Parents Are Able To Do Something To Stop Kids Smoking

the influence of their parents was significant

Research done at the University of Washington makes clear that parents can have a big influence when it comes to whether their children start to smoke and that they should know this in order to help them to stay away from tobacco.

Professor Min Jung Kim and her team from the Social Development Research Group at the University of Washington who was lead author of this study explained that parents should communicate with their children about smoking and lay down proper guidelines when they are of a school age. Professor Kim also stressed the simple fact that if you yourself smoke you greatly increase the chances that your children will also smoke too. She also stressed that when parents quit smoking they send “a strong message” to their children.

This particular study looked at around 270 teenagers who smoked on an irregular basis and who were not really properly addicted. They interviewed them and most of them said that the influence of their parents was significant in encouraging them or not encouraging them to smoke. The other influences they mentioned were whether most of their friends smoked and stressful problems which they sought to find relief from with smoking.

It is always good to talk and to communicate and warning your children about the dangers of smoking, explaining that it is not acceptable for them to smoke at home and telling them that you are doing this because you care about their health and that you love them can only be a positive and beneficial thing. At the same time giving children space and allowing them to do their own thing is important too.

This research which was published in the medical journal Pediatrics was also co authored by Professor Richard Catalano and Professor Charles Fleming from the University of Washington Social Development Research Group.