Funshine! Real Kids Shades

All my son wants to do is “go ow-side, pway few minutes?” The sunshine, green grass, and warm weather are calling him!

Besides gearing him up with protective sunwear, I also endeavor to keep a pair of sunglasses on him!

We know all about protecting our skin from the sun’s harmful rays. But the eyes are an area we often overlook when sending our kids outside to play!

The American Academy of Ophthalmology says, “Like your skin, your eyes never recover from UV exposure,” and, “exposure to bright sunlight increases the risk of developing cataracts, macular degeneration, and growths on the eye, including malignancies.”

Never recover? That hit me hard, when I think that my children have to live with whatever eyesight damage I allow while they are young.

I see a lot of TOY sunglasses in stores – cheaply made, with super-dark lenses that fall out easily. These kinds of toy glasses do not offer children much sun protection. That’s why this summer my son will be wearing cool new shade from Real Kids Shades.

At RKS, they use science to create kids’ sunglasses that fit well (wrap-around styles that protect all angles of the eyes), are impact resistant, and block out 100% of UV rays.

I love how each pair comes with comfortable velcro straps that keep the glasses on children’s heads (or at least around their neck should they fall off!). It’s definitely hard to teach toddlers to keep their glasses on, my son always wants to shove his up on his forehead like he’s one of the “cool kids!” But if you lead by example and wear your sunglasses, and are persistent (start with small time increments of having them stay on!), your child will eventually grow accustomed to the feeling and forget they are wearing them. We would have our son wear them around the house once in a while so he got used to the idea.

Real Kids Shades started in 2002 when the founders could not find quality, comfortable, fashionable sunglasses for their own children. Now, a decade later, they are working with Prevent Blindness America to educate the public on the importance of protecting children’s eyes.

Real Kids Shades makes sunglasses for kids from birth up to 12 years old. They have several styles and a huge variety of colors and prints! The sizing of glases spans a range of years, so if you take care of them, you can make these glasses last a few summers. And my favorite part about RKS? If your child wears presciption glasses, many of the RKS frames can be fitted for prescription lenses!!

Thanks to Real Kids Shades for sending items to review and providing a giveaway! All opinions are my own and 100% honest!