Finally told my Parents

[Dontae92]

I've smoked for the last 5 years and I finally decided 2 weeks after getting my PV, to tell my parents. I told my father first who has smoked since he was 13 (he's 59) and got the most unexpected reaction. He asked me what I smoked (brand wise). He was pretty understanding and surprisingly he knew what it was, at least the vapor part of it. I then explained the benefits to him and tried to get him to try an e cig. He said he didn't want to. So then came to telling my mother. I showed her the collection of about 10 empty packs of cigs I'd been hiding in my dresser drawer. She became instantly distant. She asked what the empty packs were, she even called vaping "Smoking for Rich People". For an educated RN, I am disappointed in the way she reacted. I shouldn't of had my hopes up, but after my father's reaction, I expected her to not be so put off by it. She hasn't wanted to talk to me after I told her earlier today. I guess I'll try to talk to her later.

 

[Mick8666]

I'm sorry to hear your troubles, really sucks

I think she just might not understand what it is, maybe you should find a good explanation of pg and vg vaping and print it out for her to read, it may help

 

[Tonyctitan]

Better yet, plop her down in front of the computer and let her read these forums.

 

[wandawag]

well congrats on going with vaping...wise choice. your mom being in healthcare will probably come around...she just needs to be educated on this topic. you have done a good thing...be proud of yourself!

 

[Dave L]

Sorry to hear about your problems. You don't say how old you are, but if you're over 18 you must have started smoking pretty young. I can't criticize - I started at age 10. I'm older than dirt, now. Anyway, some folks just don't get it...my neighbor kind of rolled her eyes and said, "Well, you haven't REALLY quit then, now have you?" You're off tobacco and you have a cool new toy. That's what matters, right?

 

[SheSwizzy]

I guess I never thought much about my parents responses... Showed my mom while she was outside smoking at my uncle's wake a couple weeks ago. She didn't really have much to say, except that she might give it a try because her doctor has been on her to quit. I think I've been rather fortunate in that everyone around me is supportive. I vape at work, as long as I'm not in front of clients, and no one cares. Parents are supportive, ect. Granted they all think I'm obsessed with vaping, but otherwise are supportive.

Hope everything works out for you.

 

[Dontae92]

I think I'll print up some info about PG and VG and common foods they are found in that she regularly eats. Maybe that'll put in in perspective for her so she knows its nowhere as bad as an analog.

Age: Im 21. College student living at home.

 

[Chimney34]

Hope things get better for you! On the bright side you are off of the stinkies! That's the most important thing! To be honest I can't say I had much support when I was going through the quit plan several times before finding ecigs. I think that's what probably made switching to ecigs so easy for me. I started doing research & the ECF family became my support & advisors in a way! Now friends & fam wanna know when im gonna give up vaping. Smh! Some battles i just cant win. But I finally accepted that I'd made the switch for me & not to make everyone else happy. And I'll continue to vape for as long as it makes me happy! But it's understandable to want that support from your mom & dad! I hope they come around!

 

[DanKnowsJack]

Yeah, let her collect herself, then hit her with some solid info. She should respect the info figuring in her profession. Give her some time to come around, she'll be happy your not smoking.

 

[Dontae92]

Thanks for the replies and support everyone. I will keep vaping, just now I can stop hiding it

 

[Fury83]

Yeah, let her collect herself, then hit her with some solid info. She should respect the info figuring in her profession. Give her some time to come around, she'll be happy your not smoking.

This...let her think about it rationally for a bit.

 

[IntelligentDesigner]

D'oh! That sucks. My parents were quite supportive and even let me vape in their house and cars and they've never smoked. They might not be so supportive if they've found out how much I've spent on attys and mods and all, but the cost is still way less than I'd've spent on cigarettes in the time I've been vaping, especially in terms of years added onto my life.

Well it certainly does LOOK like smoking for rich people, but perhaps when the opportunity to bring it back up presents itself, hit her with the info about how much better it is than smoking, as well as bringing up that it saves a .... ton of money. But the most important thing is that it also saves your life, whether the others accept it or not. Congrats on your decision and best wishes to ya.

 

[hoper6767]

My parents are very religious and have never accepted me or my brother smoking cigarettes but I was surprised once I explained all the benefits how much she was okay with me vaping. I showed her a few articles about how much better it was without the tobacco and that seemed to work. Plus I don't smell like cigs anymore lol

 

[razor4432]

Good to hear your Dad was pretty understanding from the sounds of it. My Dad's the same way about things I've done since he'd done most of them too lol.

 

[Mariss716]

I'm sorry your vaping "coming out" didn't go as well as you hoped. Family doesn't always understand, but hopefully they will come around, accept you and love you for the choices you are making. You are doing what's best for you and it's your life.

And you have the support of a whole community here behind you.

I recall having written a similar post, in a different context lol.

In all seriousness, be patient. Educate them, and appeal to your mom on medical terms, and how benign vaping really is as a method of nicotine delivery compared to smoking. PG is even in asthma inhalers, and is used in pharmaceuticals as a solvent for injectable forms of such drugs as lorazepam (something a nurse just shot in my cousin's IV during her surgery prep - it's a Benzo common for anxiety). It's definitely not "smoking for rich people" - that misses the whole point of non-combustion. A surprising amount of nurses smoke (I figured this out when I was in the hospital long term), so you'd think she'd be around some who've switched to eCigs, but maybe not. There is a lot of misinformation and ignorance out there about eCigs still.

Keep modelling the behavior and there may come a point where your dad will want to try it!

I was thinking about the "smoking for rich people" comment - I guess your comeback could be that you will feel a lot richer with the money you are saving! Set up one of those banners like so many of us have and let it start ticking away the savings!

 

[jfalbanese]

I've smoked for the last 5 years and I finally decided 2 weeks after getting my PV, to tell my parents. I told my father first who has smoked since he was 13 (he's 59) and got the most unexpected reaction. He asked me what I smoked (brand wise). He was pretty understanding and surprisingly he knew what it was, at least the vapor part of it. I then explained the benefits to him and tried to get him to try an e cig. He said he didn't want to. So then came to telling my mother. I showed her the collection of about 10 empty packs of cigs I'd been hiding in my dresser drawer. She became instantly distant. She asked what the empty packs were, she even called vaping "Smoking for Rich People". For an educated RN, I am disappointed in the way she reacted. I shouldn't of had my hopes up, but after my father's reaction, I expected her to not be so put off by it. She hasn't wanted to talk to me after I told her earlier today. I guess I'll try to talk to her later.

where's the fun if we can't disappoint our parents?

 

[patkin]

Hope things get better for you! On the bright side you are off of the stinkies! That's the most important thing! To be honest I can't say I had much support when I was going through the quit plan several times before finding ecigs. I think that's what probably made switching to ecigs so easy for me. I started doing research & the ECF family became my support & advisors in a way! Now friends & fam wanna know when im gonna give up vaping. Smh! Some battles i just cant win. But I finally accepted that I'd made the switch for me & not to make everyone else happy. And I'll continue to vape for as long as it makes me happy! But it's understandable to want that support from your mom & dad! I hope they come around!

I gotta tell ya, this just about breaks my heart... and makes me mad. I remember going to a parent/teacher conference more years ago than I care to remember and my son's teacher said: "He's doing very well" then a pause and "but he could do better." I swear I wanted to smack that woman. As they say, I'm older than dirt now and when I run into that attitude, I have little to no patience. I know, with some, especially family, it comes from love and concern but even then if they don't back off with my given cues, I throw it back with: When are you going to start loosing some weight? When are you going to stop eating so much? When are you going to stop spending so much money on......? When are you going to stop partying so much? Whatever fits the person. I say it with a smile, generally, but it makes them think about the discomfort they're going to feel next time if they choose to make me uncomfortable. After all, they shouldn't be spared "what goes around comes around." Hope I didn't offend you with this. I truly do get how significant family is to all of us but it just seems to me love should also include kindness, hopefully support and encouragement, at the very least, not jumping our personal boundaries.

 

[patkin]

She was kinda dealing with two things at once there. She just found out you have been smoking and, then, that you're vaping. Give her some time to get over the shock. People, generally, get reactive when shocked and I'm sure when she is back in a more peaceful place she'll listen to you.

 

[chadsmo]

My father claims I'm still smoking. He's been bugging me about my smoking for a long time (I was a smoker for 20 years) and figured he'd be super happy. It took like an hour of arguing with him but I think he understands that its better than smoking now, though he still insists that I'm a smoker. He's now been pressing me on when I'm gonna quit 'that new thing' when he sees me. The way he sees it its only marginally better for me and still a habit that I need to kick. While I don't 100% disagree with him I doubt ill ever quit vaping.

 

[craigsdocks]

Lol well my mother starting buying me ciggs and dropping them at the house after she saw it, I even explained it thoroughly for a good hour ... she was like great! now why did you start that! Here's a pack of smokes!

She is not pleased at all, my guess is she doesn't believe a word I am saying about the e-cig stuff, she does not smoke at all

So yeah to say I felt sort of let down is and was an understatement but I did this for me, she don't get oh well I know better I am too old to be too worried about all that mess

A few days ago she was over and turned and happened to walk through a cloud of vapor and said ... WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO DO KILL ME!!!

I was like ok come on stop this you are being totally ridiculous you got a computer do some reading I am tired of hearing that crazy talk