Explaining E-Cigs to Children

[SannerSays]

You crack me up with these "haha"s
I think I shall name you wetstickhahaguy....
Or liarhahaliar pants on fire...

Now you will get asthma because you lied. Sigh.

I guess when you read it out loud a "haha" sounds pretty stupid huh? I just don't know how to portray the fact that I am laughing or chuckling without them. I can't bring myself to use the "lol"....reminds me of a teenage girl texting her "bff" haha.....see there I go again.

 

[MlrGrl]

Last time a kid asked me, I made it short and sweet and said it was for my asthma. Now this may have been the wrong approach...seeing how I lied to the poor kid. But at the same time, I did not have time to think and just reacted haha! I don't have asthma....but who knows....a few more years of cigarettes and I might have gained it. So I guess it was kind of the truth....

Someone asked me about it the other day and I just said "...it's to help my lungs....". I know what you mean about feeling like you are misleading them or something, but sometimes we just don't have the time to do a good job explaining, so short and sweet will just have to do.

Since these aren't you children you talking about, and you think that the people at the gathering doing even realize you smoke, I'd just lay low with it. If the need does arrive, just take a couple hits in the bathroom.

(This opinoin is based on the fact that one side of MY the family doesn't realize I've ever smoked, so this is the game plan for me when the time comes LOL)

 

[Ozwest]

These aren't his children. This isn't his house. If he is even asking then he must assume that someone in the situation would not approve. It's about respect. That's all.

I understand respect and responsibility, and the rule of law.

But I refuse to be a socially engineered, and will not perpetuate ignorance.

We settle down. We commit our lives to one another. We raise our children. We protect them. We try and be good citizens.

 

[Nuck]

Just tell em it's your crack pipe and that if you don't have it bad things happen to nosey little buggers. I use that on my kids and along with a few good beatings...it works great!

 

[MlrGrl]

I explained it to my step son last night, he's 10. I simply told him that its helping quit smoking cigarettes. I explained that it just gave me the nicotine, the drug in cigarettes that has made it so hard to quit. He was just happy to know its helping me stay away from cigarettes, he certainly didn't show any signs that would make me think he thought it was any kind of cool.

Has he had the 'smoking is evil' talk in school? My 4th grader has and yet she's never said anything to me about it, except the occational questions. When I showed it to her, she was just excited that it was getting me off the analogs, that I'd finally get to smell like the perfume I was wearing and that kissing me was nicer. She's my 'old soul' of a daughter.

My 1st grader on the other hand..........with the blue body and blue LED...informed me the day after I started "Mommy, that's so cool looking, THAT'S the one I'm going to use when I'm older!"
My heart just sank.
We had a talk, and she at least tells me she's had a change of heart about it......

 

[Princessdee]

These aren't his children. This isn't his house. If he is even asking then he must assume that someone in the situation would not approve. It's about respect. That's all.

Exactly.

I've been showing off my e-cig to my (analog smoker) son since I got it. His wife doesn't smoke. When I went to visit I asked if he'd mind if I vaped in the house. (Went to see new puppies, the wife and kids weren't home, just him & me)

Still, it shows respect for other people to ask.

I told my Grandson about it when he saw me using it (my son's step-son) told him it was my way of not using regular cigarettes (he's 10. He knows what's up with smoking being a killer) then he told me that his "real Dad" smokes a lot. We discussed his worries over that. My point is, maybe an open dialogue with kids that are old enough to understand may be helpful. You never know.

Ask your godson's parents what they think about talking with the kids.

 

[Ozwest]

Just tell em it's your crack pipe and that if you don't have it bad things happen to nosey little buggers. I use that on my kids and along with a few good beatings...it works great!

Lol Keep them on edge. Will Mom and be home tonight?

 

[Tallgirl1974]

I guess when you read it out loud a "haha" sounds pretty stupid huh? I just don't know how to portray the fact that I am laughing or chuckling without them. I can't bring myself to use the "lol"....reminds me of a teenage girl texting her "bff" haha.....see there I go again.

I hate LOLs as well, but haha reminds me of that song.."their coming to take me away.. haha!" (anyone know it? someone?) Oh my god I'm dying laughing, someone needs a life- look at the link...(dare you to say haha after this!)
YouTube - Their Coming to Take Me Away (haha)
<---use smiley faces?

 

[LaceyUnderall]

I hate LOLs as well, but haha reminds me of that song.."their coming to take me away.. haha!" (anyone know it? someone?) Oh my god I'm dying laughing, someone needs a life- look at the link...(dare you to say haha after this!)
YouTube - Their Coming to Take Me Away (haha)
<---use smiley faces?

it's official. i will never use haha again... as now... i will picture this.

 

[tattooed]

Has he had the 'smoking is evil' talk in school? My 4th grader has and yet she's never said anything to me about it, except the occational questions. When I showed it to her, she was just excited that it was getting me off the analogs, that I'd finally get to smell like the perfume I was wearing and that kissing me was nicer. She's my 'old soul' of a daughter.

My 1st grader on the other hand..........with the blue body and blue LED...informed me the day after I started "Mommy, that's so cool looking, THAT'S the one I'm going to use when I'm older!"
My heart just sank.
We had a talk, and she at least tells me she's had a change of heart about it......

Yes he has, we've all heard his lecture. I've always just been super honest with him and told him why I started smoking and how much I regret it. He was just happy I'm quitting, my wife quit over a year ago, I've been dragging my feet.

Well, I'm glad your youngest listened to you.

 

[SannerSays]

I hate LOLs as well, but haha reminds me of that song.."their coming to take me away.. haha!" (anyone know it? someone?) Oh my god I'm dying laughing, someone needs a life- look at the link...(dare you to say haha after this!)

<---use smiley faces?

WOW....I will forever refrain from "hahas" after seeing that! <--Is that any better?? Or does that make me a sheep? (it took everything in my to not write "haha" right there)

 

[NY JETS]

Just tell em it's your crack pipe and that if you don't have it bad things happen to nosey little buggers. I use that on my kids and along with a few good beatings...it works great!

haha lol Nuck (should i just say *laughter* from now on?)

Yeah it's more of all of my little cousins looking up to me, they are all between 5-10 years old so I know all they have heard up till now is smoking is very evil and bad.

Even though it's been my biggest personal victory, I still don't want to tell them that I overcame smoking or that I even do this to not smoke, not at this point in their lives anyway.

I will probably stick with what you said Lacey and try to hide it. It will be very interesting though because my grandmother has been using the one that looks exactly like an analog, and if you have seen Wedding Crashers, she is very much like the grandma in that movie who will say anything anytime...she might just start vaping away at the table!

Thanks for all your input everyone; it really helped me a lot.
-Mike

 

[WiηgC¤mmαηdεя]

My oldest(6) asked and I explained that it replaces my cigarettes and that I believe it is better for me. She is happy with that explanation and says I smell better now.
My wife still goes outside for a smoke now and then and she gets lectured by our oldest every time she gets caught on how "icky" smoking is, and I have caught her bringing her mothers Evo to her and asking her to use that instead.
My thoughts are that by explaining to them that you wish you hadn't started smoking, and that smoking is bad for you but that it is extremely hard to quit them once you have started they understand this fairly well.
Then explaining that your vaporizer should only be used by someone that already smokes so that they can avoid cigarettes seems to be working very well.

 

[Doc]

100 years from now, when inhaling PG is found not only to be safe but to protect us from viral respiratory infections, and almost no one smokes because it is not cool and if you did smoke no one would care because everyone believes in free will and you would never expose another to second hand smoke because compassion and respect for others rule, kids will pick up a pack of disposable PGV's (bio degradable of course) at the local health shop.

For now--the truth. Kids love that. Mine do.

 

[Tallgirl1974]

WOW....I will forever refrain from "hahas" after seeing that! <--Is that any better?? Or does that make me a sheep? (it took everything in my to not write "haha" right there)

Lets make up a new one. We have found a new way to smoke, lets find a new way to... chortle audibly? CIH? {chuckles in head} FTF? {finds that funny}
SIMK? snickers in my knickers....GIHB..gaffaws in her bra..
Oh, I have an idea, lets actually write out our words! Like in the olden days.
We can bring non acronyms back...
{snickers}
You may now carry on...

 

[Tallgirl1974]

100 years from now, when inhaling PG is found not only to be safe but to protect us from viral respiratory infections, and almost no one smokes because it is not cool and if you did smoke no one would care because everyone believes in free will and you would never expose another to second hand smoke because compassion and respect for others rule, kids will pick up a pack of disposable PGV's (bio degradable of course) at the local health shop.

For now--the truth. Kids love that. Mine do.

Honesty is always my rule with kids, except when it comes to fictional creatures who bring them toys or steal heir baby teeth, then I am a big fat liar. Back to your point- its so deeply engraved in us that smoking is 'bad,' even 'immoral,' that we will lie about a new device that delivers nicotine (a drug classified like caffeine no less) because....because ..why? Do I want my kids addicted to nicotine? No. But I also dont want them addicted to caffeine or sugar or .... or alcohol. But lying to kids, or hiding it from kids, doesn't have any effect at all on them smoking/drinking/etc one day. Telling them the truth will just educate them on their *choice to one day do so or not.
Would you hide a nic patch or gum?

 

[JustJulie]

My kids are 16 and 20, so it's not an issue with them, but I do have younger nieces and nephews (4, 8, and 9) who live near me.

I favor manual switch devices without lights, so that has been helpful . . . my PVs don't exactly have the "ooohhhh, pretty lights" factor.

They all know I was a smoker, and they all know smoking is bad and nasty. So I explained to them that my PV is what keeps me from smoking. Since it doesn't smell bad to them, they can easily tell it's not smoking, even though vapor is produced. (Well, that and the fact that my hardware doesn't look like an analog.)

After the initial explanations, none of them seemed even remotely interested in it. Of course, it goes without saying that I make sure that all of my stuff is on my person or out of reach of children.

 

[Elendil]

I see this type of question a lot. Why is it that you can't put the PV away for an hour or two? Why is it that we are all worried about vaping in a church, or reception hall or where ever..............Cripes, if you wouldn't smoke an analog there, then don't vape. If you are in a position of trying to think what to say if you are "caught" then perhaps it is an indication that you should not be doing at that particular time or place......

What are we 6 months old with our binky?

 

[Tallgirl1974]

I see this type of question a lot. Why is it that you can't put the PV away for an hour or two? Why is it that we are all worried about vaping in a church, or reception hall or where ever..............Cripes, if you wouldn't smoke an analog there, then don't vape. If you are in a position of trying to think what to say if you are "caught" then perhaps it is an indication that you should not be doing at that particular time or place......

What are we 6 months old with our binky?

Yes. Well, 6 and 1/2 months.

 

[JustJulie]

I see this type of question a lot. Why is it that you can't put the PV away for an hour or two? Why is it that we are all worried about vaping in a church, or reception hall or where ever..............Cripes, if you wouldn't smoke an analog there, then don't vape. If you are in a position of trying to think what to say if you are "caught" then perhaps it is an indication that you should not be doing at that particular time or place......

What are we 6 months old with our binky?

I don't completely disagree. I generally don't vape in areas where smoking would be inappropriate. So, no, I wouldn't vape in a church, for example.

As for putting it up for a few hours, no problem there, but the fact is that I live within 8 minutes of my nieces and nephew, and I am around them for far more than an hour or two at a time. I don't feel the need (nor have the desire) to hide my vaping from them.