Parents, we know you’ve got your team colors on and your blankets ready for those crisp Saturdays on the sideline. But before sports are in full swing, there are a few things you’ll want to do to have the best season ever. Read on for seven tips for prepping your kids for this year’s activities.
This post is sponsored by Smithfield Foods’ family of brands, including Smithfield®, Nathan’s Famous®, Eckrich® and Carando®. Whether your children are just coming home from practice or are looking for a quick bite after school, Smithfield has recipes for every occasion and every meal of the day. Check out their recipe generator to discover your next meal-time inspiration.
1. Make Sure You Sign Up Early
Talk with your child about what sports they want to play this year: Are they ready to try something new? Do they want to do a team sport, or do they prefer martial arts? Active, willing participation from your kids is an essential part of getting ready for the season.
2. Talk about Expectations
Every family, and every child, is different. It’s important to maintain a balance of what is achievable (How often is practice? Who will get your child to and from practice?) and what will exhaust everyone in the family before the season even ends. Take a look at your family calendar and talk about what will work for everyone, including you as the parent. It’s also a good idea to set clear academic expectations about homework, school projects and game days.
3. Get the Gear
Team jerseys, protective gear such as shin guards and mouth guards and proper footwear are just a few things to put on your shopping list. Talk to other parents in your neighborhood or try consignment sporting goods stores to find deals on gently used equipment.
4. Get an Annual Comprehensive Eye Exam
Make sure the “eye” in hand-eye coordination is at the forefront of your list by scheduling your child’s annual comprehensive eye exam. In particular, children who develop myopia, whose primary symptom is blurry distance vision (nearsightedness) can struggle in sports or other extracurricular activities. Make sure their eyes are healthy and talk to your eye doctor if your age-appropriate child is a candidate for MiSight® 1 day soft contact lenses. Designed for myopia control, they are the first and only FDA-approved* product proven to slow myopia progression in children, aged 8-12 at the initiation of treatment.†1Children who wear contact lenses have a significantly better quality of life than kids wearing glasses, especially when it comes to athletics and appearance.5
5. Stock Up on Healthy Snacks
Make sure their gear bag has a spot for high-protein, low sugar snacks that are great for grab-and-go before and after games. You’ll want a high-quality water bottle, too, to make sure your children stay properly hydrated.
6. Schedule a Physical
If you haven’t already had their annual pediatrician’s visit, schedule your child for a well-child checkup before the start of any sports season to make sure they are clear for any activities. Your doctor can also discuss the warning signs of concussions and how to manage them.
7. Have Fun!
Take the time not just to attend games, but practice those skills with your child—it’s okay if you’re not the most amazing pitcher, your child might enjoy that just as much. Stay active with them and make the most of the beautiful weather. And don’t forget your camera!
With the new school year in full swing, now is the time to take your child to the eye doctor for an annual comprehensive eye exam. There’s nothing worse than your child not being able to learn from the classroom whiteboard or enjoy sports activities because they can’t see clearly. Odds are, your child’s routine has changed quite a bit over the past year. You may have found your family spending more time on digital devices and reading along with less time outdoors.
Studies have found that lifestyle factors such as these may have an impact on the development of myopia, whose primary symptom is blurry distance vision.¹⁻³ In addition, children often don’t know their eyesight isn’t 20/20 because it’s all that they know, so it’s up to you to take your child to the eye doctor to find out.
What is Myopia?
Myopia is a very common eye condition. On average, 42% of children age 5 to 19 have myopia.⁵ Your family history also plays a role in whether your child will develop myopia; the odds of a child developing this eye condition is increased by three times with one parent having myopia, and the odds of a child developing myopia is six times as likely if both parents have myopia. 6,7
What are the treatments for myopia?
When children are diagnosed with myopia, glasses are a common next step. While glasses will help a child with myopia see the whiteboard more clearly, they’re not able to impact the long-term progression of their myopia. As myopia worsens, the child’s glasses prescription will get higher. If left untreated, myopia can lead to sight-threatening conditions later in life, including retinal detachment, myopic maculopathy, glaucoma, and cataracts.⁸ Fortunately, now there is FDA-approved* MiSight® 1 day myopia control soft contact lenses to slow the progression of myopia in children, aged 8-12 at the initiation of treatment.†4 Read on to see how MiSight® 1 day soft contact lenses work, and if this product may be a fit for your age-appropriate child!
How Does MiSight® 1 day Work?
MiSight® 1 day soft contact lenses feature ActivControl® Technology which utilizes an innovative concentric ring design to correct blurred distance vision while slowing the elongation of the eyeball. Children should wear the lenses for a minimum of 10 hours a day, 6 days a week for best results and should continue using the contact lenses until their eyes stop growing and the prescription stabilizes as directed by their eye care professional.⁴
You’re probably wondering whether contact lenses are right for your child. Your eye doctor will show you and your child how to care for the lenses and insert and remove them safely. Though you may not think your child will be able to use contact lenses, we can assure you that children learn how to insert contact lenses fairly quickly, with 85 percent of them finding it easy to insert after just one month!⁹
Hear Addy’s Story
Addy, an eight and a half year old who was diagnosed with myopia when she was in kindergarten, began controlling her myopia using MiSight® 1 day soft contact lenses. Addy’s mom has myopia, and Addy’s myopia had progressed quickly. Putting in the contact lenses took her a little while to learn, but with a little practice, she got the hang of it and now wears her contacts almost every day to slow her myopia.⁴
“It was such an easy option,” says Addy’s mom, “and the contacts give her more freedom so she doesn’t have to deal with glasses. I love everything about it!”
Learn more about MiSight® 1 day soft contact lenses by speaking to a certified Brilliant Futures™ eye care professional in your area. Click here to find a doctor.
Indications and Important Safety Information
Rx only
Results may vary.
ATTENTION: Reference the Patient Information Booklet for a complete listing of Indications and Important Safety Information. *Indication: MiSight® 1 day (omafilcon A) soft (hydrophilic) contact lenses for daily wear are indicated for the correction of myopic ametropia and for slowing the progression of myopia in children with non-diseased eyes, who at the initiation of treatment are 8-12 years of age and have a refraction of -0.75 to -4.00 diopters(spherical equivalent) with ≤ 0.75 diopters of astigmatism. The lens is to be discarded after each removal. Warnings: Problems with contact lenses could result in serious injury to the eye. Do not expose contact lenses to water while wearing them. Under certain circumstances MiSight® lenses optical design can cause reduced image contrast/ghosting/halo/glare in some patients that may cause difficulties with certain visually-demanding tasks. Precautions: Daily wear single use only. Patient should always dispose when lenses are removed. No overnight wear. Patients should exercise extra care if performing potentially hazardous activities.Adverseevents: Including but not limited to infection/inflammation/ulceration/abrasion of the cornea, other parts of the eye or eyelids. Some of these adverse reactions can cause permanent or temporary loss of vision. If you notice any of the stated in your child, immediately have your child remove the lenses and contact your eye care professional.
†Compared to a single vision 1 day lens over a 3 year period.
References:
1.Gifford P, Gifford, K L. The Future of Myopia Control Contact Lenses. Opt Vis Sci. 2016;93(4):336-43.
2.Wolffsohn JS, Calossi A, Cho P, et al. Global Trends in Myopia Management Attitudes and Strategies in ClinicalPractice. Cont Lens Anterior Eye. 2016;39(2):106-16
3.Rose KA, Morgan IG, Ip J, et al. Outdoor Activity Reduces the Prevalence of Myopia in Children. Ophthalmology 2008;115(8):1279-85.
4.Chamberlain P, et al. A 3-year randomized clinical trial of MiSight® lenses for myopia control. Optom Vis Sci. 2019; 96(8): 556-567.
5.Vitale S, Sperduto RD, Ferris FL 3rd. Increased prevalence of myopia in the United States between 1971-1972 and 1999-2004. Arch Ophthalmol. 2009;127(12):1632-1639. doi:10.1001/archophthalmol.2009.303
6.Jiang X, Tarczy-Hornoch K, Cotter SA, et al. Association of Parental Myopia With Higher Risk of Myopia Among Multiethnic Children Before School Age [published online ahead of print, 2020 Mar 19]. JAMA Ophthalmol. 2020;138(5):1-9.
7.Mutti DO, Mitchell GL, Moeschberger ML, Jones LA, Zadnik K. Parental myopia, near work, school achievement, and children’s refractive error. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2002;43(12):3633-3640. doi:10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2020.0412.
8.Flitcroft DI. The complex interactions of retinal, optical and environmental factors in myopia aetiology. Prog Retin Eye Res. 2012;31(6):622-660. doi:10.1016/j.preteyeres.2012.06.004.
9.Sulley A et al, Wearer experience and subjective responses with dual focus compared to spherical, single vision soft contact lenses in children during a 3-year clinical trial. AAO 2019 Poster Presentation.
They couldn’t read that “E,” and got their eyeglass prescription from the eye doctor. Now, the fun part: choosing glasses! You’re probably already thinking about how much those glasses will cost, but kid’s eyewear doesn’t have to be expensive or even cost more than that pizza delivery! Read on for six reasons why we are loving Zenni, the online store that’ll have them seeing clearly and take the stress out of buying specs!
1. Affordability
Zenni has the highest quality prescription eyewear at way less than traditional retailers. Everything is delivered directly to the consumer without a brick-and-mortar store, and that means savings for you. Get ready for this: a complete prescription pair starts at $6.95, less than your latte. The average pair costs just over $40, which is a huge deal if you've ever walked into an eyeglass store and added it all up.
Kids are picky—choices help! Zenni has nearly 300 styles for kids, so they are bound to find something they love. Glasses aren't just a necessity, but a fun accessory, and Zenniempowers kids to express themselves and feel good about their glasses!
Zenni offers the largest online selection of affordable eyewear for the whole family. Their choices go way beyond the generic "kid wall" of glasses; they offer cool specs for every personality, made just for kids, from toddlers to teens. Eyewear for every kid!
3. Durability
You want your kid to actually wear their new glasses, so comfort and durability of kid's frames are especially important. Zenni's kid's assortment assures the highest level of comfort and durability, including long-lasting impact-resistant lenses.
Out of Zenni's impact-resistant lens offerings, Blokz® Trivex® offers the best combination of safety, comfort and optical performance. These lenses are lightweight, impact-resistant and feature Blokz® blue light-blocking technology, which helps protect young eyes from the harmful light from digital screens, artificial light and the sun—meaning they're ready for whatever your kid is up to that day!
This summer, Zenni has partnered with premium eyewear designers Coco and Breezy to launch Planet CB, a line of prescription and sunglass eyewear just for pre-teens. These eight stylish frames come with their own affirmation, celebrating uniqueness, individuality and self-expression. Zenni is donating a portion of Planet CB eyewear proceeds to Child Mind Institute's Healthy Brain Network to provide mental health resources to kids in Black communities.
We love that Zenni keeps their kid styles fresh and innovative, with cool new collections yearly. From their Kid's Flexible collection with frames made out of a single piece of soft plastic to their Kids' Style Squad Collection of 15 sophisticated styles made of hand-polished acetate with adjustable temple tips, your kid has tons of options to show their style!
So cool: Zenni is the only online eyewear company that offers temple engraving with letters and icons. This awesome option starts at $1.95 to add your kid’s name or personalized icons like unicorns, rainbows, favorite sports and more. Now their new glasses will truly be their own and an accessory they can’t wait to wear every day. Bonus points that these shiny new specs will easy to locate if left behind.
6. Shop Online
Does the thought of dragging your kid store-to-store to find their dream pair make you want to scream? We've got you covered:Zenni's kid's collection and all of their eyewear are available exclusively online—and you can test out how they look without even leaving your couch thanks to Virtual Try-On!
From the first moment you meet them (and probably before) you’ve done everything in your power to keep your little ones safe and sound. From doctor visits to child care, you’ve probably researched high and low to help make informed choices for your child. But do you know when your child should receive their first eye exam?
You’re not alone if you don’t! In fact, a survey from VSP Vision Care and market research agency, YouGov, found that a whopping 88 percent of parents did not know that their children should receive their first eye exam at six months old. And, twice as many parents worry about their children’s dental problems vs. their vision issues – even though most children lose their baby teeth by age 12.
We caught up with busy mom and VSP network eye doctor, Dr. Jennifer Wademan, to weigh in on the best age to get an eye exam, what to expect at the appointment, and how to find the right eye doctor for your family. Read on for our Q&A with Dr. Wademan.
At what age should my child have their first comprehensive eye exam?
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Dr. Wademan: Many parents don't realize this, but the first comprehensive eye exam should be around six months of age. You may have had vision screenings with your pediatric doctor, but a comprehensive eye exam is recommended at the age of six months.
Wow! That's surprising. Six months seems very early; why does my baby need an eye exam at such an early age?
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Dr. Wademan: A lot of important visual skills are developing and should be present around six months of age. That includes the baby’s focusing ability—the ability to fixate on something, usually mom or dad’s face. Also, color vision and depth perception. Those are really important skills that we want to make sure are present at that age.
Especially with babies it’s difficult to tell; they’re not going to be able to tell you what they're seeing or what they're not seeing, so an eye exam can help determine those visual skills.
How often should my child have eye exams?
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Dr. Wademan: The first one should be at six months and then again at three years. The next one should be five or six years old, that age right before they start kindergarten. That’s usually a really good protocol. And then after that an annual comprehensive eye exam is a must.
Remember that babies and children are building a visual library so it's really important to make sure that what they're seeing is clear and unobstructed, and that there’s no visual impairment. That way, if there are any issues present, we can address it earlier on as they're building a more accurate visual library which is essential for their growth and development. This is especially important for their success as they approach school age.
Is there anything I can do ahead of time to help my child feel more comfortable at their eye exam?
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Dr. Wademan: It depends on the age of your child: for babies at six months, making sure you're not scheduling the appointment right at nap time or right when the baby needs to eat.
For an older child, I think it's important just to prepare the child by talking to them. Tell them what to expect and address any concerns or fears they may have before the appointment. I often tell parents to bring your child in at the same time as your exam, let them sit on your lap, so they can watch you do the exam first. Then, when it's time for the child's exam, it's a little easier: they know what to expect.
Really an eye exam is probably the easiest health exam for a child (I'm a little biased). We try to make the experience fun and exciting with toys, cartoons and a treasure chest.
Are there any signs that I should look for to know if my baby/child has vision problems?
Dr. Wademan: It’s important to bring your baby or child in to an eye doctor because their regular pediatric exam is an eye screening, not a comprehensive exam. A comprehensive eye exam goes beyond just clear vision for kids— it can play an important role in mobility and eye coordination, the early detection of chronic diseases like diabetes, and creating a baseline for when changes in vision occur as the child develops.
Another thing parents may notice are eyes not tracking together (lazy eye) in children. It’s important to keep in mind that babies can’t really articulate if something is blurry. Even with older kids, when they're hitting that school age, kids can't really articulate blurry versus clear vision. If a child’s vision is blurry, that’s the picture they’re looking through and oftentimes they don’t know that they should be seeing things any differently.
Beyond ensuring clear vision, are there other eye health and overall health-related issues the eye doctor is looking for?
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Dr. Wademan: In addition to vision issues, there are other diseases that can be present, so it’s important to create a baseline at a very young age. Diabetes, eye pressure, congenital cataracts, lazy eye, all of these can occur in kids. The younger they are and the earlier we are able to treat, the better the prognosis is long term for their overall vision and health.
Starting from birth to about eight years old is where we see a lot of developmental changes and so some of those conditions that we can treat earlier on, means that they're going to be seeing clear and comfortable for years to come. There's a critical window where you want to check everything out. I’m a mom and I noticed my daughter, who is six, wasn’t doing as well in school as I thought she would. I took her to get an eye exam and it turned out she needed glasses. Keep in mind, a child’s vision can change out of the blue and fairly quickly. It’s like their shoe size— it can stay the same for a year but then change two sizes in three months. So, you just never know unless you have that comprehensive eye exam.
Anything parents should know about dilation? Is dilation safe for kids?
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Dr. Wademan: Dilation is safe for kids and is done for two reasons:
The first reason is to get a better look inside the back of the eye. Think of it like window opening, dilation makes it easier to see through thus I can see in the eye more extensively.
Secondly, it relaxes a child's whole focusing system, which allows me to get a much more accurate representation if the child has a prescription whether for nearsightedness, farsightedness or astigmatism. Parents should know the eye drops can last anywhere from four-to-12 hours, and sometimes your child will get a bit tired. There aren’t really any other side effects, although for some children the eye drops may sting a little bit.
What are the most common issues you see in children during eye exams?
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Dr. Wademan: Moderate-to-higher amounts of prescriptions, whether it’s nearsightedness, farsightedness or sometimes astigmatism. The other thing I often see is lazy eye, where one eye turns out and both eyes are not focusing and working together. Any of these issues can lead to vision problems and reduced vision into adulthood if not addressed early on.
I’m not sure how to get started. What should I look for when selecting an eye doctor for my kid? Do I need to find an eye doctor who has experience with baby eye exams before making an appointment?
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Dr. Wademan: If you don't currently have an eye doctor, visit VSP.com to find an eye doctor near you. I see a lot of families from baby to teenager. Just like with any other provider, it’s important to find someone you’re comfortable asking questions and that you’re at ease with. There are specific pediatric eye doctors, but many eye doctors see babies and children through adulthood.
About Jennifer Wademan, O.D.
Dr. Jennifer Wademan
Dr. Jennifer Wademan is a VSP Network Eye Doctor currently practicing at Bidwell Optometry in Folsom, CA. She graduated from Southern California College of Optometry in 2008 and practices comprehensive optometry with training in family eye care, contact lens fittings, ocular disease, co-management of laser vision/cataract surgery and pediatrics.
Dr. Wademan enjoys her many roles at Bidwell Optometry, but also cherishes her role as mom of two girls, and a wife to an amazing husband. She is passionate about connecting with patients on a personal level and educating on a range of eye health topics. Dr. Wademan is a member of the American Optometric Association, the Calif. Optometric Association, and the Sacramento Valley Optometric Society.
Want to learn more about eye health for kids and find the right eye doctor for your family? Visit VSP.com.
It’s almost back-to-school time, which means it’s time to start thinking about everything your kids might need to have a successful year in the classroom. By making big trips to buy new clothes and school supplies, it’s easy to forget about one of the most important things your child may need: kids glasses.
As a parent of a child who depends on glasses every day, I know how important it is for my son Jonas to have regular optical check-ups before the school year to ensure his prescription is up to date, allowing him to be as successful as he can be for the year ahead.
Before the new school year officially starts, here are a few reasons why it’s important to keep your children’s eyesight in mind before heading back to school.
Children might not realize they have vision issues or need the help of glasses. There are not always clear signs or warnings that lead a parent to question if their child needs or would benefit from wearing prescriptive eyewear, and at the same time, children might not realize they need to either. Because every set of eyes is different and vision can change at various stages, it’s best to receive regular eye exams. For most kids, this is often recommended every 6 months. Before taking the first step of visiting an eye doctor, there are a few simple warning signs that you can be on alert for that might indicate its time to pay a visit to the eye doctor. A few symptoms to be aware of are:
Squinting or rubbing of eyes
Holding objects close to the face
Lack of concentration
Constant headaches
Haziness or clouding in the pupil
We recommend scheduling an appointment with a local optometrist or with a national vision center, such as Walmart Vision Center, to get your child’s eyes checked, but you can also do a basic home eye test. Keep in mind that home eye testing is not a substitute for a complete medical eye examination by an optometrist.
Your children’s pediatrician may not catch that your children’s eyes need visual correction. While it’s also important to visit a pediatrician before going back to school, these check-ups don’t always include an eye screening. The next time you plan a visit to the doctor, keep this in mind and be sure to plan ahead! I always recommend doing some research beforehand on some local, kid-friendly eye doctors that offer glasses for kids and will be able to give your child a proper eye exam to evaluate if they do need glasses or not.
Too much screen time every day and not enough outdoor time could cause or contribute to your child developing myopia (nearsightedness). New studies are beginning to show that children’s eyes are facing greater strain and are elongating due to too much screen time (elongation of the eye is linked to myopia). If your child has historically had and continues to have a significant amount of screen time this summer, it is definitely beneficial to have their eyes checked to see if their vision is changing. When you visit an eye doctor, make sure to discuss screen time and eye strain with them and get their recommendations for preventing long term damage.
To help decrease eye strain and the potentially harmful effects of screen time in the future, Jonas Paul Eyewear offers both non-prescription as well as prescription blue-light blocking lenses protect children’s eyes from increased blue-light exposure from frequent screen time.
Laura, co-founder and COO of Jonas Paul Eyewear, started the brand with her husband shortly after their first child, Jonas, was born with a rare-eye condition. From there, Jonas Paul Eyewear was created with the mission of creating stylish eyewear and providing sight to children in need with every purchase.
You’re whizzing through your back-to-school checklist like a pro. Before your kids officially head to the classroom, add one more thing to your to-do list: a yearly eye exam for your child. Just like pediatrician appointments, a regular eye exam should be a part of your family’s check-up routine, but unfortunately many parents miss this step even though they should start when kids are as young as six-months-old. Read on for seven surprising stats you might not know about eye health.
One in five parents do not take their kids to the eye doctor for the first time until their children are school age (at least five years old).
Less than 10% of parents know the recommended age for a child’s first eye exam is six months.
One in ten parents have never taken their kids to the eye doctor.
One-third of moms say they don’t take their kids to the eye doctor because they already get a school vision screening – even though 50% say an eye doctor exam is more comprehensive.
72% of moms & 45% of dads who do not bring their children to the eye doctor annual say they would be motivated to do so if their child complains of discomfort or changes in vision.
One in five moms say access to vision insurance is the biggest barrier to visiting the eye doctor; while one-third (30%) of moms say obtaining vision insurance would motivate them to schedule an appointment.
75% of parents take their children to the dentist and primary care doctor before school begins each year, but only 50% take their children to get a comprehensive eye exam.
Be part of the 50% of families taking their kiddos to get an eye exam. Find your eye doctor today! Click here to get started.
Have your kids visited the eye doctor? Tell us about their experience in the comments below.
When it comes to getting recommendations for everything from doctors to tutors and more, a mom’s best resource is often a fellow mom. In February, three forward thinking LA moms ran with this idea and launched Momstamp.com—a new platform that lets parents connect with friends (and friends of friends) to find outstanding local service providers. Basically, imagine Facebook, Angie’s List and Yelp somehow had a genius baby.
photo credit: momstamp.com
Co-founders Julie Hermelin, Paulette Light and Staci Miller quickly realized as their kids (they have ten between them) were getting older, they no longer had their mommy and me groups to turn to for advice on everything from German tutors for tots to pediatric dentists that specialize in squirmy worms to that ever elusive “dependable contractor.” Knowing how valuable this information is to busy parents, the ladies created Momstamp.com, where users can search for word of mouth recommendations from other trusted parents they know (or know by proxy) instead of opinionated strangers, like every other review site.
photo credit: momstamp.com
Parents can search categories like kid doctors, child therapy, childcare, pregnancy/new baby, beauty, pets, and home improvement helpers, to name a few. So whether you’re looking for a personal referral for a great new nanny, a speech therapist for your little one, a pediatric eye doctor, lactation consultant, a music teacher who makes house calls, a dog trainer for the family Fido or even a caregiver for aging grandparents, Momstamp.com provides a forum for parents who already know each other to exchange invaluable recommendations. The site also allows users to organize and save the names of providers they find.
Additionally, Momstamp lets parents collaborate online; if someone has questions about a particular provider or needs further clarification, they can easily ask their Momstamp friends before wasting time with someone who may not be the best fit. This social site is all about making parents’ lives easier through support of their personal community. Our only question is: how did no one think of this before now?
Because LA and Angeleno parents are always on the cutting edge of everything cool, Momstamp.com launched their site here first. As the site grows (and we predict it will by leaps and bounds), the founders plan to launch a mobile app that will allow parents to quickly access recommendations on the go, and expand to other (less cutting edge) cities.
