Becoming a (Pipe Smoking) Dad!

[rotschefeller]

Hello all,
A new chapter in my life is about to start. In the coming weeks my wife and I are due to have our first child, a girl. I am quite excited, happy, and a little nervous. But in the end I know it will be a wonderful experience.
Now if I can have some tips from my elders regarding pipe smoking and kids. Every nurse and doctor we have talked to has asked if we smoke. My wife doesn't and I have my pipes. Responses have been consistant - kids HATE smoke. Not just second hand smoke which can be avoided by simply not smoking around the young one, but the lingering smell too.
Obviously I am not going to hotbox the baby's room or anything. What I do not want is my daughter to not like me because my beard, shirt, etc. smell like smoke. As much as I enjoy pipe smoking there are things that are more important.
Maybe kids won't find pipe smoke to be all that bad, I've had people who hate cigarette smoke compliment the pipe smoke odor. But can kids tell the difference?
I would like to hear your experiences and tips, especially from other dads who smoked while fathering younger children.

 

[captainprophesy]

First off... Major congrats brother :clap: I strongly believe every man needs a daughter to calm them down (or maybe I was just too crazy LOL)
second... as you stated your not going to be hot boxing the kids room, im sure your not going to be blowing clouds of smoke into her face... but Im a bit old school on this, my parents as well as grandparents (hell I think most people back then did) all smoked and im fine... I smoked and my kids are fine.
Just be smart about it... a little second hand smoke or the traces left on your clothes are nothing compared to all the exhaust let out by millions of cars driving past your house on a daily basis.
again... major gongrats brother... you'll be fine ::

 

[irishsmoker]

My daughter is 2 and my son will be 3 months old. My daughter loves being outside while daddy smokes! When I go on 3-4 day business trips my fiancé says she will point at my pipe racks and say "Daddy home?" Because she misses me.

 

[bigboi]

@rotschefeller.. First and foremost...CONGRATS. You are going to experience one of the greatest joys in life. I am a nurse who worked in a pediatrics office. I am now a nurse who teaches at a local college. I agree with your comment about not smoking in your kids room and the comment about smoking in your kids face. I would say wear a smoking jacket, when you smoke. Take it off and wash your hands before you hold your precious little one. I am not sure why your docs and nurses told you that kids hate smoke... if you smoke aros I would imagine they may like the smell. However, I do know that since your little girl is so small her lungs are still developing and the second hand smoke may cause lung problems for her. I say MAY because it isn't 100% proven that second hand smoke causes it but is VERY closely related. That being said you can significantly reduce her exposure by wearing different clothing and washing your hands. And, if you are concerned about your beard you can shower after your smoke if you want to go notes about it. If not, I think you will be fine. However, knowing the climate of pediatrics offices and most docs and nurses, they will try and persuade you to quit. But as for me, I will not. I have two young boys and I usually don't smoke around them, if I do it is outside and I change my jacket at the end of the smoke before getting into wrestling matches with them.

Sorry for the long rant, but, being a pipe smoking dad and a nurse in that worked with kids I thought I would give my two cents ::

 

[piperl12]

Well sir, firstly congradulations you are about to become a father, you are also about to lose your identity because EVERYTHING you will do until your child is out of the house will be either for them, or with them in mind. It will consume your time, your emotions and your bank account and it WILL be the best thing you ever did with your life. When my oldest son was little he had his own bubble pipe and we used to sit and smoke our pipes together outside on the front porch. I guess it was a different time. They grow up and get brainwashed by others, but my son still remembers those precious moments when we shared a pipe on the back porch. Give your child the memories and quit worrying about the doctors, My father smoked a pipe for 50 years and died of something completely un-related. My mother worked in an office in a refinery and died at 60 after battling Wageners for 15 years. I agree with Captain and Irish, you are going to cause them less harm and more good by smoking around them and give them a fond memory when your gone. The PC's would have us all eating tofu and drinking water so they can get more tax dollars from us before long. Bye the way my doctor says pipe tobacco is not even comparable to the poison they are putting into cigs, I will light my pipe tonight in your soon to be new additions honour.

 

[puffy]

I have an air purifier on a table beside my chair where I smoke.It helps a lot.

 

[swhipple]

Congrats! Seems like you have your priorities right. I'd say, see how your little girl does around the smoke. My daughter has allergies so my smoking is limited to outside now. I do wash my hands after smoking out of habit. If your kid doesn't have allergies or other problems I'd think smoking in the same house would be ok.

 

[stanwellman]

Congratulations, first time dad, your life is about to change!

As for the rest of your dilemma: moderation and common sense should be your guide as with everything else. Your spouse does not smoke, do you change clothes/shower after a smoke and before seeing her? No. Your daughter is no different, she is a person, and should be treated the same way. While I am sure that there are reasons to keep the environment surrounding the little ones at a higher level of “clean” than we do for the adults, caution should be taken to avoid overprotecting them. If she smells smoke on your clothes, think of it as an inoculation/vaccine that may keep her safer in the future. Being a parent is about allowing the kid to grow up healthy, not sterile…. .

Have fun with it…. .

 

[cigrmaster]

Congrats on your first child, your life will never be the same but in the greatest way possible. I would not worry about the smell, your daughter will recognize you from it and as long as they are not Latakia blends I wouldn't worry. As said above you don't want to blow smoke in their faces, but smoking outside while your daughter is around is not something I see as an issue.
Hell I grew up in a cloud of smoke, my parents both smoked cigarettes, my dad pipes and cigars also, grandfathers smoked pipes and cigars, at family gatherings you could cut the smoke with a knife. My sister and I and none of my cousins ever developed breathing problems so I am not a believer in the second hand smoke scare.

 

[tbradsim1]

Make sure when she gets older to encourage her to run, jump, play outside , I was raised by parents who both smoked, relatives smoked, hell it was the fiftes everybody smoked, kids don"t play outside to build up good lungs, she will be fine with you smokeing the pipe. The old cajun

 

[kris]

Congrats!
To echo previous sentiments here, I do not smoke indoors around my daughter (5yrs old) but have no problem sitting outside and having a smoke while we play i-Spy or other such nonsense. I just make sure she's upwind of me. Your personal scent is your personal scent, and she'll love it because you're her daddy.

 

[philip]

- kids HATE smoke.

I disagree.
Doctors and nurses might hate smoke, but I don't think kids care one way or another.
Some of my fondest memories of my grandmother are of sitting with her and watching her smoke swirl around the sunlight that came through the window. It was almost as much fun as soap bubbles.

 

[foggymountain]

A lot of good comments above. May your daughter be healthy and happy. I am not qualified to comment on the dangers of smoke, but both my parents smoked and they lived to 92 and 95 (so far).

 

[martiniman]

Congrats :clap:
:laughat:

A lot of good comments above. May your daughter be healthy and happy. I am not qualified to comment on the dangers of smoke, but both my parents smoked and they lived to 92 and 95 (so far).

 

[rotschefeller]

Thank you everyone for the kind words and advice.
I will not smoke around the daughter in a closed area. I only smoke indoors in my "man-cave" anyway, and only when the weather is bad (otherwise I love having another excuse to go outside) but I don't think the baby will be there often.
I suppose I will carry on and let the scent be another way for her to recognize me.
Again, thanks guys!

 

[baronsamedi]

Congratulations! Just use common sense and they will be fine. When my daughter was little I still smoked nails and I never smoked in the same room and mostly I smoked outside. Kids don't "hate smoke". That's just made up. Most kids are totally indifferent to it except for asking tons of little kid questions. What they will do is copy everything you say or do so don't keep anything you don't want stuffed full of dirt (look dad, I'm smoking your Dunhill) or swimming in the toilet in reach. And don't say ANYTHING you don't want to hear again at the most awkward moment possible. Kids are totally not fun until they are about 4-6 months and you start to see their personality. Then they are so funny that you sometimes have to keep from cracking up when you have to punish them. There is literally nothing you can't teach them.

 

[redbeard]

CONGRATS!!!! :clap:
I have no advice, but can't wait to have kids!!

 

[smokeybear]

Congrats!!! I myself don't have kids yet but me and the wife are trying.
The only thing I can say is what I plan on doing which is smoke my pipe before I get In the shower either right when I get home from work or right after I put the little one to sleep. This way I can clean up and throw the smokey clothes in the laundry basket.
I wouldn't want my baby to have trouble breathing or develope asma on account of my pipe hobbies. Proving theories or not I wouldn't want to risk testing them on my children and I'm positive you feel the same way.
So no don't quit your hobby but do take the extra steps and precautions to ensure your child's safety and it will all work out nicely.
Fatherhood is an amazing experience one that I am eagerly looking forward too. These are the greatest moments of your life so once again congrats and all the best to your family.

 

[winton]

Congrats! My 15 year old daughter left the house for a school event and didn't return until almost suppertime. I missed my curly headed little girl. I wandered around the house, muttering, "where's the daughter?" It is going to be tough on me in about 10 years when she starts dating. Daughters are a lot of fun.
My wife and daughter have breathing problems. I always smoke outside, then immediately hit shower and wash clothes. Seriously, never do or say anything around kids that you don't want repeated in the church nursery.
Winton

 

[baronsamedi]

Me in traffic: "grrr move it, you!"
Daughter in car seat: "Daddy, is that jackass in your way again?"
Me (trying not to laugh): Yes, and don't say that.