A letter to the man who was smoking outside school today

To the man who was smoking outside school today:

I don't really know who you are, but I know that you are the dad of one of the reception children and I was wondering if you really had to smoke your cigarette outside the school gates.

Apart from lots of other mums who were standing in close proximity to you, breathing in your fumes, there were a large number of little children and two small babies.  I understand that the three mile or so journey in the car to school must have been a real challenge without a cigarette, but could you not have waited until later.  Or, if the need was that great, could you have not had the cigarette before you walked down to the school gate.

Personally, I am not a smoker. I have never been and I never will be. My mum is a smoker and I grew up around it and although I hate it, I would never criticise people for smoking. That is as long as they don't do it around my children. I am asthmatic and I don't know if that is due to my mum's smoking or not, but it certainly won't have helped matters. Growing up, I was so used to it, I never really gave it any thought. Once I'd left home, however, I became aware of the smell. Later on as a teacher, I always knew which children had parents who'd smoked or who smoked themselves as their bags, clothes and books all smelt of smoke. It's not pleasant.

These days we are all acutely aware of the effects of smoking; not just on smokers themselves but on those passively smoking around you. Again, I am not in any position to lecture other people about what they should and shouldn't do.  If you decide to smoke around your own children, knowing the effects of passive smoking, that is your choice and you have to live with the consequences.

However, I do have a choice about the health and welfare of my children and if I see you standing near my daughter smoking a cigarette, I will not be responsible for my actions...