Think About Your Eyes this Summer Break

*This post was in partnership with Think About Your Eyes

It’s finally summer break! That time of the year when it’s perfectly acceptable to eat ice cream for breakfast and lounge at the beach all day long. Now is the time to enjoy all of the fun outdoor activities you’ve been craving for the past year.

Each season, we put together a bucket list of all the things we want to do. We’re determined to make the most out of our summer and have so many exciting plans in the works! This past week, Ari and I wrote down a list of all the things she wanted to do this summer and I added some things that needed to get done too. With extra time on our hands, it’s the perfect time to fit in things that we don’t always make time for.

2018 Bucket List:

• Picnic at the park
• S’mores at the beach
• Staycation weekend in San Diego
• Trips to Disney (lots of them!)
• Visit the water park
• Go to the spash pad
• Teach Ari how to spell her full name
• Camp out in the living room
• Visit the museum
• Feed the giraffes at the Zoo
• Go shopping for back to school clothes
• Go to the dentist
• Take the girls in for an annual comprehensive eye exam

Since Ari just started summer school and will be starting preschool soon, I want to make it a priority for her to get an annual eye exam before she starts school. The American Optometric Association recommends taking school-aged kids for an eye-exam every two years if no vision correction is required or every year for children who wear eyeglasses. Eye care is so important and many times kids who struggle in school are having eye problems.

Now that kids are out for the summer, this is the perfect time to take your kids to get their annual eye exam! This way if your child is having eye problems, you can get their vision issue detected and treated. Think About Your Eyes makes it easy for parents to set-up annual eye exams for kids. You can easily find eye doctors near you by putting in your zip. You can also view the doctor’s profile or request an appointment directly on the site!

In addition to getting your kids’ eyes checked, wearing sunglasses and limiting screen time while on summer break can help kids not strain their eyes. I’m guilty of allowing Ari to play on my phone or her tablet when we’re getting ready for bed, but I always set a timer so she knows when it’s time to put it down.

We’ve also been able to get Ari in the habit of wearing sunglasses when she’s outside in the sun. We keep a pair of sunglasses for the girls in my diaper bag and car at all times to avoid them from damaging their eyes with the sun. Also, don’t be fooled by a cloudy day– this is often when UV rays are the strongest! Every mom should carry around a pair of sunnies and sunblock for their kids this summer because you’ll never know where your day will take you!

Click here for more information on children’s eye health and to find a doctor near you.