Squinty McSquinter

I was in high school when I first realized I couldn't see the board clearly. It was US History and P.L. sat next to me.

He had glasses. Everytime there was board work, i'd sit and stare at him until he was done writing. Then i'd ask him if I could wear his glasses to see the board.

Hubby was in 9th grade. He wondered why he wasn't able to make many shots on his basketball team.

For the past few months, DQ has been squinting at the t.v.

Everytime I call her on it, she says, "I can see, I was just [enter excuse of the moment here]."

Tonight we were watching the best movie EVER Elf, and I told Hubby, "check her out." She was sitting on the furthest couch from the t.v. and squinting.

I gave hubby my glasses and he walked over to DQ and told her to put them on.

"Everything looks closer!" she said. We both heaved a big sigh.

I cringed a little thinking of the optometry bill. We pay so much damn money for health insurance, but dental, orthodontia, and optometry aren't included.

Aces.

So tomorrow i'll be frantically searching for a job making an appointment for DQ to get her eyes checked.

I pray that having both braces AND glasses in 5th grade is far less detrimental than in high school, like me.

59 supporters in group:

  1. Pam said...

    my oldest daughter got glasses about 2 years ago. she liked them at first, but then as she's older she asked for contacts. she had a heck of a time trying to get them in/out at the eye doc's office (ya can't leave until you do that). she struggled for a first few days, but now she's an old pro. i think it makes a difference to her. a little self-esteem boost i guess and there's no glasses to come flying off while cheerleading and other activities LOL

    i prob needed glasses in school, too, but i held out until my early 20's. my youngest daughter? sees like a darn hawk or something!no glasses for her. i just ask her what it is if i can't see it. lol my son wears contacts/glasses, too!

  2. Leah said...

    I discovered I needed glasses at a 10th grade pep rally. "You mean you can actually SEE who's across the gym?... oh."

    Anyway, if you want to get her a pair of back-up glasses or even prescription sunglasses I can recommend this site. The have glasses as cheap as $8, only $5 shipping no matter how many pairs you get, and it's only an extra $5 to have them tinted into sunglasses. Mine should be arriving any day, so I can let you know how they are.

  3. Terri said...

    Hi Jen - just jumped over from Amy Amy Bobamey's blog. I'm doing blog to blog and love yours! I'll be stopping by and posting about you over at my place. Have a great day!

  4. Terri said...

    so I just noticed in preparing for this blog to blog thing that you might've been the initiator!! So you get double the recognition!

  5. amelia bedelia said...

    My middle child started wearing glasses in grade school, GET INSURANCE!!! He is 18 now and wears contacts, so its much easier.

  6. A Crafty Mom said...

    Awwww, poor thing! I had my "can't see the board" moment in second grade, lol. Been wearing glasses or contacts since then. I'm worried my kids will be blind too. There are tons of cute styles for little girls DQ's age, I bet she will look totally cool in her new frames :-)

  7. Deb said...

    Actually, from what I gather, it is actually a status symbol. The middle schoolers I know love braces. Of course, now they have all the cute colors for braces and glasses. In the old days (aka the 70's), it was good ole silver braces, and hideous huge glasses for me! I didn't get my braces off until 11th grade.

  8. Shannon said...

    I was in 4th grade when I started wearing glasses... hubby was in 9th grade when he got his. We know it will just be a matter of time before our girls will need glasses!

  9. Jennie said...

    I was in 6th grade when I had to get glasses... and bear in mind that this was the late 80's, so fo course they were big red Sally Jesse Raphael glasses that were so big every time I smiled my chubby cheeks would push my glasses up.... OY VEH!!!

  10. Jay @halftime lessons said...

    AAArrgh....
    Every time my son smiles I see a bill for $6000...I feel you.
    I will say that Clark Howard recommends a cheap glasses company called http://zennioptical.com , and I have since ordered prescription sunglasses from them, worked great. They are VERY inexpensive, and even if you dont use them for her primary pair, they may make a great backup! At $20 a pair, I am experimenting with all the Rx sunglasses they make!
    Good luck,
    Jay

  11. jill jill bo bill said...

    Claire, my 13 year old, had to get glasses and looking at herself in the mirror with her new specs and braces she said, "Great. I am officially a nerd." DQ will also do great. Just laugh along with her.

  12. Wendi said...

    Squinty Mcsquinter...you. crack. me. up.
    DQ is gorgeous.
    I am sure she will be just as beautiful with an extra set of eyes.
    My 12 year old was squinting last year too. A little. Then he failed the eye exam at school. His vision was like 20/70. Yikes! Anyway they didn't even offer glasses...he went straight to contacts. Because he plays sports. He has done great with them!

  13. April said...

    aw, poor thing. at least there's such a great selection of frames nowadays!

  14. Anonymous said...

    Well get it done and over with now, before high school. Although I believe the younger kids are, the more mean they can be.

  15. t said...

    My younger two, 8 /10 both now have glasses. Mya needs them for reading and Maxx needs them for distance. They look stinking cute....but let me tell you.......glasses are NOT cheap. Even for kids. I've been wearing them since 3rd grade. A royal pain.

    Braces are next. I've been thru that years ago with the two oldest. Now I have three more to go. Are kids just born with crooked teeth so they can get braces? No clue!!

  16. Jamey said...

    Yeah I hope so too, cause A will need braces, and both of us wear glasses(so I am sure that will be coming) and she has frekles too!
    Braces, Glasses, and Frekles by middle school. fun!

  17. Unknown said...

    Aww...at least you caught it before it became a problem in school...good one!

  18. Tyne said...

    Hope some funding comes in for some sweet glasses! I discovered I couldn't see when I failed the vision test trying to get my learner's permit to drive!

  19. Ali said...

    I was weird, in high school I wanted glasses--they were so cute! Great banner!

  20. Elisa @ Globetrotting in Heels said...

    Oh wow, I hope the bill isn't too high!

    I have a similar experience with glasses - now I wear contact when I am out, glasses at home. My mom and dad also wear glasses, but luckily no one from dh's side of the family does. I hope my daughters take after their side as far as this is concerned!

  21. Unknown said...

    awwww how cute braces and glasses she can be the 5th grade trendsetter!

    oh btw ELF=one of my top 5 fav Christmas movies ever!

  22. Unknown said...

    Oh goodness i am rockin out to your music...moneymaker rap goin on here

  23. Tiffany said...

    I could NEVER see the board in high school. I always copied people's notes too. Did my mom ever get my eyes checked? NOOOOOOO When I almost ran over a dog one night because I didn't see it, hubby said I definately needed glasses. LOL And guess what? I DID!!

  24. Jo-Jo said...

    She's so beautiful I don't think it will do anything but show off her beauty more!

  25. Caitlin said...

    Hi There! I just found your blog and I am lovin' it!
    I, sadly, had to get glasses and braces in the 6th grade, so I feel your daughter's pain. I remember when I got them, I was shocked that you could actually see LEAVES on trees! WHAT??!!

    The good news is that by high school, the braces were off, the contacts were in, and I could laugh at all of the other silly fools who were just beginning their awkward journey, I had arrived at the level of godess (NOT!! Still a dweeb...)

    Now, as a Mom, I have reverted back to the trusty glasses, as they seem to break up my chubby cheeks a bit.

    Good luck to your daughter, it will be worth it!

  26. Sue Wilkey said...

    How did you get that cute header girl to look just like you????????

    Also: "Buddy the Elf-What's your favorite color.."

  27. Merrie said...

    It was 7th grade for me. Never had braces, but I was at an A's game with my dad and couldn't tell him the score. He gave me his glasses, and suddenly I could see! It's been glasses and contacts ever since. Just be glad it's only once a year! And hope that the other two will have freak of nature perfect eyes like my brother and husband.

  28. Unknown said...

    i always loved my glasses in school. they made me feel smart. oh yeah, you heard right. i FELT smart. braces, not so much.

  29. Unknown said...

    crap! i meant to add in there that i love your new header! CUTE!!!

  30. Rachel said...

    Awww -- I'll bet she'll be cute in them! There really is a great selection of frames . . . AND some kids actually do like glasses. My mom gave me a fake pair of glasses for Christmas when I was 14 b/c I wanted glasses so badly. I even "faked" an eye exam when I was in college so I could get "real" glasses. I love 'em . . . black cateyes with rhinestones. Glasses rock!!!!

  31. Linda S said...

    She may love them and as cute as she is they may accentuate her cuteness...all the girls will want DQ glasses!

    btw you are feeling kinda java-licious today...wth is that?

  32. Amy Amy Bo Bamey said...

    Hey Jen,

    If you can get her a eye prescription I have had many friends buy glasses through zennioptical.com and they are pretty inexpensive and all have been happy with them. It is worth checking out. I bought my glasses through Costco which were $69 for the frames but the optomitrist wanted $260 so shop around.

    I bet she will look cute with her glasses!!

  33. Allison said...

    I had the glasses and braces at 11. I know it was worth it because everytime I smile dentists are amazed at my straight teeth! Luckily now they have cuter glasses unlike the coke bottle ones I wore!

  34. ParentingPink said...

    Oh, I bet she'll look cute in glasses! Glad you figured out how to help her, but not so glad your health insurance doesn't cover it. Ugh!

  35. AC said...

    I likey your new banner!:)
    AC, Crazy Jugs

  36. Anonymous said...

    I think that glasses aren't the big deal they once were....

  37. Unknown said...

    i have had glasses since i was 7 (1st grade). im 26 now and my eyes change every year! i dont have optical ins either. BUT i found a great place that's cheap AND has name brand style glasses...it's lame...Walmart...my eye exam was only $55 and i paid $118 for my frames...which included magnetic clip-on sunglasses! Try them.

  38. Anonymous said...

    oh yeah...my son has had glasses since he was 7 MONTHS old and needs surgery. I caught my daughter calling him 4 eyes a couple weeks ago.....we had a loooonnnnngggg talk about that...

  39. Tenakim said...

    I was in 4th when I discovered I needed glasses- my 4th grader just told me she can't see the board! I think sh's still in that phase where she WANTS glasses and braces- yeah, just wait, little girl!

  40. Brittany said...

    Well hopefully she will be in contacts soon...WAY cheaper:)

  41. Insane Mama said...

    My little one had glasses and then she out grew them in 4th. Go figure

  42. Annie said...

    Just think of all the car insurance $$$ she will save you getting the good student discount b/c she can see! :)

  43. Heather said...

    I was in jr high (9th grade) and mortified with those glasses that took up my entire face! At least she's got a cool mama like you to help her find a pair that rocks the house!

  44. Tena said...

    Awww, times have changed, they have glasses that are much sassier! I bet she will look great in them! I got my first pair when I was 19, and my eyes have gone down hill since!

  45. Barbara said...

    Aww, I'm sure her new frames will be hot. Just for the record, GLASSES ARE HOT AND SO ARE BRACES!! =)

  46. Anonymous said...

    We just picked up my 4th grade daughter's first pair of glasses on Saturday. So far, she loves them. I think she is just happy she can see. They do have many cute choices now, eyewear has become a fashion statement.

  47. Unknown said...

    Little S got her glasses last year and she loves them!! Go DQ! There are so many cute styles out there - she'll look darling!

  48. Clare said...

    OH my gosh, I hated wearing braces and my glasses!! I hope it goes well for DQ, glasses are much more in style now, and there are so many choices. I didn't wear mine, and I think I hurt my eyes in the long run:(

  49. Anonymous said...

    I'll never forget getting my glasses in 6th grade and going outside and seeing a tree. I had no idea those things had individual leaves!! They had always just been these pretty fuzzy green thingies...who knew??

  50. Debbie said...

    Ah yes, LRRH is due for a visit as well. And we started the ortho apps but she won't get them for another two years. It just doesn't end does it...Hey, I'm lovin your new header!

  51. Mrs. Schmitty said...

    My son had to get "first stage" braces last year (4th grade). He actually thought they were the coolest thing ever! Go figure.

  52. Jenni said...

    My oldest has had glasses since he was 5! A lot of frames are pretty reasonably priced! And they are pretty cute these days!

  53. Rebecca said...

    I hope she does not have to get glasses yet, but if she does I am sure she will be OK, J is such a pretty girl that some glasses and braces will not take away from that. :)

    My hubby has really bad eyes (short sighted) and Jarod has been having some minor eye problems in the last year. The optometrist said he is border line for needing glasses, not yet but in the next couple years most likely.
    He will be glasses and braces at the same time too then probably.

  54. Anonymous said...

    I had both braces and glasses in HS and now my oldest has glasses and also goes to the ortho (has a wire, doens't have to get braces at the moment but will in the near future). DQ will be just fine and they have such cute stylish glasses that will make her that much more beautiful.

  55. The Buntens said...

    Oh, I was in about 6th grade when I went officially "legally blind"

    glass or contacts ever since.

    Great new header!

  56. Not Just Any Jen said...

    I am sure you were darling, just like she will be!
    Jen

  57. Jill said...

    While I don't wear glasses, I so love how they look on women!

    Your daughter is just gorgeous - I'm sure she'll get over them quickly!

    I so wish I had my braces that young... I had them all the way thru my senior year!

  58. Anonymous said...

    I was in 6th grade when we discovered I was blind, 7th grade when we discovered I was beginning to resemble a chipmunk, so I had glasses and braces at the same time. I survived. Sort of.

    My daughter has a palate expander right now and we're hoping it will negate the need for braces in the future. So far, she still has hubby's perfect eyesight (keeping fingers crossed).

  59. Jenny said...

    Oh bugger. Sorry to hear. We haven't come to that point yet, but it feels like we are just passing time until glasses or braces.

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