{ Four Eyes }

My beautiful little niece Chloe has had trouble seeing at school and as a result is struggling in her reading, she says the letters jump off the page at her and won't sit still, those naughty little letters! The idea of wearing glasses to her is terrifying, as she has already suffered from some bullying. I have told her that all three of her beloved aunties wear glasses, and that it is not a big deal or something to worry about.

When I was about 10 years old my mum took me to the optometrist to get my eyes tested. My older sister had just been told that she had to wear glasses full-time. For some bizarre reason I really wanted glasses. I think to be just like my big sister. I was delighted to find that I did indeed need glasses, just to see the blackboard. It's funny that you want to be different from the crowd (I was the only person in my small primary school class with glasses to pull out and put on, very grown up and sophisticated) but when you are different from the crowd all you want to do is be a sheep again.

When other kids would call my sister and I 'four eyes' or something equally as original, we would cry to mum. She told us, like I tell Chloe, not to listen to them and that we were beautiful little girls. Years later as a teenager my mobile phone rang, I answered it, it was my mum, standing at the optometrist, being told she had to wear glasses and absolutely devastated.

"But Mum, remember you always told Louise and I that we were beautiful regardless of our imperfect eye-sight - I'm sure you are the same."

"Oh Emma - you and your sister were clearly the dorkiest looking children, I just told you that you were pretty. Now what frames am I going to choose to suit my face shape??!!"

Has parenting that you experienced as a kid backfired on you now as an adult or a parent yourself? 

Images via here.