How do you explain smoking to a 3 year old?

HisBetterHalf

Over the past few weeks Brinley has pointed to someone who is smoking and asked me what they were doing/what is that thing in their mouth/why is steam coming out of their mouth/etc... I am at a loss explaining this to her as she is very inquisitive and just saying, "Its a cigarette, they're smoking" does not satisfy her. She asks "Why?", "How come you don't do it?", "Can kids do it?" etc. I've told her that its unhealthy, etc and she goes on about it until I manage to change the subject.  Ideas?

stacynikki

I tell DS that it is an absolutely disgusting habit that kills you and that I wil ground him for life if I ever catch him doing it. 

WifeyLindsay

stacynikki:

I tell DS that it is an absolutely disgusting habit that kills you and that I wil ground him for life if I ever catch him doing it. 

That is what I want to say, but our neighbors smoke so DH and I would be embarrassed if DD repeated that, even though it's the truth. They smoke so much that I can't even get into my car without breathing it so why WE feel bad, I don't know... but that's another subject...

DD asked about it when a friend was smoking and she said, "Is that fire?" and I said, "Yup," and we just left it at that. We really try to dance around the subject just because, like I said above, our neighbors smoke and we don't want to offend them and it seems like the truth is offensive...???

emiliemadison

WifeyLindsay:

DD asked about it when a friend was smoking and she said, "Is that fire?" and I said, "Yup," and we just left it at that. We really try to dance around the subject just because, like I said above, our neighbors smoke and we don't want to offend them and it seems like the truth is offensive...???

I couldn't care less if a smoker was offended that my child might repeat that smoking is bad. Smokers know that it's bad for them and bad for others. I think it's important to explain to kids early that some people make choices that are not healthy for them and why it's not healthy. You're not being mean, you're teaching her about why smoking is unhealthy. Offending your neighbors shouldnt be a factor in this.

amiamish

emiliemadison:

I couldn't care less if a smoker was offended that my child might repeat that smoking is bad. Smokers know that it's bad for them and bad for others. I think it's important to explain to kids early that some people make choices that are not healthy for them and why it's not healthy. You're not being mean, you're teaching her about why smoking is unhealthy. Offending your neighbors shouldnt be a factor in this.

that's what I was thinking!

DH has smoked, he knew it was bad...it's not like your telling your child to go up to them and say "you're a bad person!" Smoking is a bad choice that some people choose to do. If she happens to repeat it in front of her, I would simply tell her, "yes, you're right, smoking is not healthy" and move on. Maybe it'll spark something in the smoker's mind to quit.