My Mum told me that growing up as a child in Australia I did not wear sunglasses, explaining that it was unheard of back then and as far as she knew they were not even available in children’s sizing. That is not the case these days, with Californian-based Paxley providing colorful, affordable and stylish options for the little Apples of Our Eyes!

For at least the last 20 years of my life I have been very much aware of how important it is to wear sunglasses. I, pretty much, wear sunglasses 90% of my time spent outdoors, I am quite fanatical about it. Maybe this is because I have blue eyes? Blue eyes are more sensitive to light than darker eyes, and for me it just really hurts and I am constantly squinting if I do not wear them. Plus, I have always been aware of protecting the delicate skin area around my eyes as much as possible. Yes, I can admit it, I am a little vain and am not a fan of premature wrinkles!

Health and looking stylish has always been important to me when it comes to eye wear, and I am now passing this on to my Little Guy in the hopes that he learns from a young age how important looking after his eyes are.

According to Doctor Michael Jones, who is a renowned pediatric eye specialist practising in Sydney Australia, starting the habit of children wearing sunglasses at a young age can aid in protecting against the most common eye conditions that develop later in life. You can read about this further HERE.

It seems fair enough that children should be wearing sunglasses as soon as possible. However, finding a comfortable pair that your child is willing to wear is a whole other story!

Finally comfortable in his Paxley’s cruising around Brooklyn

Most recently, I was sent a pair of the light green Pico sunglasses to test out on my little munchkin. I loved the look of them straight-off-the-bat, Miles however was not an immediate fan. I tried putting them on him so many times, and he kept taking them off. It was frustrating! But, I knew if I kept trying he would start to get used to the idea so I kept persevering.

I put them away for a few days, and then I brought them out to try again. After multiple tries it was a no-go again. Oh well, I put them away again, there was always the next day.

Taking a rest on some brownstone steps

And, then… we hit the jackpot! One morning, as Miles and I were getting ready to head out to his karate class, he casually asked me if he could wear his new sunglasses. I was just a bit excited about that, as surely with this icy glarey winter we are experiencing here in New York City, it is just as important to be wearing sunglasses as in the warmer months. Eye damage can develop in all kinds of environments, not just during sunny times.

Miles and I then cruised around Brooklyn taking in the ever-changing street art, and before we both knew it, I realized he had happily been wearing his sunglasses for over an hour! See, I so knew that was going to happen.

Now he loves his Sunglasses and has no problem wearing them at all, mission accomplished! Sometimes you have to take one step back to take two steps forward, especially when something is so important to instill.

Taking in the Brooklyn Street Art

Some of our favorite features;

• Made without BPA, lead paint, PVC, Latex, Phthalates
• Hypoallergenic
• 100% UVA/UVB protection
• Shatter-resistant lenses
• Handcrafted in Italy
• Ergonomically frames with rubber noses
• Comes with a detachable fastener strap
•  SafeBend technology that won’t pinch fingers, hair or clothing
• Certified by the Consumer Product Safety Commission to be safe for babies and children

Paxley Sunglasses are available is 3 different sizing brackets; 0-18 months, 1-3 years and 3-5 years.  For the 2014 collection there are 4 different styles available, in 13 different colors.

Having a great time

You can buy directly from the Paxley website, and at the moment all styles are retailing for $40, which is very reasonable if you ask me. Shop HERE. Additionally, on top of that, Paxley have graciously offered Willy B Mum readers a 25% off promo code by using code at check out – WillyB

What’s your favorite pair?

Thanks for reading Willy B Mum!