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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to be a little smug at the fact neither of my DC know what to call a cigarett

183 replies

Gigantaur · 26/07/2010 20:23

they know what a cigarette is they just don't know what one is actually called.

the closest was DD who called it a "flag"

DS is 9.10 and DD 5.10

they also call all alcohol beer and have been known to pull a face at people who say they are going to the pub.

DD has also gone up to a man smoking and told him he was going to die because he smokes.

I did tell her that was rude and she wasn't to do it, but i did smile inside.

OP posts:
muddleduck · 26/07/2010 20:53

I'm even more smug that my dc don't know what an iron is

I'm still working on getting them to try to publically humilate people who wear nicely ironed clothes...

Original poster
Gigantaur · 26/07/2010 20:53

Oh we have had pub lunches before and DS was stunned when we told him he was in a pub. I genuinly have no idea where they get the idea they are so naughty or bad.

im a bit of an old lush fab of the odd drink

OP posts:
rainbowinthesky · 26/07/2010 20:54

Yes, I do think it's very important for my kids to know the various names for cocaine, what it looks like, side effects and consequences of using it as I dont live in lala land where they will never ever come across it in real life. Of course it would be great if they didnt but that's like not teaching about using condoms and hoping they make it to marriage before having sex (disclaimer I dont actually hope this).

AnyFuleKno · 26/07/2010 20:55

prozacfairy, I think it's quite sad that your dd knows what a cigarette is at 2. Should you be encouraging her with this?

Ladyanonymous · 26/07/2010 20:55

I educate kids from yr 8 up about what Cocaine is. School book me in to do it ....so after yr 8 I expect and hope they know.

theyoungvisiter · 26/07/2010 20:55

Well I have no idea whether DS1 (4) knows what a cigarette is called, I'll have to ask him.

However he has no prejudice against pubs, in fact the other day we were going on a country walk and we were still in the carpark when he started wailing "Oh no, I hate walks, can't we go to the pub yet?"

It was 9.30am. I did get a few looks from other walkers

JoanHolloway · 26/07/2010 20:56

YABU

AnyFuleKno · 26/07/2010 20:56

really rainbow?

prozacfairy · 26/07/2010 20:57

cragged?! eh? I meant dragged lol. My DD loves the pub. Last time she we went she announced it was her round and yelled at the barman "I neeeeed a drink! It's been a hard day!" Lord knows what kind of dependancy she'll have when she's older.....

KurriKurri · 26/07/2010 20:57

AnyFule - I'd rather they saw it in a safe surrounding as a teenager and were able to talk about it and ask questions, than be confronted with at a party and not know what the hell it was.

Obviously the age of the children has to be considered. I don't think its completely far fetched that a 9 year old could find themselves in a situation involving cigarettes or alcohol.

Of course I wish we lived in a perfect world where there were no nasty dangerous things, but we don't, so I've always tried to arm my children with knowledge.

scottishmummy · 26/07/2010 20:58

nope cant say its the making of proud parent moment.and i regularly take mine to the pub for lunch so they know what pub is

grimacing at the mention of pub isnt really a useful skill is it -not up there with say riding a bike

cant imagine the proud parent conversation "oh wee so and so so clever,doesnt like smoking or the pub.hurah"

clouddragon · 26/07/2010 20:58

I think it's great about the cigs. i used to beg my dad not to smoke but ended up on 20 a day for 20 years. I hero worshipped my dad and definately was effected by his smoking. Even more so after he got emphesma and angina.

My DCs do not know what cigarettes are (I gave up when first preg). I think it will be much less likely they smoke as it is so alien to them. Most of my friends that only ever dabbled in fags or never smoked parents didnt smoke.

There is lots of research into how much less likely children are to smoke if they don't grow up around it, so you've reduced the likelihood of them smoking which ime is definatley something to be smug about.

Pubs thing I will need to think about!

AnyFuleKno · 26/07/2010 20:58

ladyanonymous, that is frightening. I would not want my 11-12 year old child to be educated about class a drugs.

It is fucking impossible to have an innocent childhood these days.

Altinkum · 26/07/2010 20:58

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

create · 26/07/2010 20:58

Why a face at going to the pub? (That must have come from you)

A friend of mine practically brought his sons up in the pub - he is very community minded and involved in everything that went on the the town, every committee meeting or sports event ended up in the pub and as he is also a committed family man, the children were always with him. His eldest is now 19, a regular member of the same pub quiz team as his dad, meaning they have long tipsy chats on the walk home and the son is the most polite, confident and friendly individual you could hope to meet, able to chat happily with people of all ages and backgrounds. He also knows the pleasure of having a sociable drink with close friends, rather than ending up in the gutter with your "mates"

boiledegg1 · 26/07/2010 20:59

I would feel embarrased if my children didn't know the word for cigarette and were rude to strangers, not smug.

Original poster
Gigantaur · 26/07/2010 20:59

TYV

I think they must have some twisted idea of what a pub is i think. maybe they have watched the news. I don't know.

Actually DD may have gotten that from DS who has maybe formed the opinion that pubs sell alcohol and alcohol is bad due to his father.(came home drunk and beat me up)

I hadn't thought of it before though.

The ciggarette thing is definitly a school or other media thing.

OP posts:
Morloth · 26/07/2010 21:00

Hah, when I say I am going to the pub DS1 says: "Which pub? can I come or is it a boooooring grown up one?"

rainbowinthesky · 26/07/2010 21:01

They will be educated about class a drugs. Personally I'd rather this was from adults at home or in school rather than at a party.

Morloth · 26/07/2010 21:01

I got a nice smug moment today. I asked him what he wanted for dinner and he said "Salad" and then dragged me around the supermarket choosing things to go in the salad.

This was good because I hate 'what are we having for dinner?'.

The salad was good too, I think I might let DS1 take over the shopping from now on. He can get a cab at 6yo you reckon?

scottishmummy · 26/07/2010 21:02

pub it with kids pretty often,big spacious pub.kids menus.love it

SloanyPony · 26/07/2010 21:04

Your DD sounds like a precocious little madam.

So do you.

LouAnnVanHouten · 26/07/2010 21:05

I would be embarrased if my dcs were that rude tbh.

I was first offered class A drugs at 11 in my lovely middle class leafy suburb secondary school. I will be educating my dcs about drugs before they start Y7. Better coming from me than the local dealer I think.

Ladyanonymous · 26/07/2010 21:05

Yr 8 are 12 to 13 years old.

IMO hsving worked with them for 4 year 40% have smoked ciggarettes - 90% have tried alcohol (mainly through parents) and about 10% have tried Cannabis.

I live in one of the lowest crime rate areas in the UK btw.

AnyFuleKno · 26/07/2010 21:06

From my own experience, I was told again and again at school that I would be offered drugs or pressured into having sex. Neither of those things in fact happened...ever (well someone once passed me some poppers at a festival but ironically didn't know what they were at the time). I had to go out and actively seek drugs when I wanted to take some, having been educated about them at school, otherwise probably wouldn't have thought of it.