My daughter's new obsession: Cigarettes. One day we were walking to our car from HEB, and Sofia looks down and sees this little white stick on the ground.
"What's that, Mommy?"
Oh, crap.
So we have a short conversation about cigarettes, and how we don't like them because they are dirty and make people sick. I don't want to make a big deal out of it, but I want to make sure her first impression of smoking is significantly negative.
Well, it sure did make an impression. Now, every time we get out of the car, she walks slowly around the perimeter, looking for cigarettes, and pointing out each one. When we go by the outdoor ashtray in front of the stores, it's like Christmas for her! She'll ask me questions about them, like, "We don't like to touch those. But do we like to look at them?" Why is the forbidden so tantalizing?? Mommy says No should be enough for her!
When I see someone smoking, I cross my fingers and push the cart faster, because I know she'll ask me very loudly if that person is sick because they have a cigarette. And while the answer would be yes, I'm not ready to be a public crusader on that point yet. How do you tell a 3-year-old why an adult is doing something that will indeed make them, and people around them, sick? It doesn't fit into her sense of logic, and it doesn't really fit into mine, either.
So we had another brief discussion about addictions, which I connected somewhat loosely to her habit of sucking her thumb. We had to talk about how sometimes it's hard for people to stop doing things that are bad for them. I know, I know. Smoking not equal to thumb-sucking. But I didn't exactly have much time to prepare a thesis for her. I thought I had a good 10 years before we would be having the smoking talk.
So here's my advance apology to all the smoking addicts we might come across around San Antonio: I'm sorry my daughter's judging you. But she's right. Smoking makes you sick.
2 comments:
We had a similar conversation with our kiddos since they always see our neighbor standing on his front porch smoking. We went the route of telling them that smoking was a "choice." If they choose to smoke they are not making a "healthy choice." Just like the person who rides a motorcycle without a helmet is not making a "healthy choice." Now Jack will say that he is going to choose to smoke when he gets bigger (oh dear)! But we just remind him that it isn't a "healthy choice" for his body. And if he chooses to smoke then he won't be able to ride his bike as fast as he likes because it will be harder for him to breathe. Who knows if it will work. Our point was to take away some of the judgment of others. But now, I too, find I am pushing my cart a little faster as the kids spot a smoker and quickly shout, "Look, they are not making a "healthy choice Mommy!" Can't wait for the s-e-x talk!! ;)
I remember as a kid there were ashtrays at the end of each grocery store isle, and many with bright pink lipstick at the bottom of the butt. I always thought it was bubble gum and that they were for kids. Scary, to think of people smoking in public places...so glad times have changes!
As for the S-E-X talk (jessy), that too, will be an unhealthy choice we can compare to smoking!!! (do you think they will buy it?)
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