Jenny is an excellent student in her grade 2 class and mostly receives top marks, however, in the past few months her grades have been slipping.  Mrs. Pearson, her teacher, asked if everything was ok with Jenny, questioning why her grades were lower?

 

Jenny has been puzzled by this too.  Why was she not doing better? She works just as hard as before and always completes her homework, but lately, it’s taking longer and longer to get her homework done.  

The very next day at school, Mrs. Pearson placed a piece of paper face down on top of every student’s desk.  She said it was a surprise spelling test but the students couldn't turn this paper over until she said the word "GO". The students were excitedly waiting, then suddenly they heard Mrs. Pearson yell “GO”. 

Each student, including Jenny, turned their paper over and immediately started their test. But the letters on Jenny's test looked fuzzy. Spelling is one her best subjects and now she couldn't see the words very well.

Jenny started holding the paper close to her face and squinting her eyes.

Mrs. Pearson noticed how Jenny was holding the test paper and came over asking “Jenny, what are you doing?”.  Jenny replied, “When I’m reading I have to put the paper right up to my face to see the letters!”. 

Mrs. Pearson questioned her with a worried face, "Why?”.  Jenny explained how sometimes she has to hold papers closer to her face because she can’t see the words clearly and rubs her eyes a lot.

 

Mrs. Pearson realized that time was running out to complete the spelling test, so she told Jenny just this one time she could take it home to complete the test, but Jenny had to make a promise that she couldn’t have anyone help her at home with the answers and she had to complete the test and return it tomorrow.

Mrs. Pearson was concerned and told Jenny that it was very important to tell her parents about this reading problem. Jenny's parents would have to take her for an eye exam to see if an exam might inform them if they need to do something to help her see much better.

Jenny was scared to tell her mom and dad and thought about how she would tell them about her eye problems during her entire walk home from school.  She didn’t mention anything until dinner when everyone was at the table discussing their day and other things.

Jenny sat at the kitchen table feeling nervous and only ate a few bites of her dinner, but she remembered what Mrs. Pearson said, that it was important to tell her Mom and Dad about the eye exam so she had to tell them.  Finally, she got up the courage and also told them what happened at school with the test.

Jenny also informed them that Mrs. Pearson and she talked about the problems with reading and that it was important to tell her parents that an eye exam may be needed.

 

Jenny’s mom looked in disbelief “Oh Jenny, why didn’t you tell us about this?” and Jenny sadly replied, “I thought you would be mad and it would just go away”. 

 

Jenny’s mom in an assuring voice replied: “We would never be mad at something that isn't your fault for one thing, and this is a medical issue and you can’t control that type of thing. You can always come to us.”