How can I best encourage my kids as they try to quit smoking? -
My daughter and son-in-law have a new baby, and they are very careful not to smoke in the house or around her. But they have decided to quit cold-turkey and I am so proud of them! How can I help without bugging them?
Just be supportive :) Don-t call every day, but every other or every few days or so. When they say they-ve gone a whole day without a smoke, encourage them. If one of them has a little stumble and gives in to a craving, don-t admonish...just say you know it must be so hard and tell them to keep trying.
At this point, going on about the health risks of smoking are just going to be annoying. They know it and have heard it all already, or they wouldn-t bother trying to quit. And quitting can make a person grumpy, so you don-t want to make it harder on them.
If they-re having a hard day or the baby-s really fussy and it-s wearing them down, and if you live near by, offer to baby sit and give them an evening or afternoon off to relax.
You-re awesome for caring so much, and I hope it works out for them! And congratulations on being a new grandparent!
it may sound counter-intuitive, but stay away from the whole issue! Just don-t mention it unless they bring it up. Right now, they-re sitting on top of an emotional volcano. The tiniest thing, the tiniest stress will trigger cravings and I know from my own experience quitting that well-meaning people trying to help you with quitting can cause that little bit of stress. I-m not talking rational here -- I-m talking about stress so insignificant you normally don-t even notice it. Like (to use a realy example) suggesting a new doctor -- the little bit of uncertainty in choosing a new doctor can be more than you can handle. What they need from you right now is behavior that is calm, reassuring, and stress free. Wait until they fail (as they probably will -- sorry, but most do) to help. That-s when they-ll need encouragement. Tell them then about Chantix, and as second line treatments nicotine replacement therapy and Wellbutrin. It really is possible to quit now, if you-re serious about it and use the medications that are now available.
im not sure...i guess tell them that kids learn at an early age everything their parents do. and if they want their kid to turn out a smoker at such a young age then they have to live with it later. If kids see their parents smoking then they think its ok for them to do the same.
also tell them how they are damaging the baby lungs- passive smokin.
also tell them about the amount of kids that die due to blackened lungs.
whatever you do don-t bring up smoking or ask them how many days has it been. I hated that when I was trying to quit people were like OH when was your last cigarette and I had to think back on how great my last cigarette was then BAM here i am still smoking. Don-t nag or even say how proud you are cause they will think wow im doing good so now i can sneak a few in there
Just tell them you are proud of them and whatnot but do it subtly. Tell them stuff like now that they have their baby it-s good they stopped because they need to be around for all her life. And smoking causes cancer....Just tell em all that jazz.
Tell them that many smokers have had heart attacks even in their 20-s and even if they are otherwise fit and athletic.
find some pictures of people with mouth cancer etcetera that are abit gruesome and that may help!
They need help along the way. Check out www.freewebs.com/stopsmokingforever