Early Warning Signals

Today I listened to Elder Bednar speak about how we as parents can get "early warning signals" that will tell us how our children are doing. It is well worth the listen no matter what religion you are. You can find it HERE. The principles of how to raise a strong family taught in that talk are not specific to the LDS faith I think. If you are in the process of raising kids I would highly recommend giving it a listen. In today's world we all need any help we can to see the signs that our children may be struggling with any given issue. 

So this talk made me think of an "early warning sign" that I heard from the mouth of my little Ann Marie this week. Here is how it unfolded itself.

We were in the car driving and Sabrina was talking about chewing tobacco because there are some boys in the book she just read (Where the Red Fern Grows) that chew some. Annie asked what tobacco was. So I explained what it is and that some people chew it and spit out the juice and other people roll it up into cigarettes and smoke it. We talked a bit about how gross all that tobacco spit would be. 

Then I hear Ann Marie say, "You know why I don't smoke Mom?"

"Why don't you smoke Annie?" I replied. I was expecting something like the fact that it can give you cancer or it is gross smelling or that Heavenly Father doesn't want us to. We have talked about why we don't smoke to our kids several times before. No. Those were not her reasons.

"Because I don't know how." That was her answer. 

Geez. I guess I better be careful what I teach that girl. Early Warning Sign noted. ;)