Too Stupid to Parent

In this day and age, with all we know, you'd pretty much have to be an idiot to keep smoking. But, hey, everyone should have the right to be an idiot if they so choose. After all, the world needs waitresses and janitors after all...



But anyone stupid enough to smoke around kids and NOT think it's endangering their health is just too ****** stupid to have kids, period, end of story.

I agree with that GM, it always amazed me to see a woman smoking while pregnant. I'm not saying it's easy to quit, but it would be a lot harder not to, for a little being. Kinda gross, but I loved when the dr.(almost made hubby turn green in the face) and showed me the placenta, she pointed out how healthy and bright it was, carrying and then caring for children should be taken a lot more seriously by folks than it is.

I think that its important to take note of it because there is a difference. The child is still exposed to some smoke (from your clothing) but only trace amounts compared to the parents the smoke around their kids, babies, or when pregnant. (I HATE TO SEE THAT!) Medically, it makes a PROFOUND difference in the child.



Its not hard to tell which moms gave up smoking for their babies during pregnancies and which moms didn't when the babies are born. The nurses and doctors can pick them out without even looking at their charts (in most cases not all).

Thank you AM for making the distinction between parents that smoke, and those that smoke around their kids and/or while pregnant.

Caps because there are no italics ;)

So, Anotherhuman, by your logic, the foster care system is so bad, that loving but physically abusive parents should also be able to keep their kids, right? It really is the same thing. Second hand smoke causes SEVERE health risks/complications in children. IT IS A KNOWN FACT. Therefore, the smokers actions are DIRECTLY HURTING THEIR CHILDREN and putting thier LIVES IN DANGER. This is the very definition of abuse.

As an asthmatic, I agree with IcarusFalling. If my parents smoked, they would have killed me. Im not exaggerating either. I have severe asthma. Anytime I am exposed to cigarette smoke, it is a guaranteed ER visit with steriod shots, back-to-back breathing treatments, breathine (SP) shots, and antibiotics because I tend to get pneumonia after bad attacks like those. Like the label or not but that is involuntary manslaughter.



Look at all the childhood diseases and illness DIRECTLY linked to smoking: frequent and reoccuring ear infections, tonsillitis, chronic sinus infections, ASTHMA, chronic bronchitis, chronic pneumonia, COPD, and we know now that you significantly increasing your child's risk for cancers. I dont understand how any parent could be so selfish. (Im talking about the parents that smoke around the kids).



Just a little trivial fact from my pediatrician. It takes a child's body FIVE years to recover from ONE experience of second hand smoke. I dont let ANYONE smoke near my kids. I dont go to restaurants that have a smoking section or a bar. I can't and I wont expose my kids to it.

That's why reproduction should be regulated...

Well, there are many things more dangerous to children than alcohol, but you wouldn't put in their bottles, now would you? Second hand smoke is just as bad as they themselves smoking. It damages their still developing lungs and causes ACTUAL PHYSICAL HARM to the child.

There are many things more dangerous to a child than second hand smoke.

There are many loving, well meaning parents that simply lose their temper and strike their child in the face. Doesn't make it any less abusive. Second hand smoke causes all kinds of ailments in children including cancer and asthma. With all we know about cigarrette smoking, you may as well add rat poison to their food every day. It's really no different.

I have to agree with anotherhuman. Let's first focus on safely removing every last child from any situation where they are sexually, psychologically, or violently abused.



I have a feeling that is a worthier target for our wrath and a large enough task to keep any of us occupied for several lifetimes.

Each of us has the responsibility to use the information at our disposal at the time to make the best choices for our chidren we can make.



Your Grandmother was not an evil person for smoking - she did not have the information available. She could only act on what she could know.



Folks today seem to have an inability to place themselves into the context of historical actions and to judge those actions within that context. Instead, they want to apply the ideals and interpretations made current by hindsight and contemporary biases to historic actions. That is an empty, and useless exercise.



That said, it is unfortunate that someone would ignore the impact on their kids of tobacco smoke once that info is generally available.

Well, that sucks to know.

Picesgal--what you probably don't know, is geneticists have now found a link between smoking and the prevelance of cancer in the GRANDCHILDREN. For example, because my grandmother was a smoker, it actually affected her DNA so she ended up passing on a genetic predisposition to certain cancers.

The main job of a parent is to protect and nurture. That's why you don't smoke around them, that's why you make them wear seat belts, and you don't let them eat things that are unhealthy. Protecting and nurturing is what it's all about.

I agree, and I'm a smoker and a parent. I know that I shouldn't smoke, and would truly like to quit, but I don't EVER smoke around my kids(I smoke outside, and only smoke in the car if the kids are not with me), I quit while I was pregnant with both and it HURTS me to see parents smoking when they have kids in the car, it's just wrong.