Thursday, March 21, 2013

Patching, bracing & another guest post

I've written another guest blog post for Little Four Eyes, a great blog and resource for parents of children with a variety of eye issues.

This post is particularly important to me as it is heart wrenching: to brace or not to brace Ruby's arms in order to keep her from ripping off her eye patch after 25 seconds of wearing it. It's a tactic that does work. It's just one I was hoping to avoid.


I've been showing Ruby that her baby doll (the blue one) needs to wear her eye patch in order to see well. Each night when we come home, we patch her doll and give her a big kiss and a hug for being so brave. Now she's beginning to think all of her dolls have eye issues as well. This is going to be an expensive training lesson. 

5 comments:

Holli said...

You're doing a good job, Meg. I can't only imagine the struggle this must be for you and Ruby. Keep it up.

My closest cousin (who remains one of my best friends) wore an eye patch all through kindergarten when it was discovered she was blind in one eye. She has memories of wearing it and thick glasses and having her Dad go to school with her to help her see. What a gift you had R's eyes checked at such a young age.

xo

Amanda said...

Honestly Meg, I have no experience with the arm restraints. Fortunately, it never really had to come to that for us. However, I can completely understand how this decision has to be heart wrenching for you. First of all no parent enjoys placing a patch over their precious, innocent, beautiful child's face. But then to go to extreme measures to keep your child from resisting such patch... it is torture for all involved. I know this is one more hurdle for you in this journey... trust your imom instinct, it will never let you down.

Meg said...

Thanks ladies! imom instincts...thanks Amanda...I'm so glad I've found your blog & that we've connected online! How did people parent w/o the internet? ;)

Rebecca Mongrain said...

I'd brace her arms. You've tried everything and she does not like the patch. Time for the hard core parenting. It is for the greater good and sometimes that means being the 'mean' parent.

Sara K. said...

Megs - wish I could be there to lend my support! I can't imagine. Keep being the awesome Mommy that you are!!!