Saw something last night that shocked me

[wvjules]

Last night a new KFC opened. (We haven't had one here for years.) DD and I were waiting in the Drive-Thru line. A girl she goes to school with got out of a car and went in to the restaurant. She then came back out and stood beside her mom's car and lit up a cigarette. I was in shock. Then DD noticed that her mom was in the car. According to DD this girl is in 7th grade. I couldn't get over the fact that 1.) She was smoking at such a young age and 2.) that her mom apparently doesn't care that she does. I was floored. Thank goodness DD can't stand cigarettes and/or cigarette smoke. I just hope that she continues to hate it and never lights up.

 

[Nancyg56]

We see it a lot. Kids get off the bus and light up on the way home from school, or kids using language that is appalling, while a parent just stands by. I don't understand it.

 

[Nancy]

I think the Mom is a bit

Smoking in 7th grade in front of the parent? Holy cow! Is that child endangerment?

 

[Evil Queen]

Wow. That's odd, but in today's world little surprises me anymore.

Oldest son tried smoking but not until high school and only once. I was so thrilled thinking he would not be a smoker, but I found out that he started at 19. ARGH!! Matter of fact, I found out on the way to Disney in the car.

 

[stemikger]

It wouldn't be the fact that a 7th grader was smoking, but that the mom was letting her do it. I could only imagine what kind of parenting goes on in that house.

I swear, when I see things like that I'm very much in favor of mandatory sterilization. Parenting should be a privilige not a right.

 

[laura001]

WOW! That is crazy, I can't say that I have ever seen that with someone so young. I have see a 15 or 16 year old though, what is wrong with these parents?? Their thought probably is that at least they are doing it where I have some control.....still wrong!!!

 

[BeNJeNWaFFLe]

It is really shocking. Lately, I've seen a lot of teens driving around with their parents. Both of them smoking! What happened to the days when parents used to make you smoke the whole pack at once if they caught you smoking? It seems as if parents think it is ok for teens to smoke lately. I don't understand it anymore.

 

[kbkids]

Saw something similar myself the other day. This guy (I'm assuming Dad) and two kids, one was about 10, the other around 13, were all walking through a parking lot. All three were smoking! Even my 5 yr old said something about it.

 

[tekmom]

When I was 12, there was a woman and her 4 kids that lived in the same apartment complex. The older ones were around 9, 11 and 13 and all smoked...around mom. but the kicker was the youngest girl, who was only three or four, and SMOKED!!!! Mom thought it was a hoot to have her walk around the apartment, attempting smoke rings. Unfortunately mom also thought it was okay to lay around drinking all day. I look back now horrified. The kids were reasonably nice, but unfortunately had to pretty much raise themselves. Don't know whatever happened to them.

 

[Marseeya]

Where'd they put a KFC?

I knew kids like that growing up. Even though I started smoking at 12 (I quit 20 years later), there's no way I'd allow my kids to smoke. DS smokes, but he goes through great lengths to hide it. I found half a carton in his room and flushed them all.

 

[Grumpy's Wife]

I know kids try smoking behind their parents back. I think part of the excitement for them is in being sneeky. Doing it right in front of the parent...what is that mom thinking? I just don't get it.

 

[eeyore25]

While I agree with most of you....my parents always told us kids (there were 3 girls) that if we ever wanted to smoke or drink, they we did it infront of them. Both my older sister and I started smoking an of course we hide it at first. Mom did find out and then it became "okay" to smoke in front of mom. We have since quit though. I know that my mom didn't like it, and she told us on a number of occasions that she didn't like it when we smoked, but she didn't stop us. I don't think that my mom was for it that is just the way that she chose to raise us.

This mother may be raising her child the same way....I don't know. However 12 is a little young.

Just my $.02.

Have a great day

 

[wvjules]

Where'd they put a KFC?

Its behind the Sheetz in Sabraton.

I can kind of see the "if you're going to do it do it in front of me" thinking but IMO that condones bad behavior. What other kinds of things do these parents allow is what concerns me.

 

[MzDiz]

My son, who will be 14 in a couple weeks, has friends that smoke. Apparently, it's the latest thing. A bunch of kids in the middle school just stared up. Monkey see, monkey do. I told him that if I ever smelled smoke on him, I'd save him the trouble of lung cancer and kill him myself.

 

[Divamomto3]

My son, who will be 14 in a couple weeks, has friends that smoke. Apparently, it's the latest thing. A bunch of kids in the middle school just stared up. Monkey see, monkey do. I told him that if I ever smelled smoke on him, I'd save him the trouble of lung cancer and kill him myself.

I'm with you. Luckily, all my kids think it's as disgusting as I do. Hope it continues. Anyone who allows their under 18 year old child smoke should be charged with child endangerment...same as someone who allowed their under 21 year old to drink would. Yuck.

 

[GeorgeG]

It's amazing how "kids" seem to smoke to look older and adults often discover they do look older when they no longer want to (be careful what you wish for).

There is a twisted logic to the "smoke in front of me" rule. Back when I was a fire chief I had two house fires that were started by teens smoking and trying to hide it.

I have to wonder what child protection agencies would think of parents that provide their children with cigarettes.

Whatever happened to just being a kid?

 

[cteddiesgirl]

Isn't that illegal?
I know in most (if not all) areas of the country, it is illegal for a child under 18 to buy, posess or use tobacco products.

If I had seen what the OP saw, I would be calling child protective services. That is a person who should not be a parent.

 

[azgal81]

Smoking is cool when you are 12.

Sometimes when the mom smokes she will let the kids just because she doesn't think it will hurt them.

Smoking is the stupidest thing I have ever heard of but then I guess when you are addicted you are addicted.

Poor girl starting so young that's going to be a hard habit to break later!

 

[MamaLema]

When I was 12, there was a woman and her 4 kids that lived in the same apartment complex. The older ones were around 9, 11 and 13 and all smoked...around mom. but the kicker was the youngest girl, who was only three or four, and SMOKED!!!! Mom thought it was a hoot to have her walk around the apartment, attempting smoke rings. Unfortunately mom also thought it was okay to lay around drinking all day. I look back now horrified. The kids were reasonably nice, but unfortunately had to pretty much raise themselves. Don't know whatever happened to them.

 

[Viking]

Although I consider smoking as bad and especially so for children, I think there is more harm done to kids by obesity than by cigarettes.
Don't get me wrong: Smoking is most probably worse than too much weight, but there are definitely many more obese kids in the US than smoking kids.
As smoking has already more or less been outlawed in the USA -and I just hope that this happens too- IMHO obesity should be next. Especially as it has long since been proven that overweight kids have very low chances to get a grip on their weight as adults.
So instead of DRIVING to a FAST FOOD joint with your kid, take a WALK and have a nice salad