New Found Confidence
Three years ago our oldest daughter Olivia was prescribed eyeglasses for all day wear. I remember walking through the retail store after her eye exam and couldn't believe the poor selection of frames that were available to her. The selection was cut down even further when we learned which ones our insurance would cover and which we would have to pay out-of-pocket for ($$$). After spending an hour with her, searching for the "perfect" pair, she reluctantly picked one. We put the order in and a week later they were ready for pick-up.
In the following weeks and months she would frequently leave them at home, keep them in her backpack while at school and try as hard as she could to wear them as infrequently as possible. She didn't like them and you could visibly see a change in her each time she put them on. They didn't fit her personality and she didn't feel comfortable in them. At a routine parent teacher conference I learned that one of her teachers didn't even know she had prescription eyeglasses because she had never worn them in his class.
After learning this, it became my goal to find something that she could wear comfortably, feel good in, and more importantly, want to wear. They were such a necessity to her and yet they were not being used in their intended purpose to help her sight. There had to be better options out there that would help her feel more confident wearing them. As adults we have so many choices that fit our face shapes and our personal style. I would frequently think, "why don't children have this option?".
As it turns out, I was just looking in the wrong place.
In an internet search for modern children's eyewear I found Jonas Paul and fell in love with the fashionable styles and color options, and Olivia agreed. Jonas Paul was founded by Ben & Laura Harrison after their son Jonas was born with a rare disorder, Peter's Anomaly, which causes opacified corneas and glaucoma. When searching for eyeglasses for their son, they grew increasingly frustrated with the limited fashionable eyewear options available to children. It was their mission to help children feel beautiful in their glasses and provide sight to children in need. It was when I read about their buy sight, give sight efforts that I was hooked.
Unlike other children's eyewear, Jonas Paul offers a Home Try-On Kit that gets mailed right to your door. Each kit comes with seven affordable frame options for your child to try in the comfort and convenience of your own home. You have up to a week to try them and find the perfect frame(s) before mailing the kit back. We ordered our kit and the fun began. I watched as my daughter excitedly tried each pair before narrowing down to her favorite two. Each of them left her beaming with happiness.
After looking at the color options available for each pair, she selected The Paige Clear. The ordering process was just as easy as ordering the home try-on kit and within a few days they arrived at our door. It was all so seamless and stress free. Even better, my daughter has not wanted to take them off. She wanted something original and fun that would make a statement. The Paige frame does just that.
Her new found confidence in these frames has truly propelled her these past few weeks. She is a more frequent participant in class, is a part of the student council and will be speaking at an upcoming school wide assembly. She has quickly become the beautiful, strong and confident person we always knew she was but now it finally shows inside and out thanks to Jonas Paul.
Keep up with Olivia, her mama Jenna, and their adventures by heading on over to her blog (https://www.houseonhawk.com/blog//2018/10/finding-confidence-in-jonas-paul-eyewear.html) or her Instagram @thejennaogle !
