The “Back-to-School” season is upon us. I know I sound crazy, but this season feels a lot like the Christmas season! There is a buzz of anticipation in the air. Everyone is trying to get last-minute things checked off of their list. My credit card company is sending me fraud alerts for being charged at Target multiple times on the same day. It’s electric! But truly, at Twenty20 is where I feel it the most. Everyone is trying to get in and gear up for the school year at the same rate we see folks trying to use insurance benefits before the end of the year.
And we love it.
There’s something exciting about seeing kids come through the door with fresh haircuts and stories about who they hope their teacher will be. It’s also entertaining seeing their parents alongside looking like they’ve spent the last three weeks trying to locate the exact brand, size, and color of school supplies specified on a very particular list. But among the new shoes, school supplies, sports physicals, and figuring out what on earth your child did with the lunchbox you bought them last year, there’s one back-to-school item that’s easy to overlook: their eyes.
We ask a lot of our kids’ vision during the school year. Reading books. Looking at Chromebooks. Copying notes from the board. Doing homework. Playing sports. Their eyes are working all day long. The tricky part is that kids don’t always know when they aren’t seeing well. If the board has always looked a little blurry, they may assume that’s just what the board looks like. They might squint, sit closer, lose their place while reading, complain of headaches, or simply avoid tasks that require more visual effort. That’s why a comprehensive eye exam before school starts can be such an important part of getting ready for the year. We want kids walking into that first classroom able to focus on learning, not struggling to focus.
And teachers, we haven’t forgotten about you!
If anyone deserves to start the school year seeing clearly, it’s the person trying to read 25 name tags, 47 emails, a computer screen, a lesson plan, and something written in approximately 6-point font by the district all before 8:00 a.m. Teachers spend an incredible amount of time switching between screens, paperwork, students across the classroom, and everything in between. An updated prescription—and the right pair of glasses or contacts—can make those long school days a whole lot more comfortable.
So while you’re making your back-to-school checklist, somewhere between haircuts, school supplies, clothes and backpacks, add one more. Schedule an eye exam.
For the kids. For the teachers. And maybe for the parents who are going to be staring at homework at 9:00 p.m. wondering when third-grade math became so complicated. We’d love to help your family start the school year seeing clearly, feeling confident, and ready for whatever this year brings. Here’s to new teachers, new friends, new adventures, and a great school year.
