For parents, the health of their children is paramount and sometimes they can overlook an aspect that kills 50.000 people a year in Spain: smoking. Smoking kills and this is a crushing reality. The first thing to keep in mind if you do not want your teenager to smoke, is that you must set an example and not smoke yourself. In addition to taking care of your health and avoiding unnecessary diseases or dying before your time, you will also be preventing your children from falling into this deadly habit.
To know if your teenager is smoking or not, you will have to look for signs to know if he is doing it or not. If your child is a little older, you may be concerned that he or she has already started smoking. Signs to watch for include bad breath, shortness of breath, stained or smelly clothing, cough, and hoarseness.
If it seems that he has actually started smoking, you will need to talk to your child and tell him that you think he smokes but try to maintain an open and honest communication attitude. Do not get defensive, or judge or attack him, because then your son would close in band and would not want to tell you anything and would feel distrust of you. Ask your child directly if he is smoking, and if the answer is yes, resist the urge to yell or speak ill at him.
Tell him calmly that this disappoints you but that it is not too late for him to quit smoking. Inform them about all the negative consequences of smoking and the short- and long-term importance of quitting the deadly habit. Premature deaths can be prevented simply by not lighting a cigarette. Start a joint plan on how to avoid smoking. Tell him that if you catch him smoking there will be consequences and you agree on them together.
If your child smokes too much, may need help to quit and require other resources, talk to your doctor to find the best solutions in your specific case.