Talking to Your Children About Not Smoking

It’s not surprising that teens often don’t consider the consequences of their actions, but using their youthful optimism to help them create a better future may be more effective than stern warnings.

Based on this new research, parents should consider not only discussing the negative effects of risky behavior, but also touting the advantages of making positive health decisions.

As the researchers note, talking about the positive effects of not smoking—having more money and looking younger longer—may have a greater effect than statistics and scare tactics.

Here’s another example from researchers: teens may be less likely to drink heavily when they are presented with information on how reduced drinking leads to better performance in sports, instead of the dangers of drinking and driving.