With all these warm days we’ve been experiencing here in East Tennessee, the kids and I have spent several beautiful afternoons at the park. Better soak up the nice weather before it becomes unbearably hot, I say.
While pushing Ella on the swings, I smelled…something. I turned around a saw a woman pushing her daughter on a different set of swings smoking. It caught me off-guard because I NEVER see people smoking anymore. (Okay, NEVER isn’t entirely true, I see people smoking behind buildings on their breaks and inside their cars.) I guess it would be more accurate to say I rarely see people smoking anymore and almost never around kids.
I started to think about who I know that smokes and I could only think of a handful, not counting the social I-only-smoke-when-I-drink smokers. The people I know that smoke are very thoughtful not to smoke in my home or car or around my kids. In fact, I don’t think I ever see the smokers I know actually SMOKING.
Since we were outside at the park, I didn’t really care that the woman was smoking. It’s not like were were trapped in an elevator with her and her cancer stick. I did think that smoking at the park was, well…, I don’t know exactly WHAT I want to say. I guess if I were a smoker, the park is not a place I would smoke because I’d fear people (read: scowling mommies) might say something about smoking around kids.
I just never see other moms at the park smoking! It was weird, okay? Smoking is just not the norm in my group of friends and it’s not the norm at the park. Most of the moms I see at the park are sipping their Venti Startbucks coffees and talking on their cell phones while ignoring their kids.
Sarcastic Mom
March 15, 2009 at 8:16 pm
If you can smell it, it’s going into your lungs. It’s worse in an enclosed area, but I don’t think it’s ok even if the area is open. Like I said, if you can smell it, that means you’re breathing it in. Bleh.
When I was pregnant with Braden we lived in an apartment, and I went to the pool and sat on a sunchair in my bathing suit. My stomach was HUGE. It wasn’t possible not to realize I was pregnant.
Yet a stupid cow still sat down right next to me and lit up a cigarette. Um. There were only 2 other chairs being occupied out of about 30. WTF???
Yeah.
Shanna
March 16, 2009 at 6:53 am
Remember us in Alabama?!!? A man lit up at our yard sale Saturday while rummaging through our junk. Classic.
Shanna´s lastest post..Rain Rain Go Away
Christina
March 16, 2009 at 7:22 pm
I rarely see anyone smoking at the playground we go to, and I’m glad for it. I’m allergic to cigarette smoke, and I really don’t want to find out if either of my daughters share my allergy. Not. fun.
Christina´s lastest post..Middle-of-the-Night Ghostly Visits
Jerseygirl89
March 16, 2009 at 7:46 pm
I used to smoke. But I never smoked in my own house, let alone anyone else’s. And I don’t think it would have occurred to me to even try it at the playground. Yikes.
Jerseygirl89´s lastest post..Search Term Fun
Amy @ Muddy Boots
March 18, 2009 at 12:31 pm
We moved from Calgary (western Canada) to Quebec (french-speaking, eastern Canada) and it was like entering a parallel universe where people live on beer and cigarettes.
It’s not unusual to see parents smoking while at the park, pushing their babies in stroller, or IN THEIR CAR WITH THEIR KIDS.
It’s like no one’s heard that IT’S BAD FOR YOU.
Amy @ Muddy Boots´s lastest post..not me!
Laura McIntyre
March 21, 2009 at 5:41 am
You know what really used to piss me off, when my daughter was in the hospital during the summer and people would smoke in the play park.
.There were signs everywhere saying don’t do it (not to mention its illegal now) , but people would still stand in this park smoking and chatting rather than walk a couple of minute to the smoking “area” .
Sure it was outside but it was attached to the hospital , just underneath the cancer warn
More than once we complained and security would come and move them, someone even got fined once he he he
Laura McIntyre´s lastest post..6 Months