Teenagers & Smoking

How would you react, when you catch your teenager in their room, with a cigarette in hand, puffing away to glory? You will be shocked, right ? Immediately after, many questions will pop up in your mind - who put them in this habit? Where did they learn to smoke? No one in the family smokes, then why they are doing it? Whether you will go to the school to speak to the class teacher about it and ask the teacher to find out in which company they mix? Beat the hell out of them to know why they are smoking? and many other questions. You will not be able to rest till you find out the root cause of it and mind you, in no way they will tell you themselves. So?? Literally speaking, we actually cannot do anything about it because if we do, then they would start smoking at your back.

Look, you have not lost anything.
Getting shocked is a very normal reaction but before overreacting or taking some drastic actions, think with clear mind and try to follow these steps to, at least, make them avoid smoking. You don't know, may be they are just experimenting the taste of it or are trying to copy the style of smoking of some favourite hero. Remember, giving the best and strong family foundation is also not enough to stop them from smoking. So, Firstly, do not be harsh or rash towards them.

There should not be outbursts of anger. Be supportive and give a patient hearing to their reasons for wanting to smoke.
Secondly, hold discussions with them about the pros and cons of smoking.

Also, tell them how smoking will lead to addiction and variety health hazards.
Thirdly, do not start giving philosophical lectures or criticize them as these will not help.

Your advices should be very friendly and down-to-earth. Fourthly, if you are a smoker, give it up yourself and be a role model. You have to do it, anyhow as smoking cannot be important than children. Fifthly, let them know that you really care for them and their health. Do not be judgmental.

Sixthly, there is no need to take them to psychiatrists as these issues can be easily and cleverly handled by you.

Remember, smoking is not a mental illness or an abnormality. Seventhly, do not, on continuous basis, nag them to give up smoking as this will make them more adamant to continue with it.
Eighthly, if nothing works and they still continue with it, set some rules and make sure they follow it.

Have I sounded very blunt? Or have I sounded as if I am supporting teenage smoking? No, no, it is not so.

See, time has changed and we, as parents, need to change ourselves, be accommodating, be adjusting, be co-operating and be understanding.

Gone are the days when one stern look from the parents would make the teenager cringe away with fear.
Nowadays, one stern look from us and they are out of the house.