Taking it Up Again - Reactions?

[mrsjacks]

I took a couple years hiatus from vaping, but recently started having strong cravings for analogs. I ran into a guy at church and he was puffin' on a mod and I said, "those things are amazing, aren't they?" He said, "man, this as been a Godsend. I haven't smoked a cigarette in two months." It made me miss vaping, so I decided to go to my favorite vape shop and it was overwhelming. So much had changed during my time away from vaping, I had no idea what to buy. I may as well have been a newbie at that counter, asking the guy about tanks and other things.

When I came home my son (he's 12) got very upset and almost started to cry. He shouted, "no, no! I don't want you to do that! What if you start smoking cigarettes again?" So I realized at that point I'm going to have to not vape around him, because he gets so upset about the whole thing. My mom, while she wasn't super judgmental, she kept saying things like, "poor G, this is making him so upset. I feel so bad for him" and "you know, this could tempt you to get back on nicotine. I mean, you probably shouldn't be sucking on that thing all day. Maybe just at night." The general consensus seems to be, "you quit vaping for two years. Why take it back up now?" People's reaction is about the same as if I'd come home with a pack of Marlboros and a lighter. Anyone else experienced people being judgmental about your vaping, especially if you took a break from it for awhile?

 

[Spazmelda]

Well, that's tough, sorry you are having to deal with it. Could you have a heart to heart discussion with your son and tell him that you were close to slipping up having a cigarette? Tell him that you are vaping because it is so much better than going back to smoking, which you were tempted to do? If he is so worried about you going back to smoking, perhaps the idea that you were very close to that, and these prevented a relapse would ease his mind.

 

[GinnyTx]

Mrs Jacks..man I"m sorry..I "get it" though..having quit smoking and then started again, and it's even tougher when the kiddo dynamic comes in..my daughter was about 10 when I'd started again, with five years off in between kiddos..omg the guilt. I just didn't do it around them. If I did and this is vaping so way different than smoking. But sometimes as parents we have that lil talk with them, vaping is a lesser evil, and we're human we're weak and you're trying and all that jazz, and that what you do as a parent isn't really any of their concern type thing (boundaries).

but it sure beats smoking..if that's where you're headed.

best of luck to you.

 

[mrsjacks]

I'll probably have a sit-down with him about it after his initial reaction has worn off. I think he's just scared I'll start smoking analogs again. Hopefully his mind will be more at ease over time once he sees I'm not going back to analogs.

 

[GinnyTx]

he is..mine used to rag on me..and bad mom I know..but I had to draw that line that it's a "non discussion" and of course I eneded up with one that smoked too..knowing those odds, (my dad did, my sis didn't) but she quit smoking and vaping with us a week after we quit (six months on Sunday *happy dance*)

but it's tough..a child's greatest fear is the loss of a parent and they equate that with smoking (and rightly so)

I think that adding in we're not perfect and human and doing the best we can do with kids at an early age is really healthy (helps with that anger and resentment they get when they're teens and finally realize parents are just people too) good luck.

 

[mrsjacks]

Thank you so much for the encouragement, GinnyTX

 

[Shootist]

I have to agree with your Mom. If you got off and stayed off cigarette using a PV and then quit vaping also why would you want to go back?

I've been vaping for about 9 months and cigarette free for 7+ months. I am now down to about 1.5-2 MG of Nicotine in my juice and have cut down on the amount of juice I vape a day along with the amount of time I vape. Soon I will quit vaping, maybe after the first of the year.

I will be so happy not to have to carry this stuff around anymore. I am ecstatic I'm not smoking anymore and might even feel the same once I cut out vaping.

Best of luck to you. If I were you I'd give that new gear you bought to some newbe and be done with all of it.

 

[TyPie]

Many congrats on staying AWAY from the cigarettes!! (You didn't give IN!!)
Have to admit though, that it is a very tough call with smaller kids around. If I felt that I could explain my vaping as a kind of 'medicine' to help keep me away from smoking cigarettes, I might go that route. BUT, kids don't easily understand.

I have been vaping and off cigarettes for nearly 2 years. I have weaned myself down to between 0 and 6 mg of nicotine, and find I can go all day, if not days without even vaping. The argument of, 'why not just drop the vaping, too' has kicked in several times. It's just that it is SO damn enjoyable, especially with all the flavors, the new and improved toys coming out all the time, and all the improvements in gear that are now available. I noticed a long time ago while vaping around kids, that I tended to get some very long, interested 'looks' from them. I find now that I would rather be discreet even while vaping around most children, and it tends to keep all those looks and questions away.

Good luck with this.

 

[PaulBHC]

I've quit smoking several times in my life, the longest cold turkey was 6 months. We started vaping (again) last December and quit smoking late January. Every once in a while I have a cig because my brain remembers it as tasting good but now it's not so good. I'd like to quit vaping but as long as I crave one or the other after a few hours, I'll keep vaping. I'm sure I could cold turkey it in a week but I haven't made up my mind yet.

If you can vape a little and put it down, put it down until you have the urge for one or the other.

 

[mrsjacks]

I have to agree with your Mom. If you got off and stayed off cigarette using a PV and then quit vaping also why would you want to go back?

I've been vaping for about 9 months and cigarette free for 7+ months. I am now down to about 1.5-2 MG of Nicotine in my juice and have cut down on the amount of juice I vape a day along with the amount of time I vape. Soon I will quit vaping, maybe after the first of the year.

I will be so happy not to have to carry this stuff around anymore. I am ecstatic I'm not smoking anymore and might even feel the same once I cut out vaping.

Best of luck to you. If I were you I'd give that new gear you bought to some newbe and be done with all of it.

I understand what you are saying. I've known people who quit smoking analogs for over a decade and took it back up after a night at the pub or during a nasty divorce and I wondered, "why?! Why?! After all these years quit, why on earth would you take up that ball and chain again?" It's so hard to explain quitting smoking over the long-term. I quit four years ago and every so often I have trigger moments. Those times when the cooler fall weather comes in, or after a cup of after dinner coffee or when relatives who still smoke come visit and light up after a meal. Even after all these years I still crave analogs from time to time. I figured vaping no nicotine juice to squelch the cravings would be far better than taking up analogs again. And I may put it down for a spell off and on.

 

[Amraann]

I agree with everyone who said sit down and talk to him. He is 12 so plenty old enough to understand. Just tell him that vaping does not lead to smoking that it is a means so that you do not start smoking. And tell your mother to lay off the guilt trip and stop feeding into the 12 yo's fears by saying things.

 

[Scootaloo]

Sorry to hear about the situation:

I know many people who quit and started again including myself, and if you want to vape then go for it.

As others have give or take already said, I think you should explain what vaping is all about with your son, and that vaping and smoking aren’t the same thing.

And perhaps explain that vaping helps people not smoke cigarettes as opposed to the other way around.

 

[Captainlady]

Oh the whys to starting smoking again, I quit once for over a year then stress got me back to it. Why? Well, over that entire year you don't stop craving cigarettes. I know people who quite for decades now and still, crave cigarettes from time to time. Oh but it's just psychological they brush it off, but you're entire reality is psychological.

 

[glointhedark]

My daughter and I quit smoking cold turkey around 8 years ago. We still had the desire to smoke, but worked through it. Around 2 years ago, stress was making the desire to smoke again almost overpowering. My daughter had heard about ecigs, we did a little research, hemmed and hawed for a while, and finally tried a couple of disposables to see if ecigs could really help us get past the desire to start smoking again. It worked, and we are very happy to say that we are still ex-smokers. We graduated from cigalikes to Evods, and found nicotine levels that work for us.

Talk to your son and mother. In the end, though, you have to take care of yourself and do what you need to keep away from smoking. Good luck to you and your family.

 

[Frenchfry1942]

I'll probably have a sit-down with him about it after his initial reaction has worn off. I think he's just scared I'll start smoking analogs again. Hopefully his mind will be more at ease over time once he sees I'm not going back to analogs.

Very good idea. It is much better than smoking. So many just have that initial negative reaction. As someone said earlier, "it's a Godsend".

 

[jdm1982]

religious people being judgemental.whats the world coming to?lol

but on a serious note, its probably better not to puff on anything at all, sure. but you puffing on a vaperizer is not even in the same league as that pack of marlboros.

moderation is key with most things in life.using these devices moderately should not pose much trouble imo.

if it upsets them , maybe just wait till there in bed or till your out of the house somewhere to have a vape.out of sight out of mind.no need to feel guilty over it though imo.

 

[DC2]

Oh the whys to starting smoking again, I quit once for over a year then stress got me back to it. Why? Well, over that entire year you don't stop craving cigarettes. I know people who quite for decades now and still, crave cigarettes from time to time. Oh but it's just psychological they brush it off, but you're entire reality is psychological.

This is most definitely NOT what the haters want you to believe.
Or what they teach your children in school.

But it's absolutely, for many people, the absolute truth of the matter.

 

[iMikus]

I think for me anyway, vaping will always be something i enjoy. even when i get to non-nicotine juice, I still plan on enjoying a good vape. If you enjoy it, why not? and if it prevents you from starting up analogs again, why not? Much worse out there that you can do. and over time your family will see that vaping isn't a gateway drug to analogs, but as much as you want to talk to them and explain that, it may take them actually seeing it first hand.

 

[Rat2chat2]

to ecf mrsjacks. So glad you are here and so glad you haven't gone back to smoking. The way I see it, the only one that really matters is your son and and 12 years old, he will probably understand your reasoning better than most adults. I know it must be difficult and I wish you well. Let us know how you are doing. One thing for sure, you will get nothing but support here. Have fun.

 

[Astron]

If you need to vape to stay away from cigs, then by all means VAPE!

My stepkids are 16 and 13. They HATED that my husband and I and their mother and her husband all smoked. I was very open about my journey into Vaping expressing the pride I felt by stopping smoking. My stepkids don't give a rat's patootie that I vape. They wish their father and mother would also start. It's such a better model than smoking, IMO. I hate that I showed them smoking for the seven years I smoked while they were in my care.

And I agree that not every decision the adult parent makes needs to get "approval" from the child. Parents are human beings too and need ways to relax. Now I don't mean being irresponsible or any other "common sense" issues like drinking in excess, etc. Your son isn't 3 and without the capacity to be reasonable. If Momma doesn't want to start smoking again and wants to make sure she doesn't, then Momma is going to vape. He doesn't have to perfectly understand the psychological power that smoking can have on people. All he needs to know is that you don't want to smoke and Vaping is a way to ensure that.

As for the issue with your mother: I would tell her that your son is your son and you will raise him in the way you feel is appropriate. After that I'd cancel any ongoing dialogue about it. If she wants to undermine you by scaring your son over this issue, maybe she should only have supervised visits with him. I'd be utterly livid if I thought my mother or mother in law was undermining me to my kids. Sorry if that is a hard line stance but that's the way I see it.

Best of luck to you! Not smoking isn't something we magically wake up one day and do. And the cravings (habits, rituals, etc. involved) may stay with us forever. We're just lucky to have this option and I wish the people who claim to love us so much could just embrace that.