When you picture your child's future, you may see her as a
doctor, a veterinarian, an artist, a singer, or a tennis player.
Chances are you don't see her as a smoker. And why would you?
This is the kid who holds her breath when she walks past someone
with a cigarette and wonders loudly why anyone would do
something so gross. Still, it's a sad fact that between now and
her teen years, this repulsion could give way to curiosity.
Every day, about 4,100 kids between age 12 and 17 try cigarettes
for the first time; there are even some 10-year-olds doing it.
More than a third of these children are hooked by the time they
graduate from high school. Although it might seem premature to
talk about the dangers of cigarettes with your second- or third-
grader, experts say your actions and words today can make a huge
impact on your child's future decisions. "Parents have two
things working in their favor at this age: Children generally
learn early on that smoking is repulsive, and they still look to
their parents as role m