I smoked a lot of pot – should I tell my children?
By pillusch
@pillusch (1147)
Mexico
June 7, 2009 10:50am CST
When I was younger, I used to be a hippy, traveler, out-drop, whatever you wanna call it. I was ‘anti’ everything – anti-establishment, anti-religion, anti-this and anti-that. I dressed funny and I looked weird, hitchhiked across the world, worked on the fields in Europe when I needed money – and I LOVED to smoke pot. I mean, I spent a couple of month in India, but never made it to the Taj Mahal – the weed was better in the south of India. You get the picture.
Now I am , and here it comes, MIDDLE-AGE. I’ve got a belly and two boys, 13 and 14 years old. And I’m supposed to tell them that they, in their time, might drink alcohol, but never are they to take any drugs. What a fallacy!
Particularly down here in Mexico, where on the one hand you come across an AA meeting room every other block, and where we live a civil war where the drug cartels want to run the show.
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t condone hard drugs, I tried a couple of them, but they aren’t really my cup of tea. And by now I believe that a human being should live without any drugs, which includes alcohol and prescription drugs.
But am I to lie to my boys when they start asking questions? What would you do?
5 people like this
6 responses
@puneetchhokra (214)
• India
7 Jun 09
no u should never tell to ur children as it will create always a bad impression on themmm....child do whatever he learn from his parents..I told u my childhood story..when i eas a schild I used to go everywhere with my father for long trips or marriage parties....After drinking my father used to do smoke..Once I asked my father I wanna try..He gave me ciggerrete And I smoke..It was horrible..But I tried that again..and now I am habbitual of it..It directly learn from my parents...so avoid this to give it to ur children
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
7 Jun 09
I have the same questions. I did a lot of things when I was younger that I don't want my kids to do. Now sure I could tell them of my experience in hopes they'd learn from my mistakes, but I know from experience that you can't learn from someone else's mistakes, you have to make them yourself.
When I was younger (and when my kids were younger) I used to say I'd be honest with them, and let them smoke pot because I did, and I know it's not that dangerous if used correctly, etc etc.
But now my oldest is 12 and will soon be hitting that point, and now I'm thinking maybe I'm not so okay with my son smoking pot.
Sorry I can't help you, it's a question I struggle with a lot. Hopefully I have a couple more years to figure it out!
1 person likes this
@aidenofthetower (1814)
• United States
7 Jun 09
I would say...when the time is right...tell them. My mom did all sorts of things and she told us. It made us understand who she was and what we wanted and didn't want for our lives better. You can tell them what you did, why you did it, what you learned, and all of that. It works better and is definitely tons better then them finding out and feeling you are a fraud.
1 person likes this
@sweetie1026 (1718)
• Philippines
9 Jun 09
Hi, i never smoked but i just want to share my opinion on here. I think it is best to be honest with them. Tell them what they have to know and i know they will understand. We often think that they are not old enough to understand but i found out with my girls that they do understand, if only we tell them whatever it is they have to know. That is how i and my girls have survived, being honest with each other. I hope i have contributed even just a little to your discussion.
@Citychic (4067)
• United States
7 Jun 09
you smoked pot, should you tell your children???
Hello friend, If it were me I wouldn't lie to my children and tell them that I never did these kinds of things if in fact I really did. What you simply need to do is wait for them to ask you. Then when they do you should tell them that back in your day, when life was different there were a few things that you did in life that you are now not quite so proud of. Tell them that you would hope that they would make better decisions and if by chance they did happen to do a few of the same things that you did, you are not going to condone it in your household. Personally it sounds to me like you lived the kind of life that you wanted to live and I can't really fault you for that. But on the other hand sometimes there are consequences for making the wrong choices and other times we are simply given a second chance. Perhaps you are still here to set an example. We all make mistakes and hopefully you've learned from some of yours and you are now able to teach your children better....I hope this helps.
They say when you tell the truth you shame the devil.
They say when you tell the truth you shame the devil. 
@tonyllenium (6252)
• Italy
7 Jun 09
eheh it is difficult i think everyone can guess that when their parents were younger they may be smoked something or drink something so normally it is implicit!!So i don't know if your kids will ask you for that and may be you can stay ina really diplomatic position such as you say and not say and also it depends from your kids attitudes and behaviour!!in fact i think there are peopl who can think ok my parents did that when they are younger but not for me and some others can think if even my father do why i am not allowed to do!!so sometimes it depends..
