Rant on Smoking
I wasn't planning on posting twice today, but I have to rant on something I saw. I was on my way to Wal-Mart and driving behind me was a minivan with a female driver. I noticed that she was smoking. I immediately wondered whether she had children in the van with her. Sure enough, a girl who looked to be about 11 or 12 sat in the front passenger seat.
I think smoking is a disgusting habit. Before you write me off yet, I do believe that smokers have rights. No one should tell you that you can't smoke in your own car or home, or even outdoors. Members of my family and friends are smokers and I was even recreational smoker on occasion in my youth, when there was enough alcohol involved. However, I find it so disgusting that a mother would expose her child to second hand smoke.
Sure, my parents smoked in the house and even in the car with me. My mother smoked, and drank for that matter, when she was pregnant with all three of her children. But we know more about the negative effects of smoking now than we did then. It is one thing for an adult to decide to pollute their own lungs and cause themselves health issues. I can't understand someone who would impose such risk on their child.
You can't say that there aren't any side effects to second hand smoke. I have been in smoky bars. The next day, it feels like I have a hangover. My head hurts, my throat hurts, and usually a day or two later, I will feel like I have a cold with a stuffy or runny nose. Disgustingly, the stuff that comes out of my nose is gray or black. That's not normal!
Aren't we, as parents, supposed to do everything in our power to protect our children? How can you sleep at night, woman in a gray Chevy van with PA tags, knowing the health issues you are potentially inflicting on you child? I just don't get it, and it makes me so sad for that child. We make sacrifices every day for our children. Her mother wasn't willing to simply wait until they were out of the car to light up, or if she was jonesing so bad for a nicotine hit, she could have pulled over and gotten out of the car for the few minutes it takes to smoke a cigarette.
I just shake my head in wonder at the selfishness of it all.
I think smoking is a disgusting habit. Before you write me off yet, I do believe that smokers have rights. No one should tell you that you can't smoke in your own car or home, or even outdoors. Members of my family and friends are smokers and I was even recreational smoker on occasion in my youth, when there was enough alcohol involved. However, I find it so disgusting that a mother would expose her child to second hand smoke.
Sure, my parents smoked in the house and even in the car with me. My mother smoked, and drank for that matter, when she was pregnant with all three of her children. But we know more about the negative effects of smoking now than we did then. It is one thing for an adult to decide to pollute their own lungs and cause themselves health issues. I can't understand someone who would impose such risk on their child.
You can't say that there aren't any side effects to second hand smoke. I have been in smoky bars. The next day, it feels like I have a hangover. My head hurts, my throat hurts, and usually a day or two later, I will feel like I have a cold with a stuffy or runny nose. Disgustingly, the stuff that comes out of my nose is gray or black. That's not normal!
Aren't we, as parents, supposed to do everything in our power to protect our children? How can you sleep at night, woman in a gray Chevy van with PA tags, knowing the health issues you are potentially inflicting on you child? I just don't get it, and it makes me so sad for that child. We make sacrifices every day for our children. Her mother wasn't willing to simply wait until they were out of the car to light up, or if she was jonesing so bad for a nicotine hit, she could have pulled over and gotten out of the car for the few minutes it takes to smoke a cigarette.
I just shake my head in wonder at the selfishness of it all.
posted by mother juggler @ 5:19 PM
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