I never thought it would happen to me. My nine year old daughter smokes. She says that it makes her feel better and that she enjoys it. I’m worried about her health and don’t want her to get addicted to nicotine. If you’re a parent, you know how difficult this situation can be. But don’t worry, we’re here to help! This blog post will discuss the dangers of smoking cigarettes for children and provide some tips on how you can help your child quit smoking.
Why Do Young Children Start Smoking?
Parents Are Smokers
When a youngster sees their parents smoke every day, it is difficult for them to understand that smoking is harmful. Adult and child smokers may have trouble convincing themselves that smoking is hazardous if their smoking parent appears healthy and strong.
Also, if parents keep cigarettes in the house, it’s simpler for young kids to obtain them; they don’t need a phony ID or older friends, simply because they’re accessible at home.
Peer Pressure
Parents, older relatives, and even grandparents can pressure youngsters to try cigarettes. Nicotine is a highly addictive drug that takes only a small amount for a youngster to become hooked on cigarettes.
If a youngster has older siblings who smoke or knows other children who do, they may be pressured to follow suit. Consider them, and they will likely start smoking to avoid being bullied or taunted by their peers.
To Look Cool
Smoking has long been popularized in the media and advertising as being fashionable. Despite all of the information accessible and the awareness campaigns that educate people about how harmful smoking is, this misconception that it’s cool to smoke is proving hard to budge.
Children believe smoking makes them seem more interesting and popular among friends. Children may start smoking to appear older than they are to seem more mature.
They Are Unaware Of The Dangers
The sight of someone smoking is undeniable; children are curious beings. The cigarette goes into their mouth, and smoke pours out of their lips like a dragon, making it easy to understand why this might intrigue a youngster and prompt them to attempt it themselves.
What Are The Risks If My Nine Year Old Daughter Smokes?
Not only does smoking present health risks to adults, but children who smoke face unique issues as well. While smoking is not age-specific, it can cause children to get lung cancer or suffer from lung disease in childhood, adolescence, or early adulthood.
Here’s a list of some of the problems that affect young smokers more quickly than adult smokers:
- Bad odors from the mouth.
- The teeth are yellow.
- Clothes have an unpleasant odor.
- More susceptible to colds and coughs.
Health Risks For Girls
The most significant health risks for your 9-year-old smoking daughter aren’t what smoking does to her health right now but rather what might happen if she continues to smoke.
For example, girls who take the oral contraceptive pill and smoke cigarettes have a greater risk of developing blood clots, having heart attacks, or having strokes than girls who only smoke.
Suppose your daughter is mean and does not break her habit while young. With each cigarette smoked, the likelihood of having a healthy future dwindles.
How Can I Help My Child Stop Smoking?
It’s difficult to know how to handle your kid and avoid making it worse. You must attempt to assist your child in quitting as soon as feasible. However, your child will have to put in the effort to quit smoking permanently.
My nine year old daughter smokes. How can I stop it? There are several different options for addressing this problem as a parent, and you should talk with your child about quitting smoking and spend time finding the best strategy.
Talk To Them
Don’t bury your head in the sand. If you recognize that your kid is smoking, you should discuss it with them.
Ask your child some questions to understand why they started smoking and how long it’s been going on. Try to have a calm conversation so you can be united in working together to stop.
Set Smoking Rules
It’s possible that your youngster won’t want to quit smoking right away; nicotine addiction is difficult to break, and quitting will take time.
Create rules for smoking with your child, explaining that “you won’t be given an allowance because you would use it to buy cigarettes” and “smoking inside the house isn’t allowed because it smells bad and puts passive smokers at risk.”
Explain The Dangers
It’s never too early to teach your youngster about the dangers of smoking since they are still so young. You haven’t likely informed them about illnesses such as cancer before. It is never too late to educate your youngster on the hazards of smoking, even if they have already started.
Make A Quitting Plan
If your youngster is already hooked on nicotine, quitting smoking will be tough. You’ll both need to make an appointment with the doctor.
Many organizations can help you and your child quit smoking cigarettes, and your doctor will be able to direct you to these groups. According to research, people who use nicotine replacement products such as patches or gum while following a quitting plan are more likely than others to stop smoking for good successfully.
Be Supportive
Don’t lecture your child about quitting smoking. Instead, be understanding and tell them that you will help them quit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: Why is my daughter considering smoking?
Ans: There are several reasons your daughter may want to start smoking, including trying to look cool, lose weight, or act older than her age.
Q2: Why do some mothers encourage their daughters to smoke?
Ans: Some mothers believe this is adorable, assuming their daughter will have to deal with the circumstances. As a result, they persuade them to smoke and drink. Some parents give their daughters cigarettes as a reward for good conduct in public.
Q3: Smoking in a house with children in the United Kingdom is illegal.
Ans: Professional workers always advise against smoking near a child or pregnant woman, but since 2015, smoking in vehicles with children has been banned.
Q4: Is it worth encouraging your kids to smoke?
Ans: No, it is never worth encouraging your kids to smoke. Many health risks are associated with smoking, including cancer, heart disease, and stroke. Additionally, smoking can lead to financial problems and social isolation.
Q5: what to do when the daughter is smoking with her parents?
Ans: You should never allow your daughter to smoke in your house, regardless of whether or not you approve. If she is caught smoking in your house, you should confiscate the cigarettes and talk to her about the dangers of smoking. You may also want to consider talking to her about the dangers of peer pressure and how to resist it.
Conclusion
Cigarette smoking harms your health and those around you, so it’s important to quit as soon as possible. Many health risks are associated with smoking, so it is important to quitting as soon as possible. Many organizations can help you and your child quit smoking, so ask your doctor for a referral. Most importantly, be supportive and understanding – quitting smoking is a difficult task, but it is much easier with the help of a loved one.
