I'm new here and on day 3

[AmyandBrooke]

Hello, I'm new here.  I found this site through a parenting magazine.  I'm glad I found it.  I'm on day 3 quit and feeling ok.  I smoked for 25 years.  I'm using the patch and cravings are manageable.  And when they are not I take a look at all my quit reasons and that snaps me back.  I know from past experiences that smoking will not help anything!  That I know!!

I'm wondering if there are any older moms out there who have young children.  I'm 45 years old, on my own, and mama to my daughter who's 2 years old.  I am committed to my quit.  I want to be around for her.  I'm reading a lot on nicotine addiction, the physical and mental aspects.  But my patience and tolerance with her is small.  She doesn't understand and I feel terrible when I get cranky at her.  

Anyone have any advice and support would be welcomed!  Thank you, Amy

[enigmatik2]

Hi!  Welcome and congratulations on 3 days smoke free.  I am Michele - I'm 46 and I have a 7-year-old.  I'm on day 10 without a cigarette.  The crankiness won't last forever.  It does get better.

[AmyandBrooke]

HI!  Its nice to meet you Michelle. Day 10 that's fantastic.  I'm feeling confident I'll see day 10 too. So you're an older mom too. It's such a blessing most of the time lol.   Can I make you my friend on here. Once I figure it out.

[YoungAtHeart]

Welcome to our community!

I was an older Mom - but that was many years ago when they were small.  I found them exhausting - I do remember THAT!  Try taking a break and snuggling and reading a book together to get a bit of a reprieve.

Congratulations on your decision to quit and your first three days.  The crankliness will last a bit - so get a plan in place.  Try a sense of humor with your daughter  Maybe have a code word that you say when you feel cranky - and then the two of you can have a competition for the silliest face --- or run around the dining room table until you are out of breath,, or take turns making up silly noises....like pig or donkey or cow or rooster.l  Who can be cranky when a two year old is crowing or oinking???  Or - make silly stew with jello and canned soup and green food coloring?

The most important thing you can do right now is to educate yourself on what nicotine does to your body and mind. To that end, I highly recommend Allen Carr's “The Easy Way to Stop Smoking.” This is an easy and entertaining read. Here is a link to a free PDF version of it:

http://media.wix.com/ugd/74fa87_2010cc5496521431188f905b7234a829.pdf

As well, read the sections on this site, and read the blogs, responses and pages of folks you think might be helpful. You might visit whyquit.com and quitsmokingonline.com for the good information contained there. You should also do the tracking and separation exercises suggested on this site

After you have completed the recommended reading, it will be time to make an informed choice of the quit aid, if any, you will use. If you go that route, I personally recommend the aids that don't let the addict control the dose such as the available prescription drugs or the patch. But – any method that you think will work well for you will be best for you.

The idea is to change up your routines so the smoking associations are reduced.  Drink your coffee with your OTHER hand. If you always had that first smoke with your coffee, try putting your tennies on right out of bed, going for a quick walk, then taking your shower and THEN your coffee! Rearrange the furniture in the areas you used to smoke so the view is different.

You need to distract yourself through any craves.  You can take a bite out of a lemon (yup - rind and all), put your head in the freezer and take a deep breath of cold air, do a few jumping jacks, go for a brisk walk or march in place, play a computer game.  Don't let that smoking thought rattle around in your brain unchallenged. Sometimes you need to quit a minute or an hour at a time.  You will need to be disciplined in the early days to distract yourself when a crave hits.  Don't let that smoking thought rattle around your head alone.  Get busy!  Here is a link to a list of things to do instead of smoke if you need some fresh ideas:

https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/blogs/Youngatheart.7.4.12-blog/2013/02/25/100-things-to-do-instea...

The conversation in your head in response to the "I want a cigarette" thought needs to be, "Well, since I have decided not to do that anymore, what shall I do instead for the three minutes this crave will last?"  Then DO it.  You will need to put some effort into this in the early days, but it gets easier and easier to do.

Stay close to us here and ask questions when you have them and for support when you need it. We will be with you every step of the way!

Nancy

[sparky26]

Congratulations ,so glad you found us , are you Amy ?

[johio]

Welcome ......You have the best reason in the world to quit

[joedice711]

hi amy..i,m not an older woman i,m a older man, but welcome, you came to the right place.keep coming back, the people here are awesome..                                                i,m 56 days smoke free...

[AmyandBrooke]

Hello everyone thank you all for your encouragement and advice!  I'm back and trying this quit again. I do not want to smoke!!!