to think that smoking in a children's playground is just not on!

[macdoodle]

First sunny day, packed park, mum (with dad and toddler) puffing away without a care!
Now she wasn't stood away from the children, she was stood watching her child right next to the toddler's frame and slide, it was full of children going up and down (including my 2yr old DD2)!
I was stood a bit further away and was getting a good old whiff of smoke, so am sure the toddlers were too!

Now I know its open air, and blah blah blah, but come on, could she not wait till they left the park, or go and stand away from the children!

So AIBU????

It's wrong, it's a children's enclosure even if it is outside there are still lots of children in close proximity. You say the dad was with the toddler. In that case she could have easily taken a walk away somewhere to smoke.
I could never understand why so many parents would take their children to smokey pubs, now that really angered me.

onagar you totally missed the whole point of my "facts" was TIC, honestly I give up tonight

I rather like the smell of garlic (so do millions of europeans, apparently). Garlic has many reputed health benefits, as it happens, and no known detrimental effects to health.

And BO has special musk/pheromones in that attract (usually) the opposite sex. So, it has a point, and whilst strong BO can be unpleasant for some, it's not harmful.

The chemicals in cigarette smoke that stick to clothes, hair, etc ARE harmful. They also stink, does anyone actually think that the smell of cigarette smoke on a person (and particularly on a child) smells nice?

So, not really comparable.

OP - YANBU

I think i would have asked the mother to stop, i feel so strongly about it.

There is i think, evidence about harm from 'third hand smoke' from clothing, breath, hair etc when the smoker isn't even smoking near children.

AND, i don't even want my children to see people smoking to be honest, as children copy what they see is normal and acceptable.

Telling a patient that smoking is bad for them isn't 'judging' them JGOWI, it is a doctor's duty. Smoking has no benefits other than for the tobacco company. The litter issue also greatly annoys me - do smokers think butts don't count?!

I want some of what the smokers on this thread are on. Cigarettes = garlic ? That's some comparison...

Enjoyed the crack pipe and I think the children did too from the looks on their faces. Phew, Onagar, a sane voice at last.

You really don't sassy. You'll stink.

They are still conscious justget?

They must be pretty hardened users.

Im a smoker, started agin about a year ago but im very mindful about other people and children in particular.. i will move away if someone is sat near me with a small baby or a child and usually i will go right away from children if smoking at the time and if in a park i will put my fag out completely pick it up and put it in an empty packet that i carry with me. I mean you wouldnt want dog poo all over the park so why would you want fag ends. Its very rude to just assume you can subject someones child to your smoke.

YANBU - I would have said something - and to all those who think that its ok because its in the open air - you do end up breathing some of it in when its that nearby and therefore what a selfish thing to do in a playground.

It her choice if she wants to smoke around her child but she shouldn't smoke around other people's children without personally checking with each one first.

Interesting that people assume that only a smoker would defend rationality, science and the presumption that other people are not out to kill your child! I don't smoke but fear a world where the smell emitted by other people who are doing you no harm can be so divisive amongst poeple who are essentially enjoying their children's playtime.

And i never smoked whilst pregnant..wrong very wrong, i couldnt inflict that on my unborn and would never forgive myself if i ahad caused harm to my unborn child.

onagar - i think what was meant was that if you can smell the smoke, you are also inhaling the 100s of toxins in cigarette smoke, as the toxins and smell are together.

but JGOWI, it IS harmful, both the inhalation of smoke, and the sight of the smoker influencing other children and normalising the behaviour. Just like smoking on TV/films influences new smokers. And we have to pay to clean the butts up off the streets!

I actually agree..even though im a smoker..never assume its ok to smoke near someone elses child..hell i try not to do it near mine. I even go outside when my sister here because she suffers with asthma and her son has had heart surgery for holes in his heart. This is the thing you cant tell which children are vunerable, so come on smokers, stop being selfish and think about others.

Not my fag butts it either a bin or my fag packet..never the floor.

Im a smoker and yanbu, I find it bizarre that a non smoker thinks yabu.
I would never inflict my stinking habit on anyone else, much less children.
Never mind the health risks, it just bloody stinks.

Well, sorry to tell you Lilacclaire, but according to the consensus on this thread, the residual 'stink' on your clothes makes you a risk to your child and any other that might come to play in your house. Make sure you don't pick up a child should one fall over near you in case you trigger a deadly asthma attack by the 'toxins' on your jacket/hands/hair and for goodness never hug a child unless you have thoroughly showered and washed your clothes.

Thats just silly..i mean we all may have have perfume on or hairspray etc that could cause the same reaction..that is going to far. Its one thing to not smoke near a child and to think about others but thats just daft. Car fumes can be just as bad, lets ban cars then..they stink..in fact id be all for it..

Good, so know that BITCAT agrees that the 'stink' point is going too far, to return to the original post, presumably the mother who was smoking in the park thought she was being considerate by not smoking in an enclosed space where other people's children might be inhaling harmful amounts of smoke.

Bit different to puffing smoke all over them which you seem to think is ok. And heavy smokers clothes do stink to high heaven.

No-one said she was 'puffing all over them' - she was merely smoking in the same playground as the OP. Any sensible person would see that the air in such a place could not possibly be said to be enclosed.

The smell of cigarette smoke makes me vomit, whether it is indoor or outdoors. (Not just want to hurl, I actually vomit).

Just a warning to any smokers who may be sharing a play park with me!

I'll know you have, when I see a thread entitled 'AIBU to have a woman vomitting over my shoes when all I was doing was smoking in the park' .

In fact, even reading this thread has turned me quite green.

I think it's bad manners, if you like, to smoke around children in a playground, but I have to say that I agree with JustGetOnWithIt in that it doesn't pose a serious health risk, and there are worse things to worry about. Taking your kids shopping down a busy Oxford Street is probably worse for their lungs.