How to Start a Conversation With Children on Smoking

Take the time to talk to your children about the dangers of cigarette smoking. Starting the conversation may be the hardest part, but it can have a worthwhile outcome. Smoking causes many health issues, including ailments of the heart, lungs, throat and mouth. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 400,000 people die from smoking-related illnesses each year in the United States. A large percentage of adult smokers started when they were young. Begin the discussion with children as early as the age of five and continue talking to them about it through high school.

Instructions

• 1

  Choose an appropriate time when the child is not preoccupied by other activities. Start the discussion when you see another person smoking, smell cigarette smoke or see a non-smoking sign.

• 2

  Ask what the child knows about smoking and what he thinks about it. Use this opportunity to dispel any claims such as smoking looks cool, it feels rebellious or it will help them lose weight.

• 3

  Inform the child of the harmful effects of smoking cigarettes. Relate the side effects to things they understand. For example, if the child is interested in sports, discuss how smoking cigarettes makes it difficult to breathe and would impair their athletic abilities. If the child is more interested in an aesthetic viewpoint, talk about how cigarettes cause bad breath, yellow teeth, grayish skin tone and stained fingers and nails.

• 4

  Share your viewpoint on smoking. Explain to the child why you do or do not smoke and inform them that you do not want them to smoke. If you are a smoker, discuss quitting with your child.