The Quest for Unbreakable Glasses

Natalie wears glasses. Well, she’s supposed to wear glasses. She has two pairs, so that when one is bent or broken, she can wear the others. The problem is, both pairs are usually broken!

She picks the tiny silicone pads off the nose pieces. If she can’t peel them off with her fingers, she bites the whole nose piece off. Oh, no, sorry, SOMEONE bites them off, not Natalie. Or she pops a lens out. Or she gets frustrated, grabs one temple in each hand, and PULLS!

Somehow, she usually does this without her teacher noticing. “I never see her messing with them!” Mrs. Junck says, and I believe her. She provides other stuff for Nat to keep her fingers busy — a fabric sensory thingy that looks kind of like a mop head, a squishy ball. In spite of this, we’ve yet to finish an entire school week with one wearable pair of glasses.

I talked to Missy, the understanding technician at the optical shop, who never makes me feel bad for bothering her — (You, AGAIN?!) She didn’t know of any miracle frames to recommend. I Googled “glasses & ADHD.” Nothing.

Here’s my plan. Even though we’ve had such good service (thanks, Missy) at Ames Eye Clinic, I’m going to buy Nat’s next glasses at the West Ames Hy-Vee. They are closer to our house, and they’re open longer hours, including Saturdays, so I can take Natalie there daily, if needed.

I’m going to buy plastic frames, so there’s not a separate nosepiece. (I can hear it now — SNAP! — I’d better check the warranty.) I hope the staff there will tolerate us. I’ve told Nat a million times, “If you weren’t so darn cute, you’d be in really big trouble!” Turn on the charm, little girl, we’re going to need it.

In the meantime, I’m off to visit Missy. I hope there are new magazines in the waiting room...