 5 have some sort of occular health issue that requires vision correction of one form or another. It's a pretty safe bet that your son will not be the first time his peers sees someone their age in specs... further reducing any ribbing he may receive. Lastly, we live in an age where glasses are cool now. With the right attitude they can easily be in the same catagory as cool shoes rather than crutches. When it comes time to pic out frames, make it fun for him. Get him excited about glasses and he will wear them with confidence.

Hope this helps
 
BakedBeans said:
send him in with a piece of 4x4.... and draw some fake tattoos on his forhead (maybe the number of people he has hit with his stick for calling him stuff)

no....


ok then...
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ROFLMAO! I'm working w/ kids this summer in a creative arts program @ GMU. The very first kid I see get teased, he and I are going down to the construction site to get him a plank of wood and a permanent marker. Maybe we can borrow a bandana... I'm still chuckling. It was that funny.
 
I got my 1st pair in the 6th grade but never wear them because i hated them....all through my teens i was seeing blurry until the pain from eyes went up into my brain.....had to get glasses then....now i wear them everyday.


Bless
 
When I was in elementary school, (I am in 9th grade now) no one ever really made fun of people with glasses.

And Sticks and Stones will brake my bones- but words will never hurt is not politically correct anymore, I hate to break it to you.


IN 9TH GRADE they are teaching us...

Sticks and Stones will break my bones but names.... still hurt

(names hurt)


"Sticks and Stones May Break My Bones -- And Words Can Hurt, Too"
 
I have 5-yr old sons, identical twins, and both have worn (and destroyed) glasses for 2+ yrs. And FWIW, one has a peanut allergy too. Now in their third year of preschool, neither has had anything bad to say about their 4-eyed experience so far. Only the peanut thing has made Aidan feel awkward, but he always gets a special snack and that seems to create interest rather than bad reactions from other kids. Seriously, I don't think it's a big deal anymore.

I remember the beginning of my third grade, and the school nurse came into my classroom to specifically berate me for not wearing my glasses. That was humiliating - really humiliating at the time and I remember it well. But I never caught grief from other kids. Only that severely rude nurse. That reminds me... is there a statute of limitations on school nurse retribution? Any ideas?
 
CompUser said:
When I was in elementary school, (I am in 9th grade now) no one ever really made fun of people with glasses.

And Sticks and Stones will brake my bones- but words will never hurt is not politically correct anymore, I hate to break it to you.


IN 9TH GRADE they are teaching us...

Sticks and Stones will break my bones but names.... still hurt

(names hurt)


"Sticks and Stones May Break My Bones -- And Words Can Hurt, Too"
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Kids these days are such sissies. Don't know how to take name-calling.... 🙄 😉 😀
 
"I can take my glasses off, but you're stuck with that face."
or
"I can replace my glasses, but you're still stupid."
or
"My lenses are thinner than the dirt on your momma's..."
Oh wait, he is only 5 😀

Seriously the Superman and Daredevil stuff is pretty good, or find another role model with glasses
steve1.jpg


If all else fails, get him involved in something like Aikido. Build self confidence, not rely on eye sight, learn respect and patience, and if all else fails, kick the bully's ass. 😱
 
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