Facts About Adults Talking to Teens About Not Smoking
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 3,900 young people ages 12 to 17 smoke their first cigarette every day. One thousand of them will become regular smokers. That number is significant because 80 percent of all smokers begin before their 18th birthday. Adults can make a difference in the lives of children by learning effective strategies for talking to kids about smoking.
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Educate Your Kids
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Many teens start smoking because of peer pressure and lack of understanding of the risks. Start educating your children about the risks when they are young. Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States, according to the CDC. Risks also include cancer, heart disease and lung disease.
Appeal to Aesthetics
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Kids may not be swayed by the long-term dangers because of the natural feeling of invincibility that teens have. But young people get what it means to look different than their peers. Stress the short-term cons of smoking that may affect their social standing: yellow teeth, bad breath, smelly clothes and decreased athletic performance.
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Communicate Openly
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Teens rarely respond well to lecturing and nagging, but they long for open, honest communication with their parents. Researchers at the University of Missouri found in a 2005 study that lecturing had little affect on a teen's decision to smoke, but teens were much less likely to smoke when their parents communicated openly and encouraged development of their own ideas and opinions.
Be a Good Example
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You can talk all day long to your kids, but the fact is actions speak louder than words. If you're a smoker, your kids are likely to follow your lead. Only 2 percent of all smokers have parents who don't smoke, according to the Mayo Clinic.
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References
- Photo Credit sign. no smoking image by L. Shat from Fotolia.com
