Days ago, a friend asked my son: "What will you be when you grow up?" Lucas, three years old replied: "When I grow up I will drink beer." We were impressed and then we laughed out loud. Kid stuff!
Well, a study conducted entitled: “Honey, have some smokes” published in the Archives of Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine, concludes that the observation of adult behavior, (especially that of parents) can influence the perception that preschoolers have of smoking and drinking alcohol as appropriate or normal in some social situations. This perception may be related to behaviors adopted later in life. The study aimed to evaluate attitudes, expectations and perceptions of smoking and drinking alcohol in preschool children.
120 children from two to six years old participated in a role play. The situation was: go to the market to buy items for an afternoon meeting with friends. As part of the game each child with the help of dolls and a miniature grocery store with 76 different products (among which were cigarettes and alcohol) had to make the purchase.
The children bought an average of 17 products out of 76. Thirty-four children (28.3%) bought tobacco and 74 alcohol (61.7%). The odds increased if parents smoked, drank alcohol at least once a month or watched movies with scenes where these behaviors were exhibited.
A popular saying goes: "Of such a stick, such a splinter."
Do you think that parents influence the smoking or drinking habits our children may have in the future?
