under age smoking

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magwich2
Posts: 866
Joined: Fri Sep 05, 2008 5:33 pm

under age smoking

Post by magwich2 »

In the light of the number of girls at DD's school who seem to have taken up smoking by the end of year 9 , is there any parent out there who actually allows their child of this age to smoke or who turns a blind eye to it?

Is there any age when smoking is sanctioned by parents although illegal under 18? I cannot believe that any sane parent would allow it but if there aren't any permissive parents out there, there sure are a lot of deceitful children!!
zorro
Posts: 2076
Joined: Mon Jan 21, 2008 10:27 am
Location: Barnet, Herts

Post by zorro »

Yr 9? Good grief! This means they are 13?
I would be absolutely horrified if my DD or any of her friends started at this age ( well, any age really) .
We are really anti-smoking in our house and DD and Ds hate the smell of cigarettes.
I can't believe any parents would condone this but surely they must be able to smell the smoke on their kids?
Also where do the kids get the money from and who buys them?
A friend of mine who smokes is really sensitive to the smell of smoke caught her 14 yr old son leaning out of his bedroom window with a can of air freshener in one hand and a cigarette in the other !
Needless to say it was soon stamped out and she has given up too because DS said if she smoked why shouldn't he?
magwich2
Posts: 866
Joined: Fri Sep 05, 2008 5:33 pm

under age smoking

Post by magwich2 »

I totally agree with everything you say. DD is in year 11 now and many pupils smoke on school premises "behind the huts". At least one teacher has beeb heard to express the view that if they are suffering from an addiction then perhaps you cannot just forbid it!!!

While I'm on the subject of daft liberal parents how many people out there would let their 16 year old DD have a party with so much alcohol that most of the year group spent the following monday comparing hangovers during their lessons (soooo mature and grown-up!!)

Apart from anything else don't these idiot parents realise it's only a couple of years before the same teachers who have discussed their foolish daughters in the staff room are going to be writing UCAS references!
Guest55
Posts: 16254
Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:21 pm

Post by Guest55 »

All school premises and grounds in Bucks are smoke-free zones. As teachers we take smoking very seriously - grounds are monitored - you can see and smell smoke quite a long way away. If children are caught there are sanctions plus counselling to help them quit.

Alcohol will always be a problem out of school whilst parents keep it at home and shopkeepers don't ask for proof of age.
zorro
Posts: 2076
Joined: Mon Jan 21, 2008 10:27 am
Location: Barnet, Herts

Post by zorro »

The mind boggles!
I am very much of the French school of drinking - let the children have a taste of wine with their dinner - they soon realise they don't like the taste of it and that's the end of it until they are old enough to make up their own minds.
If you completely forbid it as my parents ( teetotallers) did, kids want to know what the mystery is and then try it unsupervised.
Hangovers in Y11? Whatever next!
T.i.p.s.y

Post by T.i.p.s.y »

If I had to give them one thing over the other (I intend to give neither) it would be alcohol in moderation over cigarettes. Children should not be allowed to smoke on school grounds, and I'm surprised that girls (with less pressure to look cool) would do it at an all girls school - boys (generalising) will do it regardless of their environment! :roll:

I let my boys have about 50ml of cider with their Sunday roast and I've explained to them it damages their brain cells and makes it harder for them to understand whats going on at school, hence why their mother is thick. :oops: Anyway, it sits at the table and they say they don't want it because school is hard enough. So far its working but I may need more strategies in a couple of years time! :lol: :?
zorro
Posts: 2076
Joined: Mon Jan 21, 2008 10:27 am
Location: Barnet, Herts

Post by zorro »

Our DC are allowed a sip of champagne with orange juice on special occasions like an adult's birthday, weddding anniversary etc - so far they are not impressed at 11 and 14 but 5 years on -who knows!
tense
Posts: 679
Joined: Wed Nov 14, 2007 3:02 pm
Location: Herts

Post by tense »

My DC (aged 11 and eight) lecture me if they catch me with a second glass of vino & are also strongly anti-smoking. I'm afraid I did have a smoking phase when a teen though :oops: so shall try not to be too hypocritical if ever faced with that. I used to starve myself & spend my lunch money on cigarettes....at least there seems to be hardly anywhere you can smoke these days & my kids currently think it is very uncool.

PS Zorro - didn't realise you had a 15 yr old too & that this last year was your second time round!
medwaymum
Posts: 827
Joined: Sun Nov 04, 2007 6:45 pm
Location: Medway & Kent

Post by medwaymum »

Whats probably the most worrying is that these darling children who hate the smell of smoke/thought of cigarettes now are potentially the ones who could be 'behind the huts' in years to come!
As much as my two children dislike smoking now I have no illusions that sooner or later they may well be challenged by their peers to 'try' it.
Not much we can do but hope they do the right thing. But if they don't I certainly wouldn't allow it in my house or provide any pocket money if this is what its going on!!
zorro
Posts: 2076
Joined: Mon Jan 21, 2008 10:27 am
Location: Barnet, Herts

Post by zorro »

Hi Tense,
Actually this last year was my first time as DD has learning difficulties and goes to a special school .
Different problems but just as worrying!
Zorro.
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