Hi Everyone, Editor at Parents Magazine/Quitter

[judy-b.]

Hi all you awesome quitting moms! I quit smoking on March 1st after 30 years (with a few "quits" in between)....So I am wearing a quitters hat with pride + hope. I'm also here because we want to do a story in the magazine to help and inspire parents who want to stop smoking. So I just wanted to say hello to everyone and join in instead of eavesdropping! Also, please friend me if you're interested in being part of the story we're doing—or if you just want someone to encourage you. Nice to meet everyone!
And as I'm writing this i'm sucking on my new addiction butter toffee sugar free life savers—gives you kind of a stomach ache if you eat too many but very helpful!

[christi4]

Hi Judy,
Welcome! I am new to this site as well. I have two beautiful children. My daughter Ryan is 5 and my son Michael just turned a year old in May. I am 31 years old and have been smoking since I was 16. I have set a quit date for July 1st. I am ready to quit for good this time. My mom has smoked for 35+ years and it is literally killing her. I am not willing to put my children through what I have gone through and expect to go through in the near future. I am fully aware that smoking has taken precious time away from my family. Each minute spent outside smoking as well as the time taken off my life as a result has got to stop. I am ready to give those moments back to my family and take control of my life. I would love to share my journey in hopes of helping someone else. Please feel free to contact me anytime. I would be happy to help in any way. Thank you for taking the time to do a story that really needs to be heard. I hope you enjoy your day and keep up the good work. You are an inspiration to us all!!!


Christi Rosendahl

[julie42]

Im a 38 year old mother of trhee. I 12 days ago for the 100th time. I joined about an hour ago. This was the first discussion I saw. I saw the part about the sucker--tic tacs are awsome too. You can bite those little suckers and inhale the mint flavor. I also would help with any info you need.

Julie

[judy-b.]

Hi Christi,
I'm totally pulling for you! My mother was a smoker too...when I was a kid I was totally anti-smoking (like my kids are now) and I begged her to stop—never in a million years did i think I'd become a smoker myself. I'm very excited for your quit day...are you tapering off? are you using any meds or nic replacement? what's your plan? The one thing I can say to you and Julie is that you are doing a huge amazing thing. Make it a big deal, because it is.
Get everyone you know to help you in any way possible...it's not like some little thing. It takes a village! (not to be lame and cliched..)
okay stay in constant contact...

[nan7]

Hi Judy B.,
Here, Here, on the village. This web-site is a village, of about 4000 friends all supporting each other in their non-smoking efforts. I have never found any enjoyment in quitting cigarettes before, and I have "quit" several times. At this website, I actually get quite a few chuckles, Lots! of support and am proud to be on my 23 day of not smoking. Welcome.

[judy-b.]

Yay!!!! and thank you. what's helped you most (besides this village, of course)?

[nan7]

The first thing that helped me was my states free call-in quit line (MT). That was a huge step because they supported me, and continued to call me, even when i failed (for 5 months). They supplied me with 2 months of patches and it was with them that I actually quit. What actually effected the quit was when the counselor said he had hoped that I could be an example for them. I think that made me so disappointed in myself that the next morning I quit. Getting all the cig's, and butts, out of my house is what made it successful. It forced me through the withdrawal process. I was on about my 4th day of quit when I saw the tv ad for this web site and joined. Now I totally use this "village" for support although my state quit line still checks on me. I would sing praises for all of them.

[mel3]

Hi Judy and WELCOME! I am a mother of 3,and a grandmother of 3 little girls.My son is 14 and he (and my daughters)hates smoke They have begged me many years to quit and i kept saying i can't.I never thought after 33 years of smoking 2 packs a day i would be saying TODAY IM 60 DAYS SMOKEFREE!! I tried Chantix and i quit for 2 weeks,but then i quit taking it to soon and i gradually started smoking a cig here and there,then i was back to 2 packs a day.I should have taken it the whole 3 months.The second time on Chantix didn't work so well,i had every side effect there was,the nightmares are what drove me to quit the pills.So i went to a clinical hypnotist i heard about here at a local hospital.He charged $60.00 and said if you fall off the wagon you can come back for a refresher class for free.So i sat through the class,and i walked out with no desire to smoke.That lasted 7 days,and i kept seeing my husbands smokes laying around the house and the smell started to get to me so i fired one up.I BLEW IT AGAIN! Well i went back for that refresher class on April 16th and i haven't smoked since.I make my husband go outside to smoke,my friends do the same(not many even smoke)I can now drive with someone while they smoke,it doesn't bother me as much.I started coming here and seen that there are alot of people just like me trying to learn how to live without that cigarette being such a huge part of our day,so i stuck around and i'm glad i did.There is alot of support here.

[karma]

Hi Judy, congratulations on quitting!

I'm relearning how to write without smoking. I have a habit of going out onto the quiet porch with my notebook, a pencil and pack of cigarettes. Actually went four and a half hours after waking before giving in today...the craving was affecting my concentration.

However, the guilt caused me to mostly let it hang in my mouth so I consider that a small victory. My official quit date is 6/24 but I'm trying to cut down as much as possible, as quickly as possible.

Would appreciate any tips related to separation and writing.

Oh, and I can include one tip of my own. I interview rock bands for our troops and found even under the stressful situations involved with navigating venues, forgetful band managers and dying cell phone, I was embarrassed to smell like smoke so I smoked a lot less. The hassle of having to wash up, spritz perfume and locate breath mints helped, also! Surprisingly, only one of my subjects smoked and even then I didn't join them as I felt it undermined my appearance of professionalism.

So my advice is to stay around people who might get really turned-off, grossed out, etc... towards the smoking.

Wishing you, and all the other mothers trying to quit, continued success.