Live Life Team
The peer pressure that teens have to deal with causes many of them to act in ways that are uncharacteristic. Often, they coax one another to do things that can become bad habits, such as drinking and smoking. Teens that start smoking are likely to continue doing so into adulthood. Those who stop early have the best chance at a healthy lifestyle.
The discovery that a teen is smoking is often very disheartening for parents. Lines of communication definitely need to remain open, because this is the beginning of the efforts to help the teen to quit smoking. Parents should remember that reverse psychology usually has the opposite of the desired outcome. Instead, they may want to talk about the situation and discover why smoking was initiated.
Once the root of the problem is revealed, it is time to start educating the teen about the risks of smoking. There are a few ways to accomplish this.
Agree on a plan of action to quit smoking, and put it on paper. This will make the deal more legitimate, and easier to stick to for the teen. Set a “stop date”, and begin to work on helping the teen be smoke-free by that date. If the teen has been smoking for any length of time, cravings may be an issue. These only last a short time and can be handled easily with gum or mints. If necessary, use a medication to help the teen stop smoking. It is best to consult a physician before starting this course of action.
The parent should be available for encouragement if the teen feels he or she is beginning to slip. Remember that everyone makes mistakes, and that is the way people grow and mature. Always be sure to positively acknowledge the progress that has been made. It is not an easy thing to quit smoking, so when the teen has achieved a new smoke-free status, a celebration is definitely in order.
