The dreaded talks with your kids. It can be awkward but it can also promote bonding (in my experience at least). My mom really didn’t talk to me about some of the tougher issues, but I did learn from friends. That may or may not have been a good thing 🙂
It was interesting to read through the Daily Talk (by Bausch & Lomb) to get ideas on how to approach your kids with some of the tougher subjects. I was surprised about what they consider hard subjects to talk about, but it actually makes sense. Most of us moms are more at ease discussing the ‘birds and the bees’, drugs and alcohol than talking about things that might affect our children’s self-esteem.
As kids enter their teen years, physical appearances become increasingly important as kids begin to encounter issues with self-esteem tied to their outward appearance. While mom may be reluctant to allow a child to transition to the use of makeup or even contact lenses, a recent academic study revealed that 68 percent of tweens (ages 10-12) and 65 percent of teens reported improved levels of performance in all activities after wearing contact lenses.2 Medical experts also agree that they have seen a positive change in the overall health and performance of teens after wearing contacts versus glasses.
I remember when I was a teen – I suffered from a moderate amount of acne, and I also needed corrective lenses. Two whammies that left me feeling extremely self-conscious. I told my mom that I would not wear glasses….I just refused. Luckily for me, she understood, as when she was in elementary school (back in the 1930’s) she wore glasses and was teased relentlessly. Of course the glasses of today are much more pleasing aesthetically, but there is still that stigma. She and I were able to openly talk about the options, and we decided that contact lenses would be right for me. We also didn’t want my school work to suffer as a result of me not being able to see the chalkboard (if I didn’t have glasses OR contacts). She also took me to a dermatologist and my acne cleared up.
Luckily my daughter and I have a very close relationship and she feels comfortable talking to me about anything. When she was 13, her eye doctor discovered that she needed corrective lenses. Unfortunately she got her bad eyesight from me. I knew right then and there that she could make the choice between glasses and contacts. Of course we consulted with the optometrist first, to make sure she could wear contacts. Since she was (and still is) an extremely mature teen, I knew she could make this decision herself, and I also knew that she would be responsible enough to handle and take care of contacts.
She chose to get contacts, and also chose a pair of glasses to wear in the evenings. What I didn’t expect was for her to be comfortable to sometimes wear her glasses while out with friends too. I was impressed and glad to know that she was confident enough to wear her glasses outside the home.
One thing I do worry about is the health of her eyes. I want to know that we are getting her the best possible lenses we can. I want her eyes to be able to breathe, and I don’t want her to wear any one set of contacts for a long period of time. One solution is . She happens to love them, and I happen to be a pretty happy mom. I know that she is not damaging her eyes due to wearing one pair for too long.
Do your teens wear glasses or contacts? Did you let them decide which they wanted? What subjects do you find to be the most difficult to talk about with your teen?
*I wrote this review while participating in a Test Drive by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Bausch + Lomb and received Soflens daily disposables to facilitate my review and a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.
