12yr old son caught with cigarettes, what punishment??

Question

I got caught around the same age, and my father made me eat a cigarette(1970's), I don't want to do that to him, I was thinking of lighting a cigarette and letting him smoke as many as he wants, that way he'll get sick and be discouraged?
I don't smoke, his father does and all of his grandparents.

Answer 1

Don't make him smoke cigarettes to get sick because for some kids it might backfire and he might be determined to get used to it so that he can smoke like crazy.

Take away privileges. Like TV, computer time, Game boy, MP3 player. Cell phone especially at home. Let him use the phone that is in the family room so that he won't have privacy to complain to and be consoled by his friends.
ground him during the time of day that he is more likely to be able to smoke.
Time in his room isn't punishment if he's got fun things to do in there.

Give him extra chores. With all of the time he has available give him something to do. The lawn, Sweep sidewalk. Clean yard or basement.

Make him do a report on the dangers of cigarette smoking and all of the side effects. This would not be complete without pictures.
Visit a cancer ward. Emphysema, Heart problems. There is a long list. Have him do math on how much cigarettes cost and what type of vacation he can go on instead of smoking.


Anyhow, because you are the parent, you get to make the rules.
If he objects tell him that. And When he is a parent he'll get to make the rules.

I would suggest a week the first time and if he does it again 2 weeks and if he does it again 1 month.

When the opportunity comes up, point out the people who have to go sit outside alone to suck on a cigarette while everyone is inside talking and having a good time. In California, I don't think people can even smoke on the beach anymore.

Point out how his grandparents stink of smoke. And if his dad ever tried to quit and how difficult it was. Talk to him about all of the millions that people spend trying to quit and it takes many determined tries before someone is able to permanently stop.

God Bless You God Bless Your Son, ;-)

Answer 2

I have been smoking since I was eight, but didn't inhale until I was twelve. I am still smoking, and I know I should quit.

My son did the same thing, and sometimes no matter what you tell them, unless you can watch them24/7, they will come up with all sorts of reason why to do it. And when you aren't around them, their friends do. Some of them don't but a lot do. My daughter quit when she got pregnant, and she still does not smoke. My oldest son smokes mainly when he has a beer.
Some times the more you tell them no, the more they will do it. Maybe you should have him smoke the whole pack, because I grant you, he will get sick. Sometimes a bad experence with something will tigger a memory they won't forget, and they don't whan to feel that again. But if you do that, it can't be when he feels like having another one, you have to make them smoke one right after another. Like chain smoking. Is he inhaling them, or just outting the smoke in his mouth and then blowing it out. Because if that is what he is doing, it might not work. You have to make him inhale, so also maybe trying the cigar might work too. They are stronger, and tend to burn your mouth a little. But if you don't want him to smoke, you have to do something for him to remember why not to. And just because his father and grandparents do, is not a reason.

I did because I thought it was cool at the time, now it is just a habit, plus I don't eat as much. I smoke instead. And now that cigarettes are going up in price, it's not cheap. What I don't understand is, how can kids afford the expensive ones, when they don't work, and we worked and still had to buy the cheap ones. That is what gets me. Where do kids get the money, and from whom?

The only thing is, if you keep pushing him not to, he will just want to do it more. So try the whole pack bit, or cigar, and let us know what you did do and how it worked. Have a nice night.

Answer 3

That is very perplexing. Your son is at the age where the brain develops cognitive reasoning, meaning that he knows right from wrong. As someone else already answered a visit to the cancer ward might be helpful. But you have to realize that teenagers and pre~teens tend to believe that they are immortal. Your best bet would probably be to just reason with him and find out what is going on and why he is doing it. It could, in all reality be just a subconscious or even a conscious cry for attention. That is not saying that you don't pay adequate attention to your son but he is reaching a very difficult age in development. He wants to fit in and seem cool and he probably thinks that smoking makes him look cool.

Answer 4

Well making YOU eat a cigarette fixed the problem for you. Letting him smoke as many as he wants is going to do him a lot more harm than eating one and I don't think it'll do the trick. I think ongoing visits to a cancer ward are probably a good idea. (Especially if he meets the people and then they die) And let him know he's a strong enough person to resist peer pressure.

Answer 5

Each year, 390,000 American die from the effects of smoking.
Cigarette smokers have more than twice the risk of heart attack.
Cigarette smokers have two to four times the chance of cardiac arrest.
Giving up smoking rapidly reduces the risk of heart disease. After a number of years, the risk of heart disease diminishes to the same level as a person who has never smoked.
A pregnant woman who smokes increases her baby's chances of infant crib death.

http://www.redcross.org/services/hss/tips/smoking.html

I hope this helps

Answer 6

Do not let him smoke any more even as punishment. Remember nicotine can be very addictive. The best punishment would be to show him pictures of cancerous lungs and mouth cancer. You can obtain these online. Tell him that smokin leads to that. The visuals will surely scare him straight. Good luck!

Answer 7

You should go on the Internet and check out the consequences of smoking and maybe even contact a doctor and ask him to talk to your son. Sign up some classes for him to take. I suggest you talk to him and after all the classes and knowledge he knows...would he ever do it again. (Tell your family members to keep their cigarettes safe in their pockets...not on the table). Good luck...

Answer 8

Finds some pictures on the Internet with photos of lung cancer and pictures of folks suffering from long periods of cigarette smoking see if this doesn't scare the socks off of her.

Answer 9

i agree with keni im 51 just diagnoesedwith stage 1 emphazyma and have had trouble breathing for the last 3 summers. my father died of lung cancer. make arrangments with the carge nurse in a cancer ward ask if she will make arrangements with a few of the patients to talk to your sun let him see them sick from kemo, dieing from cancer and just plain sick getting thier lungs suctioned for mucus. i know this sounds harsh but remember kids today have a high shock value level so would go as far out as i could. wish i had never smoked! good luck my prayers are with you and your son

Answer 10

let him see some first-hand results of cigarette smoking - whether it's a picture of a charred lung in a science book, reading to him about lung cancer, or even having him speak to someone who has either quit smoking or has had health problems due to smoking - and hope it all scares the crap out of him.