When I found out I needed glasses in the fifth grade, I thought it was a social death sentence. I figured I was doomed to dork-dom for the rest of my academic career. As soon as my mom said it was okay for me to try contact lenses in the seventh grade, I did it and made the switch.

But perhaps I wouldn’t have been so eager to lose my glasses if there were ways to make them a little more hip and fun. Today I see lots of kids and teenagers wearing glasses, and the different frame styles and colors are as varied as the kids who wear them. And check out what we found on the Web a few days ago — charms for eyeglasses! They’re called Ficklets Eye wear Charm Huggers. Kids can change the charms on their specs as often as they change moods.

If you’ve got a kid who is wearing glasses, you might want to cruise over to the Ficklets website and browse through the different options.

There were lots of different charm options to choose from — for girls and boys — and most of the ones I looked at cost less than six dollars. Click HERE or on any of the photos in this post to go to their website and look around.

OK, mamas, Melody’s Choices has some new, trendy do-dads for kids that are stinkin’ cute.

My daughter has a Snap Caps bottle cap necklace and it’s so much fun! You buy the necklace, which has a magnet on it, then choose from a variety of painted bottle caps. Instant bling! You can just switch out bottle caps for different moods. Our favorite is the tie-dye cap with a cursive ‘L’ on it.

Also new from kiddie land: Silly Bandz, colorful rubber bands made of silicone and die molded in many different fun shapes; Japanese Erasers, featuring miniature creations that come apart; and Hex Bugs, which are small colorful robots.

Inexpensive smile-makers!

Like I said, we know these are available at Melody’s Choices — NWA Mall in Fayetteville or Pinnacle Promenade in Rogers.

Here are a few of the Japanese Erasers:

And a Hex Bug (described by one local mom as “kind of like an electrical cockroach. When you clap your hands it scurries away. It also moves when the lights come on.”):

Okay, it might not be the prettiest soap dispenser in town, but it does get extra points for being cool. I saw the Lysol Healthy Touch Hand Soap System on display at Wal-Mart a few weeks ago and decided to give it a try. Just like so many mamas, I feel like I’m CONSTANTLY reminding the kids to wash their hands. I must say it at least six times a day or more.

The idea behind this product is that it helps stop the spread of bacteria since there’s no need to touch it. It automatically senses a hand underneath the nozzle and gives you the right amount of soap. The soap is said to kill 99.9 percent of bacteria and comes in a few different scents, which you can try out by sniffing the scratch n’ sniff sticker on the packaging. (I like the cucumber scent as well as the green tea and ginger scent.) Cost is just under $10 (before tax). Batteries are included.

It was easy to set it up. I just put the batterines in, removed the seal from the soap bottle and clicked it into place. Then I slid the switch to “on,” and it was ready to use.

As a mom, the BEST part of this product is that it has made hand-washing a little less tiresome for my kids. Perhaps it’s just the novelty of it, but I’ll accept any reason that makes them want to wash their hands more, especially during cold and flu season.

Here’s a tip: I told the kids that this was a new kind of “robot soap.” As you know, kids (especially boys) think anything that includes a robot must be cool. So they are a little more willing now to pop into the bathroom to watch the robot soap do its thing. It makes a quiet little whirring sound, too, which helps to back up my robot story.

So far, we’ve been using this soap dispenser for about two weeks and it hasn’t broken or needed new batteries. As I said above, you might not want this in a super fancy guest bathroom, but it’s a great choice for a kids’ bathroom or even your own. For cost, ease or use and germ-prevention, this one has earned the title of “Motherlode Must-Have.”

(Note: We’re not paid to write product reviews. We write about what we like and would recommend to friends.)

Finally, I found it! For years, I’ve been frustrated about mascara because I couldn’t find one I could apply without ending up with at least one or two globs of extra mascara on my lashes. Of course, when you get a glob on your lashes, you’ve got to get a tissue or a eyelash comb and clean up the mess. Arrrgh! It’s frustrating and time-consuming, and most mamas are typically short on time.

For me, the biggest problem is the big fat, caterpillar-like application wands which end up putting way too much mascara on my lashes. (That may not be an issue for those of you lucky enough to have thick, long lashes that can handle the big brush.) But, if you’re like me and you’re sick of the globs, I have good news!

I recently tried Maybelline Lash Discovery Minibrush Mascara, and I am in love. (It caught my eye because it said “no clumps, no globs” on the package.) I think I’ve finally found a mascara I can control. The application brush is teeny tiny — so thin you’ll think it’s designed for Barbie dolls or something. But I love the way it lets me get the mascara exactly where I want it, even on the tiny lashes near the corners of your eyes. If you want more mascara, just keep applying coats (but don’t let it dry in between.)

I’ve worn this mascara for about a week now and it hasn’t given me any problems with smudging either. And now I’m not dreading putting on mascara in the morning and dealing with the globs and blobs. You can find this mascara at Wal-Mart, Target or any drugstore. Cost is about $6. For the low price and ease of use, it has earned the distinction of being a “Motherlode Must-Have.”

(Note: We’re NOT paid by any store or manufacturer to write product reviews. We just write about the ones we really like and would recommend to friends.)