Inside: Help your child who hates losing learn how to lose gracefully without the fits of anger and disappointment.  

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“I’m going to win! I’m going to win”  My 8-year-old beams from the other side of the table.

With the game board covered in trains and cards strewn all over the floor, we’re almost done playing our new game, Ticket to Ride.

My son is ahead in points and he’s downright giddy.

My husband pipes up, “okay, I’m out of trains, it’s time to count up our points.”

We start counting and moving our pieces around the board with each point we’ve made.

Then it happens.  My son stops counting, he’s done, and I keep going and end up passing him by 10 points.

He looks at me.  “Mom!  How did you do that?!  I was winning!!”

Tears well up in his eyes as he yells “I’ve lost!  I’ve lost!”

He sits on the couch behind him, arms crossed, huffing, and glaring at me.

I tempt fate and go sit quietly next to him and I put my arm around his shoulders and gently pull him closer to me.

He pulls away and growls “I’m such a loser.”

Man, this child hates to lose.

Sigh.  

I put my hand on his back and say “I’m so sorry you’re upset that you didn’t win.  You played really well and you thought for sure you were going to beat us all.  Now you’re disappointed.”

“Yes! I’m disappointed!  I wanted to win!” my son says through clenched teeth.

“Okay buddy, let’s talk about this. There were 4 players and you came in second place, that’s pretty good.  You also had a really fun time playing the game and you really thought you were going to win.  It can be so frustrating when things don’t turn out the way you expect.  I understand you’re mad.

You’ll get better as you play more, and you’ll win soon.

Tell me, did you have fun playing?”

He sighs, “Yea, I like the game.  I just wish I could have won.”

“I hear you buddy, would you like to play again and keep trying?”

He heads over to the board and starts clearing off the pieces and quietly responds with, “Yea, I’d like that.”

This is a VAST improvement from his usual response of yelling, crying, and running to his room in a huff.

My son is a perfectionist and losing is hard for him, but it’s something we’ve been working really hard on.

Helping A Child Who Hates Losing

Losing gracefully without big explosions of anger and frustration is hard for kids, especially for kids who are always striving to be perfect.

But as parents, there are things we can do to help our children handle the defeat well, without getting angry ourselves.

Demonstrate Healthy Reactions

Teaching by example is one of the simplest and most effective ways to help children control their reactions to losses.

Let them see you overcome disappointment, congratulate winners, and hold your head up high when you find yourself in defeat.

Point out how well the winner played and also the things you were proud of in your own performance.

Don’t Always Let Them Win

Many parents make a point to allow their kids to win to help build their self-confidence.

Though this can be a good approach on occasion, children can’t learn how to lose gracefully if they never experience disappointment.

Once they are out in the “real world”, there will come a point where they aren’t going to come out on top and that can be a tough lesson to learn on the fly.

Now, don’t pummel them every time they win, they need to learn how to be a good winner too.  But, a loss from time to time will help them learn how to lose gracefully.

Analyze without Blame

Spend a little time talking about why they lost the game or match and what they could have done better.

Focus on places that they can improve and praise the strengths of the winner without being accusatory.

Teach Them The Power of “Yet” and How to Get Into A Growth Mindset

“Yet” is one of the most powerful words in English Dictionary.

When my son yells something like “I can’t win!”  I just reply with “Yet!  You can’t win,  yet.”

Yet is where we start to understand that we can accomplish things we just aren’t quite there yet.

Teach your children the power of “yet,” and that with effort and practice, they will be able to master the game (or math problem, cartwheel, or any other hard thing).

One of the best resources I’ve found to teach children about Growth Mindset and the power of yet is the Big Life Journal. It’s a Growth Mindset Journal for kids.

The 5-day challenges are pretty amazing too.

These challenges helped my son learn the power of “yet,” which is why he was ready to try again when he lost Ticket to Ride the first time.

As he sat up the board again for the next game, we talked about strategy and why I had won the last time.

He’d be happy to tell you that in that second game, he legitimately beat me by 14 points.

He was able to win because he didn’t give up and he learned from his previous loss.

More for you:

• In Defense of the Loud Spicy Family
• 6 Parenting Books That Will Change The Way You See Your Kids
• The Most Powerful Response When Your Child is Inconsolable. 

 

Inside: Learn the best ways to stop a power struggle in its tracks and prevent them from happening in the future.

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“Hey buddy, can you please clean that stuff off the stairs so people don’t hurt themselves?”  My friend makes a simple request to her 6-year-old son.

He looks at her, giggles, says “Nope, I’m going outside!” and runs towards the back door.

My friend looks at me, surprise, embarrassed, and annoyed all at the same time.  She gets up and calmly follows behind

She catches up to him by the door.

He laughs and says “No! I don’t want to!  I want to go OUTSIDE!!”

Sitting on the couch on the other side of the room, I can feel the tension rising and it’s getting uncomfortable.

They’re in a battle and neither one of them are letting go.  They both need to win…

Her son continues to yell and say things like “no,” “you can’t make me!”  and “I don’t want to.”

She takes a deep breath and does the most miraculous thing.

She tickles him!

Seriously…she’s fighting with her child and she tickles him.  That’s not the normal reaction parents have when their child is yelling at them.

“I know you don’t want to clean the stairs!” she says as she continues to tickle him.

I giggled a bit, waiting to see what she does next because this isn’t normal.

 

Then she does the most miraculous thing, she hugs him and simply says,  “Hey buddy, I know you really want to go outside and play, and you can go.  But first, it’s important that you pick up the toys so they don’t hurt anyone.  As soon as the toys are picked up, you can go play outside.”

I held my breath, waiting to see how he’d respond.

He giggles and walks over to the steps and picked up the toys.

“Thank you!” my friend calls from the bottom of the stairs.

She looked at me with relief in her eyes. “I’m glad that worked.”

My friend and her son end up in power struggles all the time, and she’s been working very hard on learning how to prevent and stop them from happening.

It’s so easy to end up in power struggles with kids.

How Power Struggles Begin

Everyone, including children, has a need for power and control over their lives.  It’s part of being human.

It’s comforting to know that we get to make choices and have some sort of control over how we live our life.

But children get very little control over their lives.  We tell them when to eat, what to eat, when to sleep, when it’s time to leave the house, what to wear…the list goes on and on.

When children feel a lack of control, they dig in their heals and fight back.  They try to get some of that control back.

Instinctively when this happens, parents dig in even more because they don’t want to lose control of their children.

And that’s when a power struggle begins.

What we, as parents, really need to do is give children space to make their own decisions, and to become more flexible instead of more rigid.

But that’s so hard to do!

How do we give children control without throwing all of our rules and expectations out the window?

Break Free From A Power Struggle

Yes, children need some control, but they still very much need rules and boundaries too.

So how do you give your child some power while staying within those boundaries?

Well, that’s the trick.

My friend did this amazingly well, and here’s why it worked.

Break the Tension with Humor

My friend was neck deep in a power struggle, and everyone in that room could feel it.

Both sides felt like they needed to win and neither one was backing down.

Nothing good happens when you’re in the middle of a power struggle like this.

One of two things will always happen:

• you’ll end up yelling at your child and there will be tears, screaming, and angry words thrown at each other, or
• your child will get their way and will know that all he has to do is put up a fight to get what he wants.  Then there will be even more power struggles in your future.

So what do you do?

Well…you do what my friend did.  You break the tension.

This is exactly what happened when she tickled her son.  It was so unexpected that he didn’t know how to respond.

But the tension was broken, and she was able to get him to listen to her.

Then she pulled this magical phrase out of her hat.

Say Yes…while saying no.

Instead of saying “no, you can’t go outside and play until this mess is cleaned up,”   she said YES! “Yes, you can go outside and play, but not until you pick up first.”

The message is the same, but the tone is different.

Children automatically want to fight back when they hear the word “no” because it feels like we’re taking their power away.  And we are.

You’ll get a lot more cooperation if you say “yes.”

Now, don’t get me wrong, kids need to hear “no” sometimes.  There are times when it’s appropriate to put your foot down and draw a hard line in the sand, but when “no” is all your child hears, it’s inevitable that they’ll start saying “no” right back at you.

So save the “no” for things that are really important and make “yes” your go-to response.

I know this all sounds counter-intuitive.  We’re the parents, our children should just listen the first time.  But trust me, you’ll have such a calmer and happier home if learn to work with your children instead of against them.

Take it from my badass friend, the mighty power struggle doesn’t have to rule your life.

You too can get a child to comply without the battle.

3 More Magical Ways To Avoid Power Struggles…

• Help your children feel powerful by giving lots of choices throughout the day 
• Lead with empathy so your child feels heard and understood.  They’ll be a lot less likely to fight back when they feel like someone “gets it.”
• Build daily routines so your child knows what’s coming next.

Inside: Find the Best Books for New Parents.  You only three you really need…you can chunk the rest.  This post contains affiliate links.

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My last “baby” is six years old.

I’m far from being a newborn mom.

But I am a brand new auntie, so I signed up for one night of swaddles and diapers and shushing so my sister could sleep a little.

It was a gift to spend that night with my niece. But snuggling her took me back to the tough days of no sleep, struggling with breastfeeding, and not being productive because I had to constantly rock my babies or they’d cry.

And it brought back the rush of emotions too: fear and uncertainty and a lack of confidence in knowing how to help my baby, coupled with an intense and fierce love for this human I brought into the world.

When I was in the thick of the infant days, I was so overwhelmed.

And I quickly realized I couldn’t do it on my own.

I needed other mom friends, my own mom, and well-researched parenting books to get me through the months of those sleep-deprived, emotional newborn days.

But with so many parenting books out there, I didn’t know which ones to choose.

And frankly, I was too tired to choose.

So I relied on my girlfriends to tell me what to read so I could be a better mom to my babies.

And after weeding through books that made us feel guilty or scared, we found the gems.

We found the books that made being a mom easier and more enjoyable, even if we weren’t sleeping through the nights anymore and had sore nipples.

Here’s our list of must-read newborn parenting books that will make your life easier so you can enjoy the days-and nights-with your infant.

The Best Book for New Parents To Soothe Their Newborn

When I was a first-time mom, I had no clue how to soothe a crying baby.

I was worried I wouldn’t know what to do or when to do it and I hated knowing she was uncomfortable because I felt helpless to comfort her.

So I turned to Harvey Karp’s Happiest Baby on the Block.

The Happiest Baby on the Block

It was hands-down, the most enlightening parenting book I read as a mom.

Karp describes the first three months of a newborn’s life as the “fourth trimester.” And with that revelation, he encourages new parents to recreate a womb-like atmosphere to comfort babies.

The book helped us create what babies need by introducing us to the 5 S’s: sushing, sucking, swinging, swaddling and being on their side or stomach to emulate their time in the womb.

And if my husband and I did any combination of these 5 things, our daughter would instantly calm down. She would be at peace.

And we weren’t left wondering why she was screaming at 2 am.

Don’t have time to sit and read an entire book? Now, there’s a DVD for parents to watch, which is a perfect way to stay awake during those middle of the night feedings.

The Best Book for New Parents to Understand Their Baby

But what to do when the 5S’s just won’t cut it anymore?

There’s a new book on the market that is half science, half magic, called The Wonder Weeks.

The Wonder Weeks

With sleep deprivation and worries if they’re getting enough milk, getting the right amount of sleep, or if they’re growing properly, parenting a newborn is overwhelming.

Parents are constantly wondering, ‘Why can’t I just put you down so I can sleep, or eat, or actually shower?’

It’s so easy to worry with ‘mom guilt’ that we’re not doing ‘enough’ as moms.

And then there are the times when our babies seem extra inconsolable. Extra miserable. Extra everything. 

It makes the days and nights even longer.

The Wonder Weeks book explains babies’ extra fussy episodes as growth weeks or “wonder weeks.”

These weeks come at very predictable intervals (like at 5 weeks old and 8 weeks old) and explains what your baby is experiencing and why they’re uncomfortable.

Since there’s a logical reason behind their need for extra comfort, it has the power to change parents’ perceptions. The baby isn’t fussy and screaming just because. They’re uncomfortable and scared and unsure of what is happening to their world.

Knowing this empowers parents to be more patient, to have more empathy towards their baby, and to be more willing to provide the extra comfort needed during these wonder weeks of growth and change.

The Best Book for New Parents So Everyone Gets Sleep

I can’t lie. The early little to no-sleep days with my newborns were not my finest parenting moments. I don’t function well with poor, interrupted sleep.

It makes me cranky, easily frustrated, and sucks the patience right out of me. Which doesn’t bode well if you’re also having to parent toddlers at the same time.

I had to sleep train my babies for my own sanity. And for everyone’s safety.

They needed sleep. But I needed the sleep more.

The Sleepeasy Solution was my saving grace.

The Sleepeasy Solution: The Exhausted Parent’s Guide to Getting Your Child to Sleep from Birth to Age 5

I had read that parents can start to “sleep train” babies between 5-10 months, but I had no clue how to do it.

And if you search for it, there’s a myriad of ways to sleep train a baby.

It’s incredibly overwhelming to figure out who to listen to and what is the “right” way to do sleep train.

For us, it was The Sleepeasy Solution because it was the middle of the road intensity level of sleep training that my family needed.

And it saved us all.

I went from having to bounce my babies all night long sitting on an exercise ball, to putting them down and gently teaching them to soothe themselves to sleep.

They became better sleepers and I became a happier mom who was able to function and enjoy them during the day more.

Because let’s face it. The newborn days are hard. We all need help to make them a little easier.

And that will allow us to focus on the really important task at hand.

Getting to know our babies and falling in love with them even more.

Find other great books here:

• 6 Parenting Books That Will Change The Way You See Your Kids
• 4 Books That Will Enhance A Mother’s Life
• The Best Self-Help Books For Women You Won’t Want To Put Down
• Parenting Toddlers Without Losing Your Mind: 4 Books You Need To Own NOW!

My son’s behavior went from fairly normal, to downright concerning and disruptive this past fall.

My husband and I were frustrated and confused about what he might need.

It felt like each morning we woke up to fight a battle of getting ready, then after school, what used to be a peaceful time was punctuated with harsh voices and misunderstanding.

Thankfully, one small change made all the difference.

It just took a few small habit changes.

We wondered if our son needed a drastic change like a new school or counseling, but after a long conversation and some (uncomfortable) self-reflection, we decided to start with something simple.

We looked at where we could add back in more connection to our family life.

The fall had been extremely busy and between a large class size at school and two working parents with big projects taking their toll on our time, we realized my son was spending most days having far less connection than usual to us and other caring adults.

We had gradually let family dinners slip away on most nights, and as my son’s temper grew, we started “just getting through” the morning and afternoon instead of making any time to reconnect.

We decided then that our first step would be to work on getting back to our regular dinners together.

Along with that I went back to a long time habit of having a conversation starter ready for chatting when we were in the car, and finally, my husband and I committed to looking for those little often overlooked chances that arise during family life (maybe while doing dishes or before bed) to chat with just him.

These few, fairly small, adjustments brought about big change.

The black cloud that had been floating around our family started to lift. I realized that once again connection had been the answer.

Often when I feel worried and unsure what to do, this is the case. Even if connection doesn’t fix everything, it at least gives me a stronger sense of the next steps I need to take.

Sometimes it feels too simple, but when our family life is feeling ‘off’ the first place to look is at connections with one another.

Maybe it sounds like a little reconnection would benefit your family too?

The good news is it doesn’t have to be complicated.

As I state in my book Bounceback Parenting: A Field Guide for Creating Connection Not Perfection,  it’s normal for connection to ebb and flow in families, and when you realize your connection is at a low, you can shift your habits to reconnection. This is because connection happens more in your everyday habits than in big events.

Connection is more of a practice.

Connection is a part of everyday life through the way you interact during mundane tasks like making lunches, reviewing homework together, or waiting at the dentist.

As my brother says, “Ninety percent of relationship is in showing up and just doing life together.”

When you stop looking at connection as a special event and instead think of it as a practice, you see that you have countless practice opportunities.

You Can Find Connection:

In the way you greet the people you love and the way you say goodbye.

In having curiosity, listening openly, and seeing your child as a person who can contribute to the conversation.

In pausing to do something at your child’s pace, even when it doesn’t feel convenient.

In the moment you take a deep breath and give a true apology, letting your child see you are vulnerable.

And any time you laugh together.

The practice of connection may include something big, like a birthday party or a graduation celebration, but it is practiced more frequently in day-to-day interactions when we notice the moment just as it is, and the people who are with us—whole and loved, just as they are.

Connection isn’t about getting all these things right.

The truth is, building connection and trust into our family lives will look different for each of us.

It’s not about neglecting your own needs or doing only what your kids want. It’s about finding the ways to

connect that work in your family and transforming your days by trying these ways to connect over and over again.

And when you can reinvigorate the connection in your family, everything else gets easier.

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Alissa Marquess is a mom to three, the founder of Bounceback Parenting and the author of Bounceback Parenting: A Field Guide for Creating Connection, Not Perfection. She helps parents build loving, resilient relationships with their kids without the guilt. Online and in popular coaching sessions, she’s been inspiring millions of parents around the world since 2010.

Inside: Discover everything to need to know when you realize that “my child needs glasses.”  From the emotional guilt to finding the right frames, this covers it all!  This post contains affiliate links

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The optometrist looks in my 3 year old’s eyes, “Wow, I’m glad you brought him in.”

I stand there looking at my son…my little boy, thoughts swirling in my head.

What does that mean?  How bad is it? Can he really not see?

It didn’t take long before I saw just how bad it was.

She puts up a picture the size of the big E on adult eye charts and asks him to tell her what it is.  He leans forward, squints, and says “A square?”

My heart sinks, I can feel the air escaping my lungs as I look up at the picture of a birthday cake.

Oh-my-gosh, he really can’t see.  My baby can’t see.

As the exam ends, the Dr looks at me and says.  “Your son will need to wear glasses full time.  Right now he can only see about 6 inches in front of his face, and even that isn’t very clear.  But the glasses will allow him to see birds, mountains, and leaves on trees, things he’s never seen before. His whole world is about to change!”

Tears prickled in my eyes, and a sudden surge of guilt hits me so hard I have to catch my breath.

I push back my tears and thank her profusely.

How did I not know it was this bad?  I just got tired of telling him to sit back when we read books together, that’s the only hint I had that he might have vision problems.  How could I not know he couldn’t see?!

Stepping out of her office, I see the one corner of the room with the YOUTH GLASSES sign and walked over.  There were so many to choose from, yet none of them seemed small enough for him.

I only started wearing glasses after my last pregnancy, I have no idea what to get a 3-year-old.

Through my shock, a nice lady helps us pick out frames, I paid then went to the car and tried to hold back my tears so he wouldn’t know.  How could I have not known?!

I went home and Googled everything I could find about kids and glasses.  There was so much information about choices in frames, how to measure to get the right fit, and what exactly his prescription meant.

I was surprised at how overwhelming it all felt.  It’s just glasses, millions of kids need them.  Why was this so hard?

Looking back, I wish I had a guide, someone to tell me how to navigate these waters and tell me that it was normal to feel sad and guilty.

It’s been a few years since that morning at the eye doctor and my guilt has subsided. I’m confident that he’s in frames that fit, and my son loves his magic glasses.

I’ve learned a lot along the way, but there are several things I wish I had known before I knew my child needed glasses.

Sizing and Frames

Finding the right size, brand, and type of frames for my son was a lot harder than I expected it to be.

The problem is that there’s just so much information and too many choices in frames.  I got overwhelmed trying to decide what was right for my son.

So here’s what I’ve learned…

Find Your Kid’s Size

That nice lady I mentioned above…she had no idea how to properly size and measure kids for glasses.

After talking with other parents, I’ve discovered that this is pretty common in your run of the mill frames shop.

Kids are always growing and you can just pick up any sized frames and go.  It’s important that the fit is right so they get the most out of their prescription.

Before you buy, look in your local community for an eyewear shop that has a large selection of kid’s frames and call to see if they’ll measure your child for a proper fit.

When it comes to fit, the most important thing is to check and make sure that the eyes are perfectly centered in the lens.  If you can get that right, then you’re ahead of the game.

The next thing to look for is the fit on the nose.  If any gaps exist between the bridge of the frame and the bridge of the nose, the weight of the lenses will cause the glasses to slide down.  So make sure it fits!

I highly suggest joining an amazing Facebook group called For Little Eyes – a group of parents for young kids in glasses.  It’s a great place to get an idea of what a proper fit looks like and to ask any questions you may have about having a child in glasses.  Plus, it’s such a large group that you can do a quick fit check (take a pic in the store with the frames on) and get almost instant replies back from very knowledgeable parents.

It’s been a lifesaver.

There are SO MANY Frames!!!

There are lots of frames to choose from. There’s Miraflex, Tomato, Dilli-Dalli, Jonas Paul, my son’s favorite Flexon, and many many more.  It can be hard to pick, but they are all great options.  You really can’t go wrong.

Now, if your child has a very small nose bridge there are some frames that are better than others. I hear Tomato and Spokiz are very good for this, but you can ask in the For Little Eyes Group and get some more suggestions.

I suggest letting your child make the final decision.  I thought for sure I’d go with Miraflex, but my son hated them.

One trick I did learn is that if your child has a very strong prescription, go for a smaller more rounded frame and the lens won’t look near as thick.

Things You Didn’t Know You Needed

With most everything in this world, there are several accessories and gear that you might need to go with your kid’s glasses.

Straps and Stay Puts

A proper fit should mean that a child’s glasses won’t fall off.  But kid’s are so active that it’s always a good thing to help keep those glasses on their face!

Stay puts go on the end of the glasses and sit right behind the ears.  They are very soft because they are made of silicone.

Having a strap that goes behind the head is a good thing to have too.  Some frames, like Miraflex, already come with a strap attached.

I use a strap only when we’re someplace where I’m afraid his glasses will fall off and get lost, like on roller coasters or in foam pits at a trampoline park.

EWIN(R) 12 pairs Sport Eyeglass Soft Anti Slip SIlicone Non Slip Hook Ear Lock Grip Holders12 Colors Anti-slip Glasses Strap Sports Glasses Strap Holder for Kids

Swim Goggles

Like most kids, my son LOVES being in the water.

But water and traditional frames don’t mix.  He was having such a hard time playing because he couldn’t see without his glasses, yet if he wore them they’d get water all over them and he still couldn’t see.

I was so freakin’ happy when I discovered that prescription water goggles aren’t expensive at all!

I bought this pair for less than $20 and he LOVES them.

Aguaphile Junior Swimming Goggles for Kids and Early Teens

Cleaning wipes

I’m totally a newbie when it comes to glasses and had no idea how to really clean them.  I thought those cloths that come with the glasses were enough.  Well, they aren’t, especially when you’re talking about kids.

I’m constantly amazed by the amount of gunk he gets stuck to his glasses.  A little cloth isn’t getting that off!

Sprays are annoying and not portable at all, so I’d go with the cleaning wipes that already have alcohol on them.

I throw a few in my bag and in my car so I always have one with me.

Zeiss Pre-Moistened Lens Cleaning Wipes – Cleans Without Streaks for Eyeglasses and Sunglasses – (200 Count)

Helping Your Child Adjust to Wearing Glasses

Wearing glasses can be a huge adjustment for anyone…especially super active kids.

Help your child not only get used to the idea of glasses but learn to love them.

How you talk about glasses matters.

Wearing glasses isn’t a bad thing, yet so many people say “oh, they have to wear glasses,” like it’s some sort of punishment.

When it comes to helping your child think positively about their glasses and helping them see that glasses are a good thing, it’s important that you embrace the glasses too.

Show your child how cool and exciting it is to wear glasses.

Instead of saying they “have” to wear glasses, twist it around and say that they “get to wear glasses!”  Make them feel special.

We call my son’s glasses his magic glasses.  And since he’s the only one in our family who needs them full time, he feels pretty special because he has something unique that the rest of us doesn’t.

Let them chose their frames.

These glasses are your child’s glasses and they have to be the one to wear them.

To help them really enjoy wearing their glasses, let them pick out their frames.

They’ll love them more than any pair you decide on and they’ll feel proud to wear the frames they picked out.

Find some good books for kids with glasses.

Books are great for helping children deal with big things.  And getting glasses is a big deal for kids.

I love these books that talk about the struggles of having to wear glasses.

Douglas, You Need Glasses!I Can See Just FineArlo Needs GlassesLuna and the Big Blur

The Most Surprising Thing When Your Child Needs Glasses

When I took my son to the optometrist, I knew there was a possibility of him needing glasses, but I wasn’t sure.

So it was shocking to me that his vision was so bad and that I had missed the signs.

But the guilt hung around my heart for days.  I could hardly speak about it without tearing up.

I kept telling myself to get over it and that it wasn’t that big of a deal.  I mean, kids get glasses every day, but it took a long while for me to come to terms with this and even longer for me to shake off the guilt.

The guilt was so surprising because, in my logical brain, I knew that the guilt wasn’t necessary.

But it was still hard to shake.

After a while, the guilt wasn’t so overpowering, and I was able to see what a blessing it is that I’m able to provide my child with the glasses he so desperately needed.

I’ve spoken to several parents of children who have glasses, and I’ve discovered that we all feel the guilt.  We all feel like we should have known earlier, that we should have been able to catch it.

It was so healing to know that I wasn’t alone and that I wasn’t crazy for feeling so sad and guilty.

So, if your heart sank when you found out that your child needs glasses too, you aren’t alone.