A child smokes, what to do, advice from a psychologist. Only medical facts! Why do children start smoking? Because

Absolutely all parents are against their child taking up tobacco. However, almost every teenager, even from a prosperous family, has tried a cigarette at least once. What should parents do in such situations?

According to sad statistics, in megacities more than 67% of schoolchildren aged 14-17 smoke, both boys and girls. More than half of them try to smoke out of curiosity and “for company,” while 3-18 months are enough to form an addiction to cigarettes.

Secondly: nicotine has a detrimental effect on the respiratory system. Since the body is still growing and developing, it pulmonary system undergoes age-related changes, it’s difficult for her to process tobacco smoke, entering the body, while everything that the teenager “draws in” into himself when taking a puff settles on the lungs. And after a couple of months the smoker will feel it: shortness of breath, dizziness at the slightest physical activity, cough and change in voice timbre. Moreover, transfer colds it is much more difficult for an organism poisoned by nicotine.

Also, the functioning of the sensory organs: vision, hearing and smell decreases. In particular, tooth enamel is damaged - with each new puff, the smoker inhales air through the mouth, the temperature of which is much lower than that of cigarette smoke, it is this difference that provokes the destruction of tooth enamel.

In addition, it suffers appearance teenager: pimples, blackheads, changes in skin color, nails, and hair condition will be noticeable.

Smoking gradually “kills” memory, as well as the development of basic thought processes. And the more often a teenager smokes a cigarette, the faster the ability to think logically and analyze decreases.

Why does a child start smoking?

Often the reason is banal: they think that this makes them more mature and cooler. Peers take it “weakly”, and they, out of a desire to be like everyone else, take their first puff...

Often, in authoritarian families, where a teenager is not given freedom to develop, and he lives in a constant environment of “you can’t”, “don’t you dare” and other “don’ts”, the desire to try a cigarette is a kind of protest against parental prohibitions.
The company in which your child communicates is also important. And if the majority of people in it are smokers, then it is likely that your child will start smoking too.

As a rule, in families where parents or one of them smoke, the likelihood that children will smoke is high. In non-smoking families this possibility is not excluded, but it is lower.

Another reason is the child’s unfulfillment. If he is not involved in, say, a sports section or any other hobby group, his hobbies are not of interest to his parents, he is left to his own devices - another reason for smoking arises.

How to help your child resist temptation?

Live in the interests of the child, share his hobbies with him. Does your child like roller skating? Great! Make it a rule to ride together on weekends. Does he like to play football? Don't deny yourself the pleasure of throwing the ball together! Spend time with your family!

If you have even the slightest suspicion that your child smokes (you smell cigarettes, for example), talk to him about it. Remember that the easiest way to get rid of this bad habit is to initial stage.
Do not hide your feelings from your child, tell him that you are upset, that you are worried about his health - in a word, make it clear that you are not indifferent to his fate.

Unconfident in himself and not wanting to lose authority in his company, a teenager is unlikely to give up cigarettes so easily. And, nevertheless, try to convey to him that the ability to defend your opinion and your position is important quality that this is a sign of a formed personality, there is no need at all to “be like everyone else” and poison your body to please your friends.

So that it is not too late, start stories about the dangers of smoking when your children are small and for the first time wonder what kind of sticks are in their mouths and what they are for. There is no need to brush your child off with a simple “that’s kaka” and “ugh”; you should explain to your kids what it is and how harmful it is. Of course, information must be presented taking into account the age of the baby.

Give your child more freedom in terms of choosing interests, clothing style, books and music - then he will not have the need to defend his freedom and protest against parental “no” with the help of cigarettes.

How to find out if a child smokes

Attentive parents will immediately detect some “cigarette” changes. The smell of tobacco lingers on hair, clothes, and accessories close to the face, such as scarves or hats, for a very long time. A beginner and an experienced smoker can also be recognized by their characteristic dry cough. In addition, smoking changes the color of the skin, especially the more sensitive teenage skin: it becomes sluggish and sallow in color. Cheap cigarettes turn your teeth and fingers yellow.

pay attention to emotional condition child: the lack of opportunity to smoke and a long stay in your company can make him nervous.

See if there are any changes in your child's daily spending habits. Among the non-obvious signs are tobacco crumbs at the bottom of the pockets, ribbons from a transparent film on a cigarette pack, endlessly chewing gum with a strong aroma.
If you find out that your son or daughter smokes, try to refrain from aggression and punishment in favor of motivation and communication - this is a more difficult and longer path, but it will allow you to maintain trust and contact with the child.

You found out that your child smokes

Of course, this news will upset you. Moreover, as experience shows, few people in such a situation are able to calmly talk with a child on this topic. More often it is a domestic scandal with hysterics, threats, slamming doors and slapping. Stop: shouting won't help matters.

First of all, you need to choose the most appropriate moment for the conversation: when you have already calmed your nerves and are ready to calmly talk with your child about his smoking, and the child, accordingly, is ready for the conversation.

Try to find out why he smokes, what is the reason, what prompted him to try? Don’t just get an answer, but invite your child to explain to you why he smokes and whether he really understands how harmful it is for his growing body.

It is likely that if you, the parents, smoke yourself, you are no longer an authority on this issue for your child. And he is unlikely to take seriously all the information about the harmfulness of this habit if you yourself smell of cigarettes. However, in this case, you can find a way out and talk effectively: based on your experience, explain to your child why smoking is harmful. Alternatively, invite him to quit smoking together. This way, you will win everything.

Let your child know that you are not going to scold him during the conversation, that you are really worried about this news and are upset. Explain to him that you cannot remain indifferent to the fact that he poisons himself with nicotine, but you will not put pressure on him with your authority.

Psychologists recommend confidential communication - because in this case, you will definitely find out the reason why the child began to smoke. It is likely that you will be able to fix it together, even before smoking becomes a habit.

Certainly, universal recipe with actions laid out point by point does not exist. There are certain recommendations that doctors and psychologists advise you to follow, but they also work. The only condition: the smoker’s desire to quit this addiction. Neither pressure nor insistence is recommended: only gentleness and faith in the result, support and praise. Be sure to emphasize that you are proud of his decision to get rid of a bad habit and will help him with this.

Sometimes teenagers do not understand that dabbling in cigarettes can lead to serious addiction. To make sure your child understands that this is not a joke, ask him not to smoke for at least a week, and then discuss it together. Let him understand that in reality everything is not so rosy and cheerful.

To help your child, make a plan together for him to get rid of the habit. Your help and support will be needed more than ever. Read all kinds of literature on the topic “How to quit smoking”, look for it together. Let the child feel your care for him - this will give him another additional incentive to fight.

Our children are a mirror reflection of us. And if we ourselves have bad habits, then the child can also adopt them. Maybe it's time to get rid of them together?

Hello Nina! My son is in 7th grade. I have suspicions that he started smoking. I don’t want to scold him without evidence, and in general it’s probably not right to scold him in this situation. Surely he could get offended and start smoking in defiance of me? How to instill in him a healthy lifestyle and help him quit smoking?

Hello, thanks for your question.

To date, you have no evidence that the child smokes. However, the question raised does not allow me to sleep peacefully. To calm yourself down and find out the truth, you need to initiate a confidential conversation with your son on an exciting topic. If you and your child have, in principle, a trusting and respectful relationship, then this will not be difficult. During the conversation, do not start blaming the child, shaming him, or manipulating him. Better tell us about own feelings and concerns about this (use I statements). Then listen carefully to what the child says in response (active listening can help you here). And if your fears are confirmed and the child really smokes, then it is important to focus on finding the reasons, and not on “what kind of person he is, in essence.” bad boy" Because only after understanding why he needs smoking in this moment, you can help him. And your relationship will only strengthen. If you start putting pressure on him and prohibiting smoking, then you will achieve nothing except resistance and entrenchment of the habit. In addition, the reason, the true problem, will never be understood, and the child will be left alone with it.

What may be the reasons for smoking in teenagers:

The influence of the environment. Perhaps his buddies and friends smoke, and he doesn’t want to stand out. Perhaps a healthy lifestyle is not held in high esteem in his environment, and a sign of masculinity and maturity is the number of cigarettes smoked. Smoking can also give him confidence among his friends. In this case, you should pay attention to your surroundings. Of course, you shouldn’t forbid communicating with these guys, you will become an enemy. It is better to help your son create a new environment, values that you share. You can offer trips to the sports section. The guys who live there usually have other values - health, sports, correct image life, but smoking is not held in high esteem. Your child will join in new team, will make new friends and acquaintances, accept new values. And the need for smoking will disappear by itself.

It is also worth paying attention to emotional condition son. Perhaps he has stress. Think about what in your family, in his school life, in relationships with peers or with members of the opposite sex, could cause this very stress, tension and desire to smoke. Or rather, even ask him about it yourself. Teenagers have many interpersonal problems that they are not yet very good at coping with. Conduct the conversation without pressure, but in a friendly manner. If it really turns out that the child is experiencing difficult period in life, then it is worth providing him with support, sympathy, and introducing him to other ways to relieve stress. Discuss with him what can be done in this or that difficult situation, share your experience, help find a way out. Sometimes it is enough to simply listen to a teenager so that his problem ceases to be acute. And feeling your support, the resources to overcome it will increase.

And perhaps everything is much simpler and closer, and Does anyone in your family smoke?. Then the smoking bans will be incomprehensible and outrageous to the teenager. After all, the example of parents is what educates, forms a system of values and a set of norms and rules of behavior. If the argument against smoking in such a situation is something like this: “You are not yet grown up, but dad is already an adult,” then do not expect understanding. Because a teenager already considers himself quite an adult. Of course, you can prohibit and threaten with punishment, but then you will force the child to deceive you. And there will be one more problem in your relationship! It’s up to you to decide what example to set for your children. If the family smokes, then morality healthy way life and the dangers of smoking look, at the very least, funny, and at most, hypocritical.

Of course, there are many other reasons why children start smoking. And your task is to kindly learn about them (don’t forget about the techniques of I-statements and active listening). And then help cope with the problems that the teenager is still coping with through smoking.

If you can’t figure out the reasons on your own, contact your child’s or teenage psychologist. I provide consultations in person and via Skype.

To consult a psychologist on parenting issues, child development, mental health etc. click here < >

P.P.S If you have a question for a psychologist, write it to me at admin@site or leave it in the comments under this article. I will post the answer on the website.

Probably, none of the parents want their child to take up tobacco. However, almost every teenager, even from a prosperous family, has tried a cigarette at least once. The motives can be different: out of curiosity, for company, so as not to look like a “black sheep,” to feel like an adult and cool, out of a feeling of protest, etc.

As a rule, you don’t like the taste of the first cigarette and leave you with no desire to continue. However, if a teenager tries to smoke in the company of other smokers, then most likely he will not dare to voice his discomfort(dizziness, nausea, bad taste in the mouth) and will not refuse the next cigarette. Having not enjoyed the first try of tobacco, a teenager will most likely smoke only for company at first.

The more often he does this, the faster he will develop a need for the psychostimulating effect of nicotine, and the taste of the cigarette will become familiar. Over time, a teenager will increasingly need a cigarette to “calm his nerves,” cheer up a little, dull the feeling of hunger (this mainly applies to girls who want to lose weight), and now the dependence on nicotine becomes so strong that there is no strength to give up smoking , no desire.

Parents, having learned that their child smokes, usually react extremely harshly and thoughtlessly: they scold, punish, prohibit communication with friends who smoke, deprive them of pocket money, etc. Such a reaction only aggravates the situation, provoking in the child a desire to protest. This does not mean that parents should not try to solve the problem, just that their decisions should be based on common sense and respect for the child's personality.

Here are some tips to help parents:

1. It is easier to give up cigarettes at the initial stage, so it is important for parents not to miss it. Watch your child when he comes home. If you notice a regular smell of tobacco from his clothes, then he at least communicates with friends who smoke, and this is already a reason for conversation. The smell of tobacco on your hands almost always means that the teenager has smoked.

2. Voice your feelings in connection with your child’s smoking without insulting him (“I’m upset,” it upsets me”), since the use of accusing remarks with the pronoun “YOU” provokes defensive reaction and makes further conversation ineffective. The tone of the conversation should be confidential rather than accusatory.

3. Under no circumstances use the child’s minor age as an argument - this stimulates his desire to smoke in order to prove his adulthood. Focus on bad influence cigarettes and the development of dependence on them. Tell your child about the effects of nicotine on specific organs (read about this if you don't know anything other than lung cancer).

4. If it is important for your child not to lose authority among friends (to look not mature enough) by giving up cigarettes, explain to him that the ability to defend his opinion is a more significant indicator of maturity and strength of character than smoking cigarettes.

5. Everyone knows that a disease is easier to prevent than to stop. Therefore, preventive conversations about the dangers of tobacco should begin even before signs of a child using cigarettes appear (somewhere in primary school). It should be borne in mind that even young children perceive their parents’ attitude towards smoking very well. If parents themselves smoke at home, do not tell their child how this habit bothers them, and are delighted with expensive cigarettes, then the child will perceive smoking as a norm of life from childhood and will start using cigarettes at school.

6. It is difficult for a child to understand why you forbid him to smoke, but you yourself (or your friends) do it, despite the harm. In this regard, you can tell your child about your experience (or your friends, if you don’t smoke yourself). How I didn’t like the taste of my first cigarettes, instilling confidence that I could always give them up. How, while continuing to smoke with friends, unnoticed by themselves, they stopped doing without cigarettes. If you (your friends) have tried to quit, be sure to talk about them, emphasizing how difficult it is. The result of this conversation should be the child’s understanding that adults smoke not because they like it, but because they are accustomed to using nicotine and do not have the strength to quit.

7. Even if your child has not promised to quit smoking right away, you must let him know that you believe in him and will support him when he is ready.

Psychologist Chernyak Tatyana

Everyone now knows about the dangers of smoking, dead horses and smoker’s lungs, which are unattractive from an aesthetic point of view. Including, believe me, children and teenagers. But still, no parent is immune from discovering one day that their child smokes!

What to do and how to help your child get rid of this dangerous habit– the website will tell you.

What to do if a child starts smoking?

Of course, it is all the easier to turn a child away from interest in cigarettes the sooner the parents noticed it. What to do if you catch your child in the act of smoking his first cigarette?

To begin with, don’t entertain yourself with the illusion that this cigarette you saw (or smelled) is really the first. If he “relaxed” so much that he did not make every effort to hide the fact of smoking, it means that he has been smoking for some time, and it has simply become too much for him to hide, mask the smell, etc.

What can serve as little consolation to parents in this situation?

Firstly, your child is unlikely to have become addicted to nicotine - this requires quite a long history of regular smoking. If there is any dependence, it is most likely psychological. The second “consolation” is that it is unlikely that the family is to blame for the child’s smoking. This can happen to a child from any, even quite successful, friendly and wealthy family.

Why do teenagers try smoking? Don't look deep reasons, because the answer is simple – because it’s interesting! It is quite normal that an inquisitive, active teenager will sooner or later try to do what half the adults around him are doing!

You can criticize our smoking society, the mentality loyal to smokers, etc. as much as you like. – but all this will remain “hot air” and will not answer the question of what to do if a child smokes.

And yet, if the mother finds out that the child smokes, what should she do? Scolding, shaming, prohibiting, explaining is useless, you don’t even have to start!!! Because:

The teenager knows very well that smoking is harmful, and even knows what specific consequences it can have for the body. This is written on every cigarette pack, children from the first grade are “stuffed” with this information at school, it is written on the Internet, etc. Another thing is that a child can sincerely believe that all these horror stories will bypass him, that others get sick and die, but he will remain healthy, etc. However, most adult smokers think exactly the same thing, so such disbelief cannot be attributed to the peculiarities of children's perception.
The child knows that adults will not pat him on the head for smoking!
He will still find ways to get around the ban - he will get cigarettes, smoke in a secret place, remove the smell from his clothes and hair, etc.
What is forbidden is interesting! Teenagers love to rebel against adults - and smoking becomes a form of “silent protest”!

What to do if a child starts smoking? There is no clear recipe for how to discourage a child from smoking once and for all. Even if you do everything pedagogically correctly, there is no guarantee that your child will not grow up to be a smoking adult.

But there are measures that are worth trying!

“Beautiful and Successful” will risk giving one that is not very ethical, but, as practice shows, it is quite effective advice, what to do. When you find out that a child smokes, do not yell or make a fuss. Say “Oh, so you smoke - I’ll know.” Tell him not to hide in the bushes, but to smoke quietly at home - promise not to scold him.

Tell us about the types of cigarettes and their differences - here you can emotionally emphasize that the cheap brands available are bullshit that idiots smoke, and “normal” cigarettes do not come in the lowest price category.

At first, the teenager will simply be beside himself with happiness that he has such loyal and understanding “ancestors.” If you see that a child smokes, what can you do: keep your promise not to scold him or lecture him!

But at the same time you will have to do something. Tell him that you won’t be able to give him money for cigarettes, and even more so you won’t buy him cigarettes - this is his life and his problems. Let him invest in his new hobby the usual amount of “pocket money” that you allocate to him, and at the same time figure out how to circumvent the law prohibiting the sale tobacco products minors. At the same time, he will feel that he has to refuse to buy something else for the sake of cigarettes.

After some more time, do this: tell him that for some reason you are forced to reduce his “pocket money” (the reasons should be quite objective - for example, you need to save up for a large purchase for the family, or you are starting to save money for your child’s education in college). the university he likes, etc.).

But, since you are “ancestors” who understand, and do not want to create a child financial difficulties, offer him an alternative - get a job (on the weekend or after school). Help him find workplace, talk to the employer - in general, do your best to help your child start earning money for entertainment and petty expenses on one's own. Do not in any way tell your son that this is how you punish him for smoking!

Best of all, do not mention smoking at all and pay as little attention as possible to the fact that the child smokes!

Thus, you achieve two results:

Smoking ceases to be an alluring “forbidden fruit” for a teenager and becomes business as usual, which you also have to spend money on out of your own pocket.
He will value the money he earns through his own hard work much more than the money given by his parents. Perhaps he will feel sorry for simply “smoking away” his first income.

What else should you do if your child starts smoking?

If there is an adult in the family who smokes, it will be very great if this person decides to quit. Not “so as not to be a bad example for Petenka,” but “oh, something in Lately I feel bad, I have terrible shortness of breath, my head hurts often, I should probably quit...” It’s good if this family member enjoys sufficient authority with the teenager - for example, an older brother.

Ultimate demand: “So, you will throw with me!” under no circumstances! But from time to time it’s worth saying something like “You know, today at work I really wanted to smoke, but I ate half a chocolate bar and it was okay, now I’ll carry a chocolate bar with me instead of cigarettes.”

In addition, let the quitter sometimes tell how his well-being improves without smoking and what interesting prospects he sees for himself in this regard - he began to “fly up” on foot to the fifth floor, is thinking about starting to go to the gym, in the summer he is planning to go hiking in the mountains, etc.

If a child is interested in any sport, then send him to the appropriate section.

Firstly, smoking is not in fashion among athletes, and smoking teenager will look “not cool” - but this best motivation. Secondly, smoking will prevent him from achieving better sporting results, and this is also a strong incentive. However, if the son, in principle, has no interest in sports, then “pushing” him into the section by force in order for him to quit is useless - he will avoid the hated activity by all means, but cigarettes will certainly become a way of protest for him.

Another option for what to do if a child smokes is to send him to spend time in one of the countries where smoking among young people is no longer fashionable, and the state is very strict with smokers. For example, such a country is the USA. Consider a summer “language camp,” look for interesting exchange programs for high school students, etc. Perhaps such a trip and communication with foreign peers will change your child’s interests and priorities.

Of course there are barbaric traditional methods, what to do with a child if he smokes: for example, force him to smoke a lot of cigarettes in a row so that he becomes ill, or give cigarettes mixed with any substances that give tobacco a nasty taste and nauseating, etc.

Yes, maybe it will work, and the child is very for a long time will develop an aversion to smoking, but this may become profound psychological trauma– the teenager will stop trusting his parents and will hate them for such cruelty...

What to do if a child has been smoking for a long time, and you think that he himself would like to quit: in a confidential conversation, offer your help - tell us what methods are available to quit smoking, what drugs are used for this, etc. And don’t scold - it’s as useless as using scolding and prohibitions to force an adult smoker to quit!

It is unlikely that anyone wants their child to become addicted to smoking. But, as statistics show, almost every teenager tries to smoke a cigarette. This does not require a motive at all - sometimes a child tries to smoke for company, for self-affirmation or out of curiosity. Often a teenager starts smoking to look like an adult or as a protest.

Usually the child does not like the taste of his first cigarettes. However, in the company of his peers, he does not express negativity towards smoking and continues to be addicted to the addiction. The more often a child smokes, the faster he will develop an addiction to nicotine and a persistent craving for smoking. What should parents do if their child starts smoking cigarettes? Forbid? Deprive yourself of money for personal expenses?

Quitting cigarettes is easy only in the initial stages. If you smell a daily tobacco aroma from your child’s things, this means that he can not only communicate with smoking friends, but also smoke a cigarette himself. If the smell comes from the palms, then this indicates the beginning of a harmful process.

Why does a child smoke: looking for the root of the problem

The reasons for child smoking vary widely.

Besides the fact that he wants to quickly become an adult and decide everything himself, he may be bored.
Lack of impressions also leads to smoking - a lot of free time gives unlimited freedom.
Peers and the child’s environment play an important role in the addiction to cigarettes. If the guys in his company smoke, then most likely the teenager will also start smoking. Pressure from friends will certainly outweigh your own reluctance to take a cigarette. Bad example are smoking relatives and parents.
A child often starts smoking to appear more mature and independent. A teenager is pleased to know that he is “cool” with a cigarette. the Forbidden fruit, is known to always remain sweet and attractive. The need for self-expression and independence often pushes a child onto the path of a smoker.

How can you tell if your child is developing a habit?

You can find out that a child has started smoking not only by the smell from his hands. If a teenager cannot stay alone and smoke in a secluded place, he begins to get nervous and restless. The child snaps for no reason, shows his dissatisfaction, and changes in his psycho-emotional state. The fact that the child no longer smokes cigarettes, but weed, is indicated by his extreme behavior and excessive emotionality. The idea of a child smoking should also be prompted by constant use child chewing gum and the discovery of cigarettes on him.

In this case, experts advise talking to the child and letting him know that he has greatly upset his parents. You cannot use offensive words, curses or threaten punishment in a conversation. Otherwise, the conversation will not bring the desired result. The conversation should take place in a confidential and calm atmosphere.

It is also impossible to point out that the child is a minor. It is important to make it clear to the teenager that the ability to defend one’s opinion is much more indicative of a sufficient degree of maturity than smoking cigarettes. Of course, if the parents themselves smoke, and there are always cigarettes in the house, then the baby will perceive smoking as the generally accepted norm. In this case, the child will not understand at all why you forbid him to get involved in smoking, while you smoke for complete pleasure. If you have tried to quit smoking, be sure to tell your child about it, and also tell them about the undoubted dangers of smoking.

It is necessary to give the teenager the right to choose. Not a single scream and punishment has yet led to the desired result. Since children often start smoking to attract adults' attention to themselves, it is important to let your child know how much you care about him. A confidential conversation will certainly help calm the child and even return him to the right path. Parental concern has a beneficial effect on personality little man. The child feels his need and understands that he is greatly needed by someone in this world.

By talking about the negative horrors of smoking, you can be sure that your child will think about the dangers of cigarettes. The consequences of smoking can greatly frighten him - often children quit smoking on their own.

Many parents themselves give their child money for better quality cigarettes and even allow their child to smoke in their presence so that he does not vegetate in the alleys. This is fundamentally wrong. This will only make your child addicted to smoking. You recognized his right to smoke, and he now smokes in the complete conviction that everything is right and wonderful. Experts give the following recommendation - do not panic, do not buy cigarettes for your child, do not give money for a pack. Over time, the teenager will understand that for the sake of cigarettes he will have to give up his pocket money, intended for other pleasures and entertainment.

Usually progressive and positive attitude parenting gives positive results in the fight for the child’s health. The teenager begins to trust an adult who helps predict troubles, shares his secrets, and finally understands that it is better not to abuse tobacco at all. If you doubt own strength, then introduce your child to a very authoritative person who does not smoke. Very often an outside opinion brings positive result and works faster than parental persuasion.

Family situation

A cigarette often helps a teenager relieve nervous tension and move away from external problems. If there are quarrels and scandals in his family, there is constant emotional stress, the child will certainly start smoking. Gradually, one or two smoked cigarettes will develop into bad habit. If the problem improves in the family, then the child may soon quit smoking.

If a child craves communication with “cool” adult smoking boys, it is necessary to teach him other communication opportunities. Sometimes it is useful to enroll your child in a sports section or for psychological training. We should help to discover various talents in the child and improve his personal qualities. Demonstration by a child of his strengths in any area can be of great service - the child will quit smoking.

According to experts, a child should always be given a choice. A teenager must choose his own clothes, hobbies, friends, books and music. Then he will not have the impulse to defend his voice and freedom at any cost. If a child trusts his parents with his secrets, this has a positive effect on his personal growth. Constant bans will not lead to anything good.

There should be a calm and trusting environment in the child’s family. Be your child's true friend - share and admire his successes, victories, and hobbies. Go on hikes together, spend time together visiting a cinema, park, club, theater or exhibition. Participate with your child in city competitions and attend exciting festivals.

Don't reproach - you'll only make the situation worse. There is no point in intimidating a child. Give him a chance to make his own decisions and just warn him about possible consequences. Do not put strict restrictions on your child - a ban on communicating with friends, doing things you don’t like.

Harsh punishments will only serve you badly. It is important to first understand why the child started smoking. Eliminate these reasons, and perhaps the teenager himself will give up cigarettes.

If you smoke yourself, do not keep the pack in an easily accessible place. It will be better if you yourself give up smoking and by your example make it clear how harmful smoking is to health. Try to prove to your teenager that life without cigarettes is wonderful. That even without a cigarette in hand a person looks stylish, fashionable, and authoritative.

In a family, it is important to preserve the child’s trust. Do not impose punishment and do not humiliate your offspring, be an adult and a reliable friend. Provide your teenager with the necessary information about smoking and scientifically argue your position.

The closest attention should be paid to the situation in the family. In a dysfunctional union, children most often start smoking. If a child acutely feels his loneliness, is dissatisfied with his role in the family institution, feels useless, then he will rush from one extreme to another. Moreover, with various negative actions he will simply try to attract your attention. In this case, become a close friend to the child, not a supervisor.

You should watch your child’s environment and communication without invading his personal space. Often, an adult’s intense busyness does not allow a parent to devote proper time to their beloved child. In such a situation, just always be aware of what is happening. Provoke your child to trust, ask questions, take an interest in the teenager’s life.

Be sure to teach your child to clearly express and defend his opinion. Raise your child's self-esteem and he will move mountains! If your teenager relieves nervous tension with a cigarette, teach him to practice relaxation, safe yoga, or other calming techniques.

Remember that appealing to a teenager’s mind with strict statements is pointless. Spatial moral teachings drive any children into sadness and melancholy. In this case, the teenager will still strive to do everything his own way. Make it clear to him about your attitude towards smoking and the attitude of the public.

It is important to develop in the offspring a sense of responsibility for his actions and any actions. In this case, he will not have to prove his adulthood to his parents and peers by smoking. In raising a person, the most fruitful thing is open communication between parent and child. Instill this trend from the very beginning early childhood. A child should know that he can always ask his ancestors for advice, tell them about his troubles, fears, and hopes.

Proper upbringing in the family will certainly yield positive results. It is better for a parent to choose the status of a friend in order to calmly discuss his problems with his child. You should not control every step of a teenager and his first experience. A person’s life cannot do without this. A calm discussion about trying a cigarette will lead to even greater trust between parents and offspring. The child must understand that his opinion is important for mom and dad, and be able to listen to the advice of adults. In this case, in a problematic situation, the teenager will always come to his parents to tell about his problems.