Glasses

"On the face or in the case." Have your child repeat it so it's automatic -- if she's not wearing her glasses, she remembers to put them in their case.

--Look for 2-for-1 specials on glasses. Kids vary tremendously in how quickly they'll go through glasses, Collins says. If your child is active, it might be wise to stock up. But you might keep one pair in reserve and have the child deal with just one pair at a time, to bring home with him from school each day.

--Ward off teasing by helping your child practice what to say if someone ribs him about the new glasses: "I need this to see." Collins says she hears about much less teasing these days than when she was a child, partly because there are cool fashion frames out there that kids like (such as the pink ones above). Children 11 and older might be good candidates for contact lenses.

--Have your child's eyes tested regularly, even if he doesn't have glasses now. Collins says young children often don't show clear symptoms, so it's a good idea to have their vision screened once a year by their regular pediatrician during an annual checkup. Meanwhile, check with your doctor if your child complains of blurred vision; squints or closes one eye to see; has a hard time seeing things at a distance; or struggles with headaches and/or eye strain after doing close work.