1. Set an Example for Your Kids
If you don't have a healthy disgust for smoking, chances are your kids won't, either. The most important step in discouraging cigarette addiction in children is to quit yourself, and encourage others to kick the habit. Whether kids admit it or not, parents are influential. Don't adhere to a double standard--take your own advice and get rid of your nicotine dependency.
If you can't quit on your own, check out websites like QuitNet.com or SmokeFree.gov for free tips, resources and expert support. In the meantime, be honest with your family members about the addictive cycle you're stuck in, how tough it is to quit, and how it's taking a toll on your health in both the short and long term. Recognizing your dedication to quitting will speak volumes to them about the hazards of lighting up.
2. Share the Truth About Scary Health Risks
Parents and friends often try to protect adolescents from the harsh realities of health problems. When it comes to smoking, don't walk on eggshells around your kids. Instead, let them know that cigarette habits lead to a variety of dangerous medical conditions like emphysema, heart disease and cancer--all of which have alarming death rates. In addition to these diseases that kids have likely heard of, cigarettes are filled with toxins and carcinogens that lead to critical maladies like strokes, thyroid disease, degenerative disc disease, reproductive problems and gangrene. Make sure you communicate to your kids that the menu of potential health complications is long, and that many of the conditions lead to lifetime disabilities and death. With that said, avoid the sole use of scare tactics when discussing smoking with kids. Make sure you can back your claims with medical evidence or convincing, real-life examples.
3. Point Out the Immediate Negative Effects
If your child or teen is in denial about the reality of nicotine-related medical consequences, try a different tactic. Talk with him about more immediate effects of smoking, like bad breath, yellow teeth, smelly hair and clothing. If he is an athlete, remind him that his performance will suffer due to reduced lung capacity, asthma-related conditions and frequent respiratory infections. In a world where kids often find their identity in relationships, popularity and extracurricular activities, these things may hit home more than discussions of future health problems.
4. Help Kids Do the Math
Pointing out the high cost of cigarettes may be one of the most effective ways of curbing adolescent smoking. If a pack of cigarettes costs $5 and your child smokes four packs a week, that's at least $80 a month poured into this unhealthy habit. For children and teens who'd like to have money for movies, gas and entertainment, $80 is significant. Make it clear that you will not subsidize a smoking habit. Remind your adolescent to choose wisely when it comes to spending her discretionary funds, and that you will not provide her with extra cash if she blows hers on cigarettes. To magnify your point, have her do the math to determine how much money she'll waste over an entire year if she continues to smoke.
5. Establish Close Family Bonds
In addition to coming clean with kids about the social and medical consequences of nicotine addiction, it's important to maintain a close relationship with your preteens and teens. Adolescents who have a positive connection with parents and relatives are more likely to express themselves honestly, listen to advice and develop a healthy self-image. When kids have high self-esteem, they're less likely to give in when pressured to drink, smoke or use recreational drugs.
