Parents should not smoke in order to discourage their kids from

In the words of Christy Turlington: “Parents should not smoke in order to discourage their kids from smoking. A child is more likely to smoke when they have been raised in the environment of a smoker.” Though it speaks of tobacco, its meaning reaches far beyond the smoke that clouds the air. It is a declaration about the power of example, the unseen force by which mothers and fathers shape the destiny of their sons and daughters. For the deeds of parents are like seeds cast upon fertile soil; what is planted in habit will take root in the lives of their children.

The ancients long knew this truth. They taught not only with words but with living example, for they understood that children imitate more than they obey. To raise a child in the environment of vice is to invite the vice to take root; to raise them in the presence of virtue is to strengthen their path toward wisdom. The act of smoking, to Turlington, is not merely a private indulgence—it becomes a model, a silent teacher whispering to young eyes and ears: “This, too, is acceptable. This, too, is the way of life.”

Consider the story of Alexander the Great. As a boy, he looked to his father Philip II for strength and ambition, but it was his mother Olympias who instilled within him reverence for destiny and greatness. The habits and attitudes of his parents carved into him the belief that he was marked for something more than ordinary. Thus, when the world calls him a conqueror, it is in truth the echo of lessons first absorbed at home. In the same way, when a child picks up the smoke of a cigarette, it is often not rebellion but imitation—the fruit of seeds planted by example.

Turlington’s warning is not only about smoking, but about every pattern that shapes a household. If a parent is careless with health, the child learns carelessness; if a parent treats others with contempt, the child learns disdain; if a parent lives with courage and integrity, the child learns resilience and honor. The home is the first school, the parents the first teachers, and their every act—whether noble or destructive—writes itself into the hearts of their children more deeply than any spoken command.

And yet, her words carry also a plea of compassion. For she does not scorn the smoker, but urges them to rise above their own weaknesses for the sake of those who follow. There is heroism in sacrifice—when a parent sets aside their habit not merely for their own health, but to shield their children from both imitation and harm. In that act, they teach a lesson far greater than words: that love sometimes demands surrender, and that true strength lies in protecting the innocent.

The lesson is clear: example is the truest form of teaching. If you would have your children walk in wisdom, then walk wisely yourself. If you would see them choose health, then choose health before their eyes. If you would keep them from bondage, then do not chain yourself before them. The shadow of parental example is long, reaching even into the choices of adulthood. Let that shadow be a shelter of virtue, not a trap of vice.

Practical action lies close at hand: if you are a parent who smokes, seek the courage to stop—not only for your body but for your children’s future. If you struggle, let them see your struggle honestly, and let your perseverance be its own lesson in resilience. If you do not smoke, guard your household so that its environment breathes health and strength. And beyond tobacco, look to all your habits—your speech, your temper, your labor, your kindness—for in each of these your children are watching, learning, and becoming.

Thus, Turlington’s words shine as an ancient truth clothed in modern concern: that the destiny of the child is shaped in the daily choices of the parent. To raise generations of freedom, we must first free ourselves from the habits that enslave us. To discourage darkness, we must light the torch of example. And to protect our children, we must live in such a way that they may inherit not our weaknesses, but our strength.