Ask anyone who has ever smoked and then quit, and they’ll tell you they wish they’d never started to smoke. Instead of starting as a teen, smoking could have been avoided. In fact, those who have been smoking for years will tell your teen that smoking is a dead-end addiction that should be avoided at all costs.
It’s important as a parent to begin talking about smoking to your children when they are young. Explain to them the dangers of smoking. Talk with them while they’re young and more willing to listen to what you have to say. It’s also important for you to be available to them in case they have questions. Always answer them as honestly as you can.
If you’ve been talking about the dangers of smoking while your children were growing up, they may feel like they’ve heard everything before when they reach their teen years. It’s important to keep talking, however. No matter how hard it may be, do everything you can to keep the lines of communication open. They’ll need your love, guidance, support, and trust now more than ever before, because peer pressure is often worst at this age.
Experts agree that the most preventable causes of death in the United States are those caused by smoking. Not only is smoking a leading cause of various types of cancer, it is also a major contributor to heart disease. If you smoke and have high cholesterol, your chances of having a heart attack greatly increase.
Many teens think that smoking makes them look older, and it’s true. The nicotine dries out the skin and makes it thinner. Chances are, however, that you don’t want to look like a piece of beef jerky. To maintain a healthy, youthful glow, avoid smoking.
Remember, if you smoke, your teen will be more likely to pick up the habit. As a parent you can do so much to encourage your teen to avoid smoking. Associating with others that don’t smoke can also have a positive effect on their choice to smoke or not.
Help your teen to deal with being offered a cigarette. Role play with them by offering them a cigarette and give them the opportunity to say “no thank you.” By role playing often, you’ll get them used to saying “no thank you” whenever someone offers them a cigarette or possibly worse.
To drive home the dangers of teen smoking, you may want to introduce your teen to someone who has smoked all their lives and has lung cancer. It may scare them and they may think you’re being cruel; however, if it scares them enough, they may decide that smoking is not for them. And that, in the long run, is the goal to keep your teen from starting to smoke in the first place.
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