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Home › Articles › Parenting Strategies › Puffing Up

Puffing Up

Taking a Stand on Youth Cigarette Smoking

By Shel Franco

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Too Late to Help
What if your teen or preteen has already tried cigarettes?

"If your children are already smoking, do not allow them to smoke on your property, and insist they match time spent in friends' homes with equal time in your home," Cohen-Posey says. "Some parents take the attitude that if their children are smoking, they may as well smoke where they are safe. This makes smoking way too convenient and does not teach children to set limits."

That's right – it's time to set up a smoke-free zone around your home. If you smoke, quit. If your friends or other family members smoke, inform them of your new policy: No smoking! It might be hard to do, and if you're a current smoker, it might seem impossible, but it's the only way to send a clear message to your child and safeguard his or her health for the future.

What about punishment? If you find your teen or preteen has been smoking on a regular basis, shouldn't the child be firmly disciplined?

"Punishing kids for smoking will probably not work," Cohen-Posey says. "You cannot watch them 24 hours a day, and you will build a credibility gap about what you can control."

Share with them your fears, and offer to get them professional help, but do so with loving guidance. Your reaction should come from a place of concern, not outrage, Cohen-Posey says. "Always express concern for their health rather than anger for their disobedience," she says.

* Last name withheld to protect privacy. 


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