It’s an understatement to say that it’s hard to raise teens. The ever changing mood swings, boy and girl problems, academics and extracurricular activities, friends and social circles. The early, middle, and late adolescence stages are crucial for every teen and for every parent raising one, too. These are the stages when they are all too willing to try anything and everything
Teenage smoking may happen because of peer pressure for one. Parents who are smokers also serve as confusing examples for teens. How smoking is portrayed by different media plays an important part as well in bringing about teenage smokers. The need to belong to the coolest set of kids in school, the supposedly role models that teens are living with, and the overall social perception relating to smoking are the triggers to having a teenage smoker inside your home. While teens are aware of how smoking is dangerous to one’s health, they may at one point try it and worse, get hooked on it and develop a vicious habit.that they can get their hands on. They deal with issues about dating, sex, bullying, peer pressure, social acceptance, even drugs and smoking and so much more.
As parents, the intervention and prevention should start inside the home. If teens hear and learn straight from their parents about the negative effects of smoking, they should be able to carry with them those values and avoid doi
ng the habit entirely. Even if the pressure outside the home is great, a teen that grew up informed and enlightened about smoking and its ill effects should do fairly well to deal with it by himself. But there are more ways than one to help your teen make the decision of not lighting up.
Ways to Prevent and Keep Your Teen Away from Smoking
Educate your kid at the earliest possible time possible and consistently all throughout his or her growing years about smoking. - It is never too early to start talking about smoking to a 10 year old kid. The earlier that you start talking about it the sooner that your kid gets all the necessary information he needs and can use against being tempted to try it. Don’t stop with just one talk but carry on as your kid grows into his or her teens. The dangers of smoking don’t stop and change as your kid ages. Consistency also sends the message that you are always on the lookout for your teen’s welfare.Encourage your teen about healthy living by eating right, exercising regularly and staying away from habits such as cigarette smoking. – By exposing your teen to healthy habits inside the home, your teen is able to value his or her body and health more. He or she will be aware that along with good nutrition and constant physical activity, he or she should also avoid unhealthy habits like cigarette smoking. If your teen is exposed to a healthy lifestyle inside the home environment, there are better chances that he or she will continue with such even outside the home and until later on in life. Encouraging and promoting healthy living to your teen also means you have to practice it yourself. So make sure you also stay away from smoking (or quit it if you haven't yet).Explain clearly the health hazards of cigarette smoking. - Start with the small things- how he or she can get yellow teeth and fingers, about having foul breath and body odor, about dry skin and brittle hair- and then be more in depth about life-threatening effects such as lung cancer, throat cancer, breast cancer, heart diseases, heart attacks, strokes, skin diseases and more. Let your teen know that the little things will impact his or her day-to-day teenage life and the serious consequences will affect his or her future.Be very aware of telltale signs that may arise that will show that your teen is already experimenting with cigarettes so you could immediately step in and put an end to what is about to come.- Does your teen’s room smell of smoke or musty smoke or unusually too much air freshener? Does your teen’s shirt or jacket smell of smoke, too? Do you see lighters or matches lying around his or her study table or maybe carelessly left inside a back pocket? Does your teen’s best friend smoke? If you answer yes to any of these questions, you should know very well that you need to deal with it fast. This simple signs can lead to your worst nightmare of a teenage smoker.Expose your teen to campaigns against smoking and actively participate with him or her.- With all the local, national, and global campaigns about anti-smoking, you should be able to find one that you can encourage your teen, yourself or the whole family to join. Smoking is a global issue that can happen at a very personal level to your teen and your family. Active participation in anti-smoking programs and awareness will allow you to send the message even more clearly to your teen.Teenage smoking is but one of the many challenges that a parent and most especially the teen will face in the course of teenage life and onwards. As a parent, you have the power to keep your teen away from smoking and smoking addiction. Information, education, support, and guidance for your teen against cigarette smoking are the best tools to be equip with to let your teen lead a healthy, smoke-free life.
