Talking to your Children about Smoking Cigarettes

When it comes to children and cigarette smoking, it is always a bad combination! So, why do some children start smoking?

There are many reasons why children decide that they want to smoke, such as trying to look cool, fitting in with the other kids, appearing older, etc. Some do it because they’ve seen their parents doing it and think it’s normal!

Has your child started smoking or you get the feeling that they might start; here are the best ways to prevent it from happening…

• Encourage your child to get involved in sports or join a club, these activities will keep them occupied and prohibit them from smoking

• Talk to your children about the dangers of smoking and mention that it can cause cancer, lung disease and heart disease

• Ask your children what they find so appealing about smoking and why they would ever choose to smoke

• Discuss certain ways they can deal with peer pressure, such as walking away from any friends who don’t respect their reasons for saying no to smoking

• Make strong rules that exclude ALL smoking from your home

• If you are a parent that smokes, it is time to quit! Children that see family members smoking think this means it is a normal thing to do – rather set a good example for them

Look out for these signs that may suggest that your child is smoking…

-- The smell of cigarette smoke on their clothing
-- Coughing
-- Throat irritation
-- A hoarse throat
-- Bad breath
-- Their athletic performance decreases
-- Regular colds and flus
-- Stained teeth and clothing
-- Wheezing and shortness of breath

Have you noticed any of these signs? Try your best not to overreact! The best thing to do is sit down with your child and talk about it with them.

The Assisted Learning Centre is a school is the coastal town of Fish Hoek. At ALC, we embrace the principle of high standard of education for all young people, and we feel that all education should be approached in a modern, forward-thinking and professional way! Enroll HERE