Would you let your 16 year old smoke in front of you?

Question

I was just amazed to see our neighbors daughter smoking right in front of her parents. Both parents smoke, but I still thought that this was pretty crazy!

Answer 1

No, because I do not approve of smoking. I cannot control what my teenager does out of my sight and influence, but I can in my own house and in my presence. Hopefully I hav raised my children well enough that they will notsmoke or engage in other harmful activities or if they do, they have a lot of thought put into their decisions.

Answer 2

NO - but if you are dumb enough to smoke in front of your kids - you can't put up much of an agrument.

Answer 3

Yea if i did not care at all about my chilld and if i was a bad parent then i guess i would but i am not so no it would not be happening

Answer 4

wow no

Answer 5

I would not let my 16 year old daughter smoke :)

Answer 6

It is crazy. In the 80's it wasn't so shocking , but now it is.   No way would I let my kids smoke in front of me.  Thank goodness my kids hate smoking .

Answer 7

Well,at least you know they're doing it.Would you rather them sneaking out to do it with their friends or with you where you know there not doing anything else that involves a lighter and paper?

Answer 8

h**l no!

Answer 9

No, I'd make him/her do it in the backyard. I don't want to inhale smoke.

Answer 10

I started smoking when I was 14, just so I could be "cool"... well my parents were NOT happy about it, and I continuously got into trouble for it. Then, when I was 15, something REALLY bad happened. They felt SO overwhelmed with sadness and hurt for me that they let me smoke if I wanted to. 12 years later, I still smoke. I understand and appreciate them for not coming down on me, considering what I was going through, but at the same time I wish they had. Maybe I wouldn't be so addicted to those death traps now. My point is, don't judge so quickly. You never know what may be going on in other people's lives. As a parent myself, I would flip out if my son started smoking!!!

Answer 11

I'm not going to let my kids smoke at all.  (I mean, I'll do everything in my power to stop them from smoking).

Answer 12

no. but my neighbors let there 13 year old smoke in front of them

Answer 13

No.

Answer 14

my mom lets me smoke. and yes its not that great. BUT it doesn't make her a bad parent either. She'd rather me do it in front of her than behind her back and burn the house down. May i add leting teens smoke isn't neccisarily a bad thing. ONly because i've learned my lesson and i am now takin' classes atmy local health dept to quit. And its because of my mom.

Answer 15

I have just watched my dad die of cancer of the esophagus caused by smoking and drinking.

I don't want to go into detail. I have a son and I used to smoke and I prayed to God that I would stop because your guaranteed my son would have smoked.

ABSOLUTELY NO!!! WOULD HE EVER BE ALLOWED TO SMOKE,  DRINK, CURSE OR ANYTHING ELSE LIKE THAT!!! There's a thing called boundaries, and that over steps it for me....

Answer 16

well, ive seen some bad parents around so that doesnt amaze me in the least.

And no i would not. I hope my daughters have enough sense to never do that at 16 or at 66.

Answer 17

Absolutely not. I would tell my teen what happens to your lungs. A visual example may be necessary.

Answer 18

My dad let me, it was a phase, he said he preferred me doing it in front of him, and it was much better than smoking crack or shooting heroin like some teens do....

You have to pick your battles.  I've never hidden anything from him.  Don't judge.

Answer 19

ask your self that when there dieing infront of you too.

Answer 20

When will people realize that at 16 there is no "let"? Society doesn't recognize it, but that is adult. If they have to have their way in secret, they will still have it, and usually to excess in reaction to attempts at control, as opposed to using any moderation they might have developed if freed from stigma (ever notice how a lot of people drink LESS after they turn 21, for instance?).

Indeed, better that they try it in front of me than behind my back. At least that way I know they're just smoking cigarettes and not putting themselves in a position where they might be tempted to try anything worse. Plus my family has a history of not dying from smoking - my great-grandparents smoked almost their entire lives and both lived into their 70s, my grandparents likewise (still alive!).

That's how my parents were. Did it kill me? No. Am I smoker now? No. I enjoy a pipe from time to time, always pure tobacco, no additives.

Answer 21

As the father of 7 and a nurse, I can tell you that if I caught my kids with cigarettes only one thing would be smokin, their @ss!

No child possess the ability to make such detrimental, long term decisions about their health.  NOR do they have the right to do so (that is why you must be 18 to buy cigarettes).

But, in this case, it seems the parents need some help.