Advice please-teenager smoking

Morglin

traveller wrote: »

Hi,
I'm not sure how to go about this, but yesterday while clearing up my sons room I found a few ciggies in a biscuit tin! He is 15.Now I first went beserk, then calmed myself down and confronted him.He claimed the ciggies were bought round by his friend who stays over on the odd occasion and they both tried them, didn't like them and he isn't a smoker:rolleyes:
The ONLY reason I'm unsure what to believe, is because he dosen't actually smell of smoke,but we all know you can hide anything if you want to.

I've told him that none of his friends are allowed round now, they can call for him ,but i don't want them coming in.He claimed the stuff was left there as the boy took the ciggies from his dads and couldn't take them home-his mothers house, as she goes through his stuff. If his friends aren't coming in and i find anything else,then i know there's no 2 ways about what belongs to who.
His dad is a smoker so would no more about the signs, but as he treats the kids as more of an inconvinience and really has no idea how to talk about issues i've not told him yet.I've confiscated the ciggies and told him the new rules,with him just saying there is no point in te;;ing me the truth if i won't believe him,but i don't particularly believe him and i don't know how to deal with this.Does anyone have any advice/experience ?Thanks:o

Most teenagers do this, it's all part of the ritual, along with getting drunk etc.,

So, first of all, thank your lucky stars it's not hard drugs, but don't bother trying to browbeat him into not smoking by banning mates ertc., (won't work).:rolleyes:

When mine started to smoke, I didn't berate them, I just told them that if they wanted to smoke, then fine, but that I wasn't paying for it, and then I made them go out and find paper rounds to fund it.:rotfl:

A month of it, and they gave up smoking lolol - once they had to pay, they wanted to spend money on better things.

Lin

beer_tins

Punishing him will almost certainly not work.

Have a chat with him saying "I'm not saying you do smoke, but.. " and list the various reasons he shouldn't, giving him facts about the health effects, the cost and especially telling him exactly how addictive cigarettes are. Many smokers become addicted before they know it. Also say you won't pay for it if he does smoke and say you will withdraw any pocket money if you find he is. Other than that, you've just got to hope he's sensible.