Does anyone really know the right way to discuss smoking with their kids?

We took the “don’t do it, you will die” approach and it seems to have scared the kids and made them think cigarettes are disgusting.

For now, we’ve achieved our goal.

When they see someone smoking on the street, they are quick to point out in their loudest voices, “that person is smoking” always followed by, “are they going to die?”

The other day in the school parking lot, a little boy ran over to the girls, he seemed to be in distress. He moaned, “I just smoked my arm.”

Ellie looked at the boy and then at me. Her eyes wide, she began to tear up.

She reached out for my hand, hung her head down and quietly said, “He’s going to die isn’t he mom?”