Noah had a hard time in school. He couldn’t see the board well and wasn’t catching on in his kindergarten class as easily as he had hoped. His mom took him to the optometrist to assess his sight; that’s when Noah heard the news.
Harry Potter from the Harry Potter Series J.K. Rowling’s “The Boy Who Lived” wore glasses and saved the wizarding world while doing so. Throughout seven-book series, your child can follow Harry and his friends Hermione and Ron as they start school, learn magical spells, and defeat the Dark Lord Voldemort. As each book (and film) progresses, the themes and tones becomes more serious, so you may want to read just the first few with young children. When you feel they are ready for each subsequent book, add them to your bedtime list. Clark Kent from Superman It’s difficult to find a more beloved superhero than Superman. This DC Comics creation swooped into comic books and into children’s hearts in 1938 and remains popular today. When Superman dons his cape and suit to save his lady-love Lois Lane, he flies without visual aid. However, his alter ego Clark Kent famously wears large, thick-framed glasses that hide his true identity. Let your child’s imagination run wild while he or she pretends to be a superhero or heroine in disguise every time they wear their glasses. Cyclops from X-Men Another superhero tops our list. Marvel Comics added another mutant to its School for Gifted Youngsters in 1968. Cyclops wears a form of glasses to protect those around him. If he looks at anyone or anything without these glasses, a destructive beam could hurt them. That superhuman ability is useful in combat but not much fun at a party. Velma from Scooby-Doo Scooby-Doo and his gang of detectives would go out of business without Velma. Her intelligence helps the group discover clues, solve crimes, and find enough snacks to satisfy Scooby and Shaggy. Use Velma and her ever-present glasses to help your children see that glasses mean they can see clues more easily. Create a scavenger hunt or another clue-based activity to let your children try it out for themselves. Dr. Ian Malcolm from Jurassic Park If your older child loves dinosaurs, this is the character to emphasize. Michael Crichton’s novel Jurassic Park spawned three movies, a lauded soundtrack, and merchandise as far as the eye can see. While the dinosaurs garner most of the attention, Dr. Ian Malcolm is one of the most memorable human characters. Follow his epic adventure to save lives, fight prehistoric creatures, and make glasses a fashion statement. Atticus Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird In Harper Lee’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, readers follow Jean Louise Finch (better known as “Scout”). Her father, Atticus Finch, instills values such as tolerance, kindness, and integrity in his daughter throughout the story. The novel is worth a read, but children may note Atticus’ glasses more easily if they watch the Gregory Peck film. Dr. Egon Spengler from Ghostbusters The last adult (and human) on this list comes from the 1980s film Ghostbusters. This film has a few adult-themed moments, so you preview it to see if you would feel comfortable showing it to your children. While there are some items you may have to fast-forward if your child is too young, the playful banter between Egon and his fellow ghost busters makes this film worthwhile. Arthur from Arthur Arthur the Aardvark wears his trademark glasses with pride. In fact, he wore them so often that his younger sister, D.W., thought he was born with them on his face. The first episode of this long-running series tackles how nervous Arthur was to wear them at first and shows how he came to appreciate them. These are just a few characters you can use to show your children their heroes wear glasses too. Use them as a jumping-off point to find the character that inspires your child.