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Step 1
Be aware of what your kids see. Children are exposed to smoking in magazines, movies, television and video games. By knowing where they’re seeing it, you can work on addressing the issue. Know your enemy and it is a tough one that is far more exciting than you.
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Step 2
Talk directly to children. Do not use notes, email or voice mail as the primary source of educating children about smoking. Talk to them one-on-one. Tone and body language go a long way to get a serious message across.
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Step 3
If you use tobacco products, either quit using them or don’t use them around the children. If tobacco products are being used or around the kids, it will send a conflicting message to the kids. And most children remember actions over words.
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Step 4
Start early and keep discussing. Teaching kids about smoking isn’t just one afternoon conversation, it’s a regular message that you must establish and keep going from childhood through the teenage years and up if necessary.
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Step 5
Teach them how to say no. Since most smoking begins as peer pressure, teaching kids about smoking is about teaching them positivity and self-esteem. Teach them how to stand up and not give in to external force. By giving them a strong self-image, they’ll know that smoking is not necessary to be cool or accepted.
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Step 6
Talk about false images of smoking. With media glamorizing smoking, children see it as cool as the movies and games make it. You can’t block every image of smoking from kids but you can let them know it’s not something to emulate and copy. You can also let them know the impact of smoking in the real world.
