Cigarettes with it’s nicotine content is one of the most addictive drugs known to man.Only a few day’s and some say you are capable of becoming addicted for life, no different to some of the hard street drugs on offer like heroin, cocaine and ice. Statistics show us that the cost to the tax payer for all the medical expertise needed to treat smokers and the resulting effects that it causes
When you are a parent, you would do everything in the world for your kids. All you want is for them to grow up healthy,strong and wise. As we know, education is paramount and we all want to make sure that they go to the best schools, colleges or universities to give them the best start in life. Yet education also begins at home. We have to warn them about the dangers of life and nicotine in the guise of that enticing packet of cigarettes is one such example.
You have to be alert for the signs that your child may have started smoking. We all undoubtedly remember from our childhood how the temptation could be very strong and how if it was “cool” to smoke then you could be tempted to do so. Indeed, we might have smoked ourselves as children and if we have been lucky enough to be able to find the willpower to quit, we certainly don’t want out kids to go through this. You know that it’s very hard to quit smoking when it becomes a habit. It really does not take that much time to become a habit and it’s important to remember that when you are an adolescent you really don’t understand the dangers as much and may not be as motivated to stop smoking at that time.
You have to explain the facts very clearly to your children. Of late there have been some very hard-hitting and very graphic advertisements on television and while they’re hard to watch, you must indeed make sure that your children take notice.
Smoking cessation may well be a goal for you, but if you cannot get your child on your side in this case, it’s going to be an uphill struggle. Explain how smoking will ultimately cause high blood pressure, diseases of the nervous system, stomach, lungs and heart and drum it into them how antisocial it is.
Treat your children as if they are a young adults. Don’t threaten punishment or judgement and appeal to their reasonable side. It’s there, but you have to listen. Also, if you make sure that your children get involved in healthier occupations like sports this could be a great help. You will find that children who are active members of the football team, say, are less likely to want to light a cigarette as it affects their ability to be “match fit” for their favourite pastime.
If you can explain to them how smoking is seriously “uncool” and talk to them on their level, then you have a good chance of averting a potential lifetime of distress.