Vaping and children?

[jamiller619]

So my wife and I have 3 beautiful children, 8, 7 and 3. The two older ones know what smoking is and knew we smoked and constantly told us we needed to quit. We never did it around them but they knew what we were doing when we went outside. It was a major, major factor in us finally quitting (we've been quit smoking for 4 weeks now). But now that we're vaping it's much easier to hide because we don't have to go outside. We haven't done it in front of them and don't plan on it because they're not going to understand the differences between vaping and smoking. I've been thinking of sitting them down to talk with them about it but I'm not sure if that's the best route. Some part of me thinks if they grew up around it that it might not be so bad. I mean, we drink an occasional beer/wine in front of them as well as drink coffee. If nicotine isn't so bad would we hide vaping from them if they never knew tobacco smoking? I don't know.

So do any of you have children? Do you hide it or have you talked with them about it and do it in front of them? What are your thoughts on this?

 

[TheDarthJager]

Don't have any kids but I can tell you that my mother grew up with a mother that chain smoked in the house and a father that smoked pipes and cigars in the house and when they drove. The smell of smoke makes her loss her ****. I doubt explaining to your children what vaping is will make them think its an ok thing today, even the manufactures say that's those who don't smoke SHOULD NOT VAPE. If anything I think them understanding you and your wife are trying to give up real tobacco can only help them understand how bad real smoking is.

Granted I wouldn't suggest to vape round the cloak in full view of your kids but coming from someone who picked up smoking after high school I'm a pretty good example that just being around smoking doesn't make you think its less dangerous or bad. My mothers a non smoker, non drinker, heck she doesn't even swear...most of the time. Yet I still ended up a half a pack a day smoker and even bought a few pipes (tobacco pipes of course) and cigars. I didn't even quit when my grandmother passed away after getting 3 different lung diseases from smoking.

Sorry to ramble. My suggestion is don't feel guilty about vaping. You didn't pick it up because you were bored and it looked fun. You did it because you want to set a good example for your kids and you want to live a healthier life, and if theres one thing I've learned from watching my friends kids who are just a bit older than yours is kids that age and dangerously clever and understanding (never gonna get talked into playing the xbox kinects again without turning off the camra mode first.)

All in all I'd say to talk with your wife and give it a shot. I hope this helped and sorry if I said anything strange, I'm still young and stupid (25 and counting...I hope). Best of luck to you and I hope giving up smoking comes to you as easily has it did for me.

 

[Teach08]

My kids are older (17 and 11), and I am brand new to this, but they are THRILLED that we're not smoking anymore. The oldest hangs out right next to me to get a whiff of my sweeter juices. Most of our friends and family are non-smokers, but oldest wants to start nagging my dad to get himself a rig, too.

You know they're going to see it eventually...maybe wait until they do, and then you can explain the differences? They'll know they haven't smelled cigarettes on you, so that might help give your explanation more weight? (Youngest is hugging me a lot more and commenting about how she loves that I don't stink!)

Good luck, whatever you decide...isn't it great to NOT be smoking???

 

[UncleChimney]

I have similarly aged kids (9, 5 and 3) and they get actually get that I'm not smoking anymore. They pretty much understood right away when I didn't smell like a stinky stick anymore. Sometimes they'll say things when they see a smoker like, "Those things stink, I'm glad you don't smoke anymore!"

 

[jamiller619]

I have similarly aged kids (9, 5 and 3) and they get actually get that I'm not smoking anymore. They pretty much understood right away when I didn't smell like a stinky stick anymore. Sometimes they'll say things when they see a smoker like, "Those things stink, I'm glad you don't smoke anymore!"

Do they know you vape?

 

[JohnnyVsGirl]

We have a 3 year old daughter and I feel instead of seeing Johnny V smoke 1.5 packs of cigarettes outside and smelling like ashtray that vaping is ok. Occasionally she picks up his Provari and yells, Dad your smoker, Mom fixing Dad's smoker and other things. When she's able to understand we'll sit her down and discuss why Dad vapes and how it has helped him off cigarettes which were making him cease to breath while sleeping.

We don't hide it from her but she knows not to use it and we keep all of our supplies in a high up cabinet out of her reach. We don't want her to vape. On the other hand Johnny V has a 21 year old daughter that smokes. We're actually trying to get her to vape and have sent her some supplies. We don't want to see her going down the same road as her father.

 

[jamiller619]

Good luck, whatever you decide...isn't it great to NOT be smoking???

It's absolutely great! I can smell and tasted now and I don't have to go outside every hour to get all stinky! Does your 11 year old know you vape? How did you have that conversation with your kids?

 

[CheekyChica]

I have a 6yr old and when I smoked I did so outside or only after she was in bed in my computer room with door shut and window open. Now that I'm vaping I vape in the house in front of her. I've read that there is virtually noting harmful put off in the 2nd hand vapor, at least so far out scientific community can conclude, besides the house isnt air tight, the ac is always running here in south Texas lol. So I feel its "safe" imo to vape in the house. I have talked to her about me vaping as shes wondering whats going on...I simply put it to her that I got this to help me quit smoking so only people who smoke can get/use it. That seems to solve the issue. She only had an intrest at first, but after the talk shes far more intrested in her toys and cartoons and her Nintendo DS. I make sure I never leave out my e-cig or any parts or especially e-juices where she can get access to any of that. For now this is working. Would be the same if I needed breathing treatments every 6hrs for lung cancer....food for thought. Besides my child my choice. You decide whats best for your family.

 

[jamiller619]

We have a 3 year old daughter and I feel instead of seeing Johnny V smoke 1.5 packs of cigarettes outside and smelling like ashtray that vaping is ok. Occasionally she picks up his Provari and yells, Dad your smoker, Mom fixing Dad's smoker and other things. When she's able to understand we'll sit her down and discuss why Dad vapes and how it has helped him off cigarettes which were making him cease to breath while sleeping.

We don't hide it from her but she knows not to use it and we keep all of our supplies in a high up cabinet out of her reach. We don't want her to vape. On the other hand Johnny V has a 21 year old daughter that smokes. We're actually trying to get her to vape and have sent her some supplies. We don't want to see her going down the same road as her father.

Yeah when it's just our 3 year old around, we do it around him. We're not all up in his face or anything but we don't hide it like we do with the older girls.

 

[Deanacal]

My 12 year old knew that we smoked, and is thrilled that we're vaping now. She's the one that suggested it in the first place. Now when she hugs me she says I smell like vanilla instead of vanilla and cigarettes. I think your kids are old enough to understand the difference, and there's nothing wrong with what you are doing, so I would just tell them. They'll probably be super proud of you!

 

[Cavere]

My kids are younger. About 3 and 1. I never smoked in front of them and I don't vape in front of them. Granted I may sneak a few toots in the bathroom. But when they're older ill still keep it out of sight. I don't want to glorify vaping and make them potentially want to do it when they get older. When they get to the age they can choose for themselves but not before then.

I don't want a call from a high school teacher that they confiscated a provari off my kid.

 

[JohnnyVsGirl]

If they confiscate your kid's Provari, that makes it YOUR Provari. Just kidding.....

 

[nctrekken]

I've got two (14 and 9) and they can both remember when they were little and seeing daddy and mommy smoke analogs. They didn't like it at all. They younger of the two is straight forward in giving her opinion. Even around 5 years of age she would tell us to quite smoking. I'm happy to say that I have done it now for almost 5 months. They are very happy for me. They already knew it was a better thing for me. They will even comment on how good it smells. I did tell them the difference and they love the fact about it being vapor. Now they tease me endlessly about having to stop by the vape shops to look and pick up some stuff.

 

[astrocity]

I have 2 children 7 (8 in September) and 3. My son was always very vocal about smoking and my ex wife eventually quit. Never ever smoked in the house, and soon I found myself in my own place and going through the darkest of times and was smoking in the house all the time, but not when my kids were here.

Fast forward to March, and I started vaping. I instinctively started vaping it in the house and my son asked about it. I went through the whole explanation and how it wasn't smoking. ...he understood completely and was THRILLED. I use some discretion on my habits in the clised up car and stuff but my 3 year old quickly figured it out.

Grandma and grandpa still smoke so they are getting heavy pressure from my son to vape! Lol

I would say treat each situation different, you know your kids best and make thr decision based on that. My son knows it's NOT for kids, but he knows I'm spending more time with him in the house and not having to excuse myself every hour and is definitely happier.

Just my situation.

Sent from my Note II via Tapatalk HD

 

[cat58]

My 12 year old had been pointing out the vape kiosk in the mall every time we went there for the past year or so - very vocal in "You should try that, Mom!". I never smoked in the house or in the car - my bad habit, why inflict it on anybody else? But she was my most persistant 'nagger' -

Now that I'm vaping I do so in the house, in the car (altho limited when she's with me, just because) and she's very happy that I made the switch. She knows I'm only vaping to quit cigarettes and that it's nothing she should do. My older kiddos (25, 21, 20) are either vaping also or supportive of this change I've made.

As has been said, everyone's kid is different but all of mine and especially 12 understand vaping and are very happy I made the switch. I don't vape around the grands (2 y.o. and 3 mos) and make sure that everything is safely stored when they are expected but that's just me being extra careful. YMMV

 

[BmoreDoug]

I vape openly around my kids (14, 12, 10, and 8). When I got my first vape I explained it to them and how it would help keep my from smoking. They're used to it and generally pay it no mind.

 

[shakeytails]

I don't understand to logic of hiding things from kids, with the exception of some "adult" stuff. While I wouldn't smoke with a child in close proximity, I certainly wouldn't hide from them. I don't cuss in front of kids, either, which is more than I can say for most parents. Isn't it better to see adults being responsible adults? All kids now know that smoking is bad and drinking is only for adults. Mom smoked; I hated it and tried to get her to quit. So what do I do when I'm in college? Like an idiot I started smoking. I knew it was wrong. I knew it was bad for my health.

As for alcohol, it was at all family functions and readily available. We were always allowed to have sips of our parents drinks if we wanted. As a result it wasn't a big deal. In college I saw much worse drinking behavior in kids that came from families where drinking was strictly forbidden. Yeah, I drank like a fish in college, but still did what needed to get done. Once I was out of college, it was "been there, done that" and only drink occasionally. And I now have an aversion to drinking beer out of cans!

 

[RosaJ]

Kids are a lot smarter and perceptive than we give them credit for. If you think they don't or won't find out that you vape (or anything else for that matter) you haven't gone through the whole cycle of raising a child into their 40's. The only message you're giving your child by hiding your vaping from them is that it's ok to do things behind yours and people's backs, after all mom and dad did it to us so it's perfectly acceptable.

3 years old may be a little too young to explain things to, but your 7 and 8 year olds certainly are old enough to have things explained to them. All you have to tell the 3 year old is to not touch your pv, it's nasty.

 

[RoseB]

My children know. Anytime I went outside to smoke they would try to follow. Oldest is 9 and the youngest is 4. When I told them to stay away they would lock me outside o_0 ! If I am doing some serious chain vaporizing, I go hide in my bedroom. With all of the smokers in the family, feeling ashamed of vaping would be silly. The plus side is more family members are making the switch. As a parent you do the best you can. My oldest child has a pretty good understanding about how deadly cigarettes are. She has seen the older family members sick from it. Heard the stories of an entire generation that was wiped out by cancer & smoking related illnesses. Long before my own kids, and e cigs......I would baby sit nieces& nephews. If you think questions about e cigs make you squirm. Just imagine having an 8 year old rattling off various family members & their brands. Ugh I am so glad that kid grew up to be a non smoking health nut, because I was really worried for a while.

 

[greywolff]

My kids are thrilled that i dont smoke cigarettes anymore. although i do still do my best to not vape around them.