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As a parent with 40 years of parenting experience,
I
have learned a few important lessons.
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Kids eat dirt
with very few, if any dire consequences.
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The first
word kids learn to use with authority and conviction is NO.
The second is MINE.
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The first phrase kids learn is “I
want…”
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Pick your battles wisely.
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Just so you know,
this is our “kids” issue. In the past, I’ve written about
marketing to kids, making your office kid-friendly and I may
have written about teens and ‘tweens.
It’s time to talk
about parents.
All parents want the best for their kids,
but are often cash-strapped and convinced that spending
money on something that will likely be lost or broken is a
bad decision.
In my experience, kids want cool
sunglasses, contact lenses and, if they must wear glasses,
something that makes them unique. Parents need something
that is durable and cost-effective. So how do we balance the
wants with the needs?
Education.
Sun protection is
arguably the easiest place to begin. Even before an infant
is old enough to have a vision screening, parents should be
made aware of the importance of visual sun protection.
UV
damage is cumulative. We are very aware of the relationship
between UV exposure and skin cancer, but according to a
recent survey only 24% of us link UV exposure to eye damage.
Another survey of 2,000 US adults revealed that only 1/3
required children to wear sunglasses, yet 80% required
sunscreen. Children are exposed to 3 times as much UV as
adults, but their young lenses cannot filter those damaging
rays.
The National Weather Service lists the top 50
cities in the US by the number of days per year each has
“very high” or “extreme” UV risks. At the top of the list
are San Juan, PR (279), Honolulu (227), and Miami (210).
However, you probably didn’t know that Charleston, WV (123)
is just slightly behind Phoenix (136).
I’ll say it
again, UV damage is cumulative.
Display and promote
sunwear for kids from infants to teens. Recommend
polycarbonate or Trivex lenses in a comfortable, properly
sized and hypo-allergenic frame with cable temples or a
sport strap to prevent slippage. Young eyes are more
sensitive to high energy visible (HEV) and UV rays, so
suggest amber or copper tinted lenses. Place a small
whiteboard in your sun and sports area and update it daily
with the local UV index. It will help drive home the idea
that sun protection is necessary regardless of age or
season.
By the way, a small display of infant sunwear
could trigger the best baby shower gift no one ever thought
of. My 7 month old grandson looks pretty sporty in his red
shades and he’s already very comfortable wearing them.
Young children learn by imitation, so remind parents to wear
their sunglasses as well.
Non–prescription sunglasses are
one thing, prescription sunglasses are quite another. Many
parents simply can’t justify the extra expense of a second
pair. They need an alternative suggestion, perhaps in the
form of a photochromic lens.
There was a time, when
photochromic lenses were such a new and novel development,
that eyecare professionals advised against dispensing them
to children. The conventional wisdom was that the
photochromic properties would somehow disrupt the young
eye’s ability to react properly to changes in light
conditions. We are much wiser now, and photochromic
technology is much more advanced.
Photochromic lenses are
available in both polycarbonate and Trivex, the recommended
materials for children’s eyewear. They have the requisite
“cool-ness” factor for kids and are a less expensive
alternative to 2 pair of glasses. Add in a polarized clip-on
(or two) and parents can see the real value. Put these cool
lenses in a very cool frame and kiddo might just actually
wear them. For the younger set, both SpongeBob SquarePants
and Dora the Explorer are still among the most recognized
brands, as are Barbie and Disney Princesses. Many of the
major mature brands, Oakley, Ray Ban and Ralph Lauren are
actively courting younger eyeglass wearers. Your youngest
patients can have the coolest eyeglasses in town with
photochromic lenses to provide the protection parents want
and the individuality kids crave.
In our quest to provide
the best protection for young eyes, we would be remiss in
not suggesting an anti-reflective treatment for every pair
of children’s glasses. Don’t panic! As an industry, we’ve
spent too much time talking about the fragility of these
treatments, ignoring the fact that the technology used to
create and apply them has changed and improved dramatically
in the past few years. We almost always want the treatment
for our personal eyewear and then take that choice away from
our patients, fearing dissatisfaction and refunds. AR
treatments are far tougher and easier to care for than ever
before and some of the major manufacturers are actively
promoting their use on children’s eyewear.
The fact is
that children spend an average of 7 hours 38 minutes (53+
hours per week) watching TV, playing video games and in
front of a computer screen. That doesn’t include texting on
tiny cell phone screens. That’s an increase from 6 hours 21
minutes in 2004. Remember, that’s personal time, not
including the time in class where computers and “smart
boards” have replaced some textbooks and traditional black
boards. Glare and uncomfortable reflections are an all day,
everyday occurrence and kids need the protection whether
they want it or not.
We have, perhaps, reached a point in
society where we know the price of everything and the cost
(or value) of nothing. That’s also a service we provide to
today’s concerned parent and the advantage we have over
online retailers. We can have that face to face conversation
with parents about the need to provide their children with
the best possible protection with the greatest possible
value at the most reasonable price.
If all this good
advice seems to be falling on deaf ears, remind parents that
these precious (and properly protected) children will be the
ones who select their nursing homes!
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