someone's second hand smoke.and my baby

[cskotek]

I get the gut feeling that the OP feels a bit...entitled .... to a perfect, germless, odor-free, sunshiney world for her baby. My reply was really not stating that you mentioned laws, it was speculating that she seems to think it is her right to insist her neighbors bend to her will because they don't have the right to use their own property as the law sees fit.

Sorry if it seemed I was pointing at you LOL!

Many *new...young* parents think that everyone should adore their child as if it were the first one ever born in the world, and should make concessions to make said baby's life as shiny as possible. The fact is, neighbors, and people in the general public are not obligated to change their lives for someone elses child. If they are breaking a law, or doing something deliberate, there would be a reason to "shine a really bright light in their direction" or whatever. Even then, that particular style of deterrant would likely be more illegal and border on harassment more than someone minding their own business smoking.

Ahh now I get what your saying. I know what you mean by how people thinking that their baby means you cant do something. And I get what your saying that she thinks that she has the law in her hands which depending on what is -actually- going on who knows.

I am not exactly sure how one person smokeing even chain smokeing outside will fumeagate a neighbors whole house? I have asthma and am very sensitive to the smell of smoke but even still not sure how a 10 minute smoke will kill a house for hours? Maybe fabreeze will lighten it up a little bit?

Are the houses connected? Even then im not sure how their porch would be only 10 feet away from your house.... More details maybe pictures would help...

 

[Sore Thumb Suburbanite]

 I would try systematically only opening the windows on only one side of the house for a day or two at time. Depending on the which side the smoke is coming from and the wind currents in your area. I would start by leaving only the front windows open, since it seems more likely that someone would smoke on their back porch, then maybe try adding a side window until you notice the smell again.

 

This.....this is a good idea....and free at this point.

My story did not change... It can be one of 3 neighbors...our 4 yards meet in one corner of my yard and my new addition where the baby's. Room is located and the more commonly used part of the house that gets the best breeze is aabout 8 feet from that apex. I am fairly sure since is see the smoke when its really bright out that its coming from one of 2 yards so I am going to POLITELY...with peace offerings in hand (my garden has produced 4 volunteer tomato plants in addition to the 7 I planted) ask the smoker to use the other corner of their yard. I will take my baby too so they can see why I am especially concerned. I think this is reasonable in a neighborhood where we all live close and we are all home owners. This paired with this smart poster's suggestion may solve my problem completely. Thank you to the level headed individuals who gave constructive ideas.

 

[Sore Thumb Suburbanite]

Theey smoke next to the wall, not on their porch. They chain smoke for about half an hour. I have this great fan that actually sucks in cold outside air and completely cools the house. The hottest part of the house is the area with the smoker and my baby room actually smells like smoke when the windows are closed now.... but who cares right... its just someones baby and nobody has to care. But I do.

 

[arienwolf]

Theey smoke next to the wall, not on their porch. They chain smoke for about half an hour. I have this great fan that actually sucks in cold outside air and completely cools the house. The hottest part of the house is the area with the smoker and my baby room actually smells like smoke when the windows are closed now.... but who cares right... its just someones baby and nobody has to care. But I do.

Maybe your great fan is doing too great of a job?. I'm all for the survival of the species by people having babies.

You have options, you just don't like them. Talk to your neighbor. I'm not sure about taking the baby over there

if you're worried about smoke in the room why would you expose your baby to a more dense smoke area? I wouldn't
But if that doesn't work (talking to your neighbor) you've gotten great ideas from others.

Goodluck. And congratulations on Your new baby.

 

[redhen]

Personally, if was so very concerned about my child being affected by smoke i would take the responsibility on myself.(i .e. spend the money for A/C ..or whatever else would work to satisfy you and ease your fears..) After all, it is your child and responsibility.. not the neighbors.
You cant expect other people to stop living their lives on their private property to accommodate your wishes.
I mean,.. if you want to offer to pay part of their property taxes in exchange for dictating where they can smoke on their property.... now that sounds fair and reasonable to me. I guess...

 

[dainerra]

Theey smoke next to the wall, not on their porch. They chain smoke for about half an hour. I have this great fan that actually sucks in cold outside air and completely cools the house. The hottest part of the house is the area with the smoker and my baby room actually smells like smoke when the windows are closed now.... but who cares right... its just someones baby and nobody has to care. But I do.

it's still THEIR yard. Sorry, if you came to me I'd tell you sorry, buy an AC unit. And I'm not even a smoker! You said that you put the new addition there and the fan unit because that is the coolest area/best breeze. That's probably why they are smoking there - because it is a cool and comfortable place.

People on this group tend to be very aware of attempts to remove personal freedom. While it doesn't hurt to ask, don't be surprised if the neighbor tells you to vacation someplace a little more tropical.....

 

[JeffOeuf]

If you don't want animal control in your yard, with a tape measure, making sure you are 100% compliant with your chicken coop, I would find a different solution than discussing it with your smoker neighbor. They may smoke, but you're producing chicken manure. Both processes produce fumes which can cause health problems, if consumed in enough volume. That may seem a ridiculous comparison to you, but it might not to someone else.

Cadeschicks has the right idea. Close the windows on that side of the house and move on with your life.

 

[chefchick]

good point Jeff! I agree...close the window if you aren't willing to invest in a $20 fan to put in the window blowing the air out of the baby's room, but please don't ask the neighbors to stop smoking. It will only cause you more greif in the long run. You obviously love your baby very much. Go hug him and stop stressing over this.

 

[DianaMallory]

Go knock on your neighbours' doors and when you find the offender explain the situation and ask him/her very politely to try and keep the smoke away from your house. A reasonable person would not mind.

Someone that smokes on their own property is not being insensitive or rude to you. It is not at all fair for you to expect them to do what you want. You need to take personal responsibility for your situation. It will be expensive to remedy the problem but the problem is yours. I cant believe that you would stand out in your backyard and yell at someone in theirs. I would call that harassment.

Get a can of air freshener and sit them on your window sills and get over it! You are being way over protective, It is a new mommy thing! I know I have 5 and 4 grandchildren. I have one daughter that won't bring her daughter to see her mom maw because she smokes in the house. Even if she smokes outside when they are here! I love the fact that my children didn't pick up the nasty habit, but they breathed a lot of second hand smoke, so did I so did my mother who is 83! I smoked when I was pregnant and didn't slow down. And my father smoked. Your little bit of aroma coming in the window I would not consider second hand smoke, but second hand smell!

 

[downsm75]

Yes...that commercial does make me more cautious...hence the thread.
And for you doubters.... http://no-smoke.org/document.php?id=230 scroll down to the word "nuisance".
As for moving...we are lucky to own a home at all in California...where my husband works...we would love more acreage but are unable to afford it close enough to where my husbands job-our whole income- is located. I could care less about other contaminants in the air that we have little control over... but an inconsiderate neighbor who chooses the dirty patch of backyard right next to my 6&1/2 foot brick property wall to lite up 10 times a day and at night is a little different. Yeah id love ac but as I said we cant afford a couple thou with the new baby and all that entails.
Second hand smoke is dirty, smelly, unwanted and harmful. Bbq smoke and other airborne contaminants are not the same.
?
whatever I guess I'll just give up and drink it in to stay cool or let my family sweat to death in a closed up house or go into massive debt to finance ac.
It sounds like I would be next to insane to ask my neighbor politely to smoke a little farther away from my baby's window so his room wont fill with second hand smoke. His right to do whatever he wants on his property and my fear of offending anyone should come before my interest in my baby's safety.
Neighbors live in neighborhoods which are small communities within larger cities...there are pros and cons and a sense of compromise and entitlement all at the same time. But people live here and manage to get along. I'm going to talk to my neighbors and see if they'll be really neighborly and smoke farther away. I don't care if the idea greatly agitates anyone on here...

That would be a MUCH better way rather that screaming out your back door causing conflict. I smoke... MUCH more than 10 cigarettes a day and if my neighbors needed to complain, I'd MUCH rather them to come ASK ME POLITELY to go further so they can't smell it, than to scream out their door like an idiot. Also, bbq smoke is more harmful than cigarette smoke. One can kill you in 5 minutes, another takes years. Just remember, you have a human obligation to be polite and civil.