Live Life Team
One of the first things a child will try as a result of negative peer pressure is smoking cigarettes. Once hooked, it is difficult to get a teenager to quit smoking. However, the intuitive parent can begin to educate the child at an early age to lessen the chance of the child trying cigarettes.
To prevent underage smoking, the lines of communication need to remain open. This is the beginning of the efforts to raise a child that is smoke free.
Teach the child early on about the risks of smoking.
Do not force-feed information, but ask the child to tell you what he considers to be the risks and build off that.
Take turns sharing your thoughts about how smoking can affect young people.
Photos of smokers and non-smokers of the same age can be used to demonstrate the effects smoking has on appearance.
Mention the negative aspects of smoking. It is doubtful that any teen would really want to have “smoker’s breath,” and yellow teeth. Parents might also mention the smoke odour that collects in clothing and hair.
Another avenue to take when preventing a child from smoking is to have a cancer survivor share his or her story with the family. Let the child hear about the turmoil smoking has caused in the survivor’s life, including the effects cancer has had on the family, and financial hardships it can cause. The child will then understand that the best way to live is smoke-free.
