Raising a toddler spells out being attentive and observant more often than not. With a very short attention span combined with an overly outgoing nature, it is not uncommon for parents to see their toddler in one tricky situation after another. For new parents that’s usually a cause for worry or concern. However, you also have to remember that such things are just part of growing up. What you can do is to watch out for your little darling. Make sure your toddler eats well-balanced and nutritional meals, and that he gets enough sleep every day. Toddler safety also means ensuring that your little angel remains in a comfortable and secure environment. For instance, one of the things you need to do keep dangerous substances out of his reach. It’s already given that medicines and cleaning materials fall under this category, but so does the harmful smoke that blends into the air every time you light a cigarette. You may think that your smoking is not relevant at all to your toddler, but that is a grave misconception.
Smoking and your child’s health
Unlike an adult, a toddler runs a much higher risk of getting affected unfavorably by secondhand smoke. It’s because a very young child is still not fully developed physically, so he still doesn’t have enough antibodies to fight off the negative effects of smoking. Also, it’s important to note that your toddler’s breathing rate is much higher compared to yours – about 20 to 60 breaths per minute as opposed to your breath intake which is about 14 to 18 times in a minute. Therefore it just goes to reason that when your little darling inhales cigarette smoke, the toxic that goes into his body has considerably higher concentration than if you inhaled it.
A good resolution
A toddler doesn’t have any control over his environment – but you do. If you’re a smoker, it is highly advisable never to light a cigarette inside the house, much less in an enclosed room. You can do it at the terrace or veranda, where the open air will quickly dispense the highly unpleasant and toxic smell. As part of toddler safety, you may also want to limit smoking when your little one is around. He may pick up on it very early on – which you definitely don’t want to happen.
Toddler and smoking shouldn’t belong in the same sentence, so your best bet is to make sure that your little one remains in a smoke-free environment, especially right in your own home. It should be part of your commitment to bring up your little darling to grow up healthy and safe.
