Kids can be tough. They want to do it all by themselves and yet… they want you to do it all for them… in… EVERYTHING.
That’s the deal, and it plays out in all hands from school to play to what they wear and what they want to be in life. And… it plays out that same way when it comes to eyecare and eyewear.
These 13-plus years with my son Gram have been the most precious moments of my whole life. Parenting is a gift, and it comes with massive responsibilities as valued as the life shared.
The love of cars and guitars is the fun side of my relationship with Gram but in a fond look back on our life of shared milestones, I’ll never underestimate the intense bond we’ve also had over ALL of his visions… the ones that are dreams or goals AND the reality of his being able to actually see to the best of his ability as nurtured by his vision therapist, all of the optical pros administering to his constant eyecare needs AND his own developing awareness of what it takes to maintain and maximize his ability to see as perfectly as humanly possible.
Wander back to this issue’s Parting Glance page, and you will see one keen aspect of this young man’s optical health. He AND his close buddies, Finn and Eamon, are always decked out in the best sunglasses. From casual to cool to extreme in sport (THAT would mostly be his buddies, deeply engaged in a variety of human challenges from extreme camping expeditions to hardcore mountain biking), these young dudes know the incredible importance of performance-enhancing sunglasses.
Children’s eyewear is a top priority for 20/20. Our edit calendar is thick on kids come early summer, first with the demands of our yearly KidzBiz supplement in July, followed in total reinforcement by this August 20/20 deeply devoted to children’s eyewear.
Where do YOU stand in regard to the eyewear and eyecare needs addressed here? Of course I could bring up the power of this niche in the market as an opportunity well worth mining but the responsiveness goes far beyond that. The top line on your obligated eye chart should be the sight of our children. THAT line represents your future as well as theirs. It is constantly staring you in the face. Smile right back at it. Children love a sincere smile. They truly want to take that first step with you so they can then see all the rest of that stairway to a life well and beautifully envisioned.
James J. Spina
Editor-in-Chief
[email protected]
