It's to the point that I don't like to visit my parents house. He smokes like a chimney and I can't do anything about it because it's "his house". I realize that I can't tell him what to do in "his house". It's just seems like common sense to me to not smoke around an infant. Am I being to uptight about this?
2007-03-26 08:58:08 · 23 answers · asked by marcella M 2 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Other - Pregnancy & Parenting
Don't take your son there, anymore. Tell him, there will be no more visits until he stops smoking. It may be his house, but it's your child. A child that you don't HAVE to take to visit them. It is a fact that second-hand smokers inhale more than twice the amount of tar and nicotine than smokers do, if he doesn't care, then maybe he isn't the type of person to take your child around. He can smoke outside if he absolutely feels the need, but out of common curtousity, and for the health of your child he should not smoke aroung your child.
2007-03-26 09:08:20 · answer #1 · answered by Axel 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Is there any way you can sit outside when you visit?
You might try talking to him, explaining that people have learned that it's really bad for babies to be in smoke-filled rooms, could he try not to smoke in the same room when you're over.
About second-hand smoke -- I know that a lot of people have the impression that any exposure is the same as total exposure, which is simply false.
The second-hand smoke studies were done of people who lived with smokers who smoked in the house -- 20, 40 years, and with co-workers in a smoking office (again, 20+ years, 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, which is a lot of exposure).
With babies it probably isn't good to be in a room that's really smokey at all, though being around some smoke, your baby will heal between visits.
Maybe you can get him to keep his smoke near a filter -- they make filters for smokers that suck the air in and clean it.
Or, when the weather permits, go outside.
Explain to him that you need to cut down your child's exposure when he's this young, so if you can't come up with some idea, he'll just have to come and visit you, and go outside to smoke.
I mean, it's HIS grand-kid.
2007-03-26 16:40:13 · answer #2 · answered by tehabwa 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If he smokes that much, then it's best not to bring your baby over to their house. Second hand smoke has been linked to SIDS, asthma, and respiratory diseases. I would also tell your dad that if he wants to see your baby then he can't smoke around the baby either. Although he may be your parent, you are the parent of your child and have to look out for the health and safety of your child, so don't feel like you have to do whatever your dad says in this situation. Also you can find numerous information about the effects of smoking on an infant by searching on the web. Here's one example from the US Environmental Protection Agency web-site.
http://www.epa.gov/smokefree/
2007-03-26 09:22:56 · answer #3 · answered by Melissa B 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, you are not being too uptight about this. As a former smoker, I can tell you that you are absolutely right, and you have the right to ask him not to smoke while you and your baby are in the house. If he can't accomodate you on this, then he can come to your house to see his grandchild, where there is NO SMOKING! Reinforce this. Some smokers are so convinced of their right to smoke that they don't care about other's rights. You can quote statistics till you are blue in the face and he won't listen.
Be polite, but be firm. If he insists on smoking while you are there, then you and baby stay away. Actually it doesn't matter whether he smokes while you are there or not. The air is already saturated with nicotine.
After I stopped smoking, I took a good look at the walls, ceilings, my clothes, my sheets, especially white things. All of them tinged yellow with nicotine. Stay with your position on this. You are right and he is wrong.
2007-03-26 09:07:12 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, you're not being uptight, you're being a good parent. You may not be able to tell him what to do in "his house" but you can certainly stop visiting him there! Hopefully an honest conversation with him and the mention of not coming over anymore will get through to him. Otherwise, only visit on days when you can spend the time outside.
2007-03-26 09:04:23 · answer #5 · answered by Meems 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Don't convince him. You're the mom, put your foot down. Explain to him that if he can't refrain from smoking indoors for the duration of your visit, then you will have to keep visits to your home only. It's his choice if he wants to smoke OR see baby, he doesn't get both.
DO NOT give in or let him make you feel guilty. Baby's safety is #1 and this is a perfectly reasonable choice you are making.
2007-03-26 10:08:47 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
You are not being too uptight at all!!!! And honestly, it will be hard to get him to change, some people are "set in their ways" so to speak. You could always try to go online and print off different articles regarding smoking around infants, and let him read them, that might help. Good luck
2007-03-26 09:03:18 · answer #7 · answered by Law 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Print these out for him and ask him if it is worth losing his grandchild over. Ask him if he can at least not smoke when you visit and if that is to hard to do then maybe you should not come over for a while. I know that nagging smokers only bothers them more.. but when it is coming to the health of your child I do not believe you are being uptight at all.
2007-03-26 09:17:22 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
He probably has already heard teh news reports about second hand smoke, but just chooses to ignore this. He loves his cigs too much, and that is unfortunate. Not much you can do, other than to tell him that you choose not to go over the house while he lights up because of your concerns for your baby's health.
2007-03-26 09:01:58 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Refuse to take your baby there unless he stops smoking while you're there. If he wishes to visit you, to see the baby, tell him he's NOT ALLOWED TO SMOKE IN YOUR HOME!!!
Anytime you put your or your child's health ahead of a smoker - you are NOT being uptight - you're being smart!!!
2007-03-26 09:42:09 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋