Protecting Those Peepers

The Aces information, product and additional gift pack have been provided by Aces.

When I think back to my own childhood, I don’t really remember ever wearing sunglasses. There are probably three big reasons for that:

Sunglasses weren’t much of a “thing” for kids back in the early 80s; let’s face it– the SPF 8 was considered the “strong stuff” reserved for only the palest among us.
By the time I was in first grade, I wore prescription glasses and, honestly, it would have been wildly wasteful to invest in prescription sunglasses for an unpredictable six-year-old.
And, finally, once I started wearing contacts, in 7th grade, I tried out sunglasses and was dissatisfied with how I looked in them because they– surprise, surprise– hid my eyes, which have arguably always been my best feature. Yes, my friends, vanity kept me from protecting my eyes.

Anywho, these days, I wear my sunnies on the regular and I’m just tickled with all the options available to me. I’ve long ago gotten over that particular vanity and I’ve learned that, no matter what the trend-setters are saying, for me the sunglasses will always be BIG in order to actually protect my rather large peepers.

So, I’ve gotten better at protecting my eyes– yay, me! I should get an adulting badge for that one.

My kids, however? Aren’t much better than I was as a child.

In their cases, it’s not so much the vanity problem, but I do have one who wears prescription glasses and, frankly, the other two just don’t think about it, either. Honestly? I’ve been known to forget about it myself.

But did you know that UV damage is cumulative and irreversible? That’s scary enough, but it’s also important to know that kids receive three times more annual UV exposure than adults. However, as is the case in my family, the parents are much more likely to actually wear sunglasses than the children.

Because of their larger pupils and clearer lenses, children are more susceptible to sun damage. To help protect from this, their sunglasses should offer 100%UVA/UVB protection.

Of course, all the protection in the world is useless if they won’t wear the things! Finding high-quality durable frames and a comfortable fit are essential to actually getting– and keeping!– the sunglasses on their faces.

About a month ago, I was told about Babiators and their Aces line, designed for the 7-14 crowd. This appealed to me since all three of my kiddos happen to fall in that age range! Here are a few of the key deets that make these glasses stand out:

Accessorized: Each pair comes with an awesome sunglasses silhouette bag and a lens cloth.
Safe: UV400 lenses offer 100% UVA and UVB protection and undergo rigorous testing to ensure they’re safe for your child.
Durable: Flexible rubber frames, and impact and shatter-resistant lenses won’t break when you bend or twist them. Trust us, we’ve tried!
Awesome: Mirrored lenses amp up the cool factor on the classic aviator frame and new navigator frame to help kids express their rad personal styles.
Guaranteed: The best part? Aces are backed by the Lost & Found Guarantee™ – if you lose or break your shades in the first year, Babiators will replace them for free. All you pay is shipping.

I figured we’d give it a go.

My oldest spends a ton of time outdoors, tossing a football, playing with his sisters, and running miles upon miles. I let him put them to the test.

The verdict?

While A. found them comfortable and effective, he still needed to be reminded to put them on. That’s a habit that will take some time to form, of course, He was surprised how much more comfortable they were than the glasses we’ve snagged at convenience or drug stores in the past. That’s a lesson it took me a long time to learn, actually– not all frames are created equally!

In his own words, “These actually feel flexible and comfortable on my ears. The lenses make me look awesome. I’m glad they’re easy to care for and don’t get easily scratched, ’cause I don’t feel like I have time to be babying my sunglasses.”

So there you go! File that under high praise from an eleven-year-old boy.