“Mama, Mama! Let’s play Candyland!”
“Okay, honey! Just give me a moment. I have to use the restroom.”
Candyland is so much more fun baked when you’re an adult. In fact, marijuana makes a lot of things more bearable and even fun. Pot can make you patient and relaxed. I get it, and so does a sizable portion of society. It’s completely understandable to smoke weed even when you’re a parent. That being said, there are some rules I chose to follow as a pot-smoking parent.
The needs of my children come first
Don’t buy weed if your kids are going hungry. Don’t run off to smoke a doobie every chance you get then spend an hour or more hiding from your kids so they don’t figure out you’re stoned. It would probably be smart to have a “backup adult” in case you have a bad high. Get a babysitter, have your partner there sober, or wait until the kids are asleep or at school.
Also, this should be obvious, but don’t smoke weed with your kid. If your kid is under 18 definitely don’t share a doobie with them. Over 18, well, then you decide… I guess.
Know the local laws
Do you know how much weed can land you in jail? If the laws in your state are strict, you might want to try a legal alternative. If you allow your teenage/adult child to smoke weed in your home, be aware you could end up with legal trouble. The goal: staying out of jail.
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Know when to abstain
Are you looking for employment? Are you currently going through a custody case or other legal battle? Then don’t be a dummy. Stop smoking pot. Do you have other responsibilities? Are you using marijuana to procrastinate? Are you smoking pot out of a crumpled soda can you found in a pile of trash and debris on your floor/table? Be real with yourself. Either get productive when you toke, or reward yourself with reefer when you complete your project, errands, and chores.
Don’t toke and drive
This is another that should be obvious, but isn’t always. Just don’t do this. In some areas you can actually get arrested for a DUI for simply having any amount of marijuana on you while driving, and DUIs are no joke.
I get my supply from a reliable source
Don’t find a dealer on Craigslist, and don’t allow toxic people into your life (and/or the lives of your children) just because they can provide the pot or because “Hey, they like to smoke pot, too!”
I don’t let “Pot Smoking Parent” become my identity
If you feel like you’re smoking too much you might want to consider backing off. If somebody suggests you’re smoking too much you may want to consider taking a break from the bong. If people start asking you “Are you high?” every time they see you, marijuana moderation may be called for.
I hide my shit!
Don’t leave baggies and pipes laying about. Head shops sell lots of nifty safes you can use to store your stash. Invest in one of them. You don’t want your kids to get into your ganja.
I realize my kids will eventually figure out what I’m doing
Do you preemptively talk to your kid about marijuana? Do you let your child silently come to the realization? Do you wait for the day you get called out by your kid after DARE presents a program at their school? Well, that I can’t decide for you.
Eventually, whether or not you discuss it, your kid is going to figure out you smoke(d) marijuana. How you plan to discuss it is entirely up to you.
I live in Amsterdam. Pot is not a big deal anymore…
IMO as long as you don’t neglect your child, put them in danger, land your butt in jail or otherwise cause anyone any harm by having a drink/smoking pot/*Insert various vices here* then who cares? It’s an individual choice that you as a parent have to come to terms with, considering also the affect it may or may not have on your child(ren).
During my time working as a nurse I knew of some harder drug using families who were able to keep their children in their own home and care for them effectively because they put similar strategies into place as those from the article. That may shock some people but how is the principle different from having a designated driver on a night out?
I personally do not smoke pot and never have but hey, live and let live as long as it hurts no one else.
I was really happy to see this post here. For some reason (Is it just the legality? I don’t know) it is perfectly fine for mothers to start tweeting about wine as soon as 6pm hits, but weed is stigmatized. There are definitely ways to reconcile responsible drug use with parenting. For me, the biggest rule is always being OK to tend to an emergency at a moment’s notice. Even if the kids are asleep, you shouldn’t be so impaired that you couldn’t get to an emergency room or handle other crisis safely. But again, I think it’s just as easy to overdo it with the wine, and at least you’re not snapping at your kids hungover the next day.
As for the Candyland bit, I don’t think it’s wrong to partake in a substance that makes activities more enjoyable, so long as you are still fully present physically, mentally and emotionally. Playing a game while rocking a buzz and laughing with your children beats the hell out of doing it sober and only being able to fake it so much. If you are truly so messed up that your 5 year old detects something is wrong, that is no longer moderate or responsible use and therefore not what this post is about.
I don’t see this post as encouraging hardcore drug use or enabling addiction. Frankly, addicts are going to use whether or not they read a post about it on the internetz.
I think most of what I feel about this issue has really already been said in these comments, so I’ll keep this simple.
Smoking a little weed makes a person about as much of an addict as having a beer every now and then or a margarita on the weekend makes a person a raging alcoholic. Why do so many Americans[and everyone else] have no sense of moderation or self control when it comes to these things? The large majority of us can easily handle a little something to chill out with and still be perfectly responsible, even around our beloved little ones. For the few who sincerely can’t manage it, I should hope they know their own limits, because GUESS WHAT? IT IS THEIR RESPONSIBILITY to know those limits, not anyone else’s.
Not all laws are righteous, so personally, I think the ‘it’s illegal in some places and therefore you’re a bad parent for partaking’ argument is ridiculous and judgmental.
Lastly, for those accusing the Author of being sad because she ‘needs’ to be high to have fun playing a game with her child? You should really hear how incredibly self-righteous and accusatory you sound [something I never expected to see on this site]. Anyone who claims that there is never a moment of boredom with their child is a show-off and probably a liar. Get real, people. I adore my baby girl more than anything in the world, but I do in fact have other interests and desires outside of playing predictable cardboard games. It doesn’t thrill me like it might have when I was four.
I don’t buy into this idea that parents have to stop being human in order to be good parents. You can have fun and a personality and STILL be an amazing parent.
Offbeat Mama just isn’t the place for the kind of judgment and, if I can say it without sounding too harsh, ignorance, that I’ve seen displayed in some of these comments. Guys, come on… Grow up. Where’s the love and understanding that’s usually so abundant around here?
The difference between drinking around your kid and smoking pot around your kid is the delivery method. I would not hesitate to have a glass of wine in front of my child, but I wouldn’t smoke in front of them. The only reason is because of second hand smoke. We’ll be honest with our kids about using the substance, but they won’t see us do it because I don’t want to risk the smoke getting to them. There is also the fact that it’s still illegal. Whether the illegality is based on fact or fiction, it’s still a reality. While I can’t get arrested for my glass of wine, I could for my bowl of weed. And that’s a fact we have to face.
Smoking a bowl to relax is no different than having a glass of wine or a beer – for the adult. But I’ll be the first to admit that I’m way more cautious with the weed, both for health reasons and legal reasons.
This is probably the WORST article I’ve read on this website.
Pot is illegal unless it’s being used medically. I feel bad for the kids who’s parent has to smoke weed to enjoy playing games.
It’s selfish and disgusting.
Seriously? I feel bad for kids who are abused, underfed, ignored. Not for those whose mother is willing to spend an afternoon playing games with them. I don’t think her mental state is any of our (or their, if she can keep it together) business.
Gay marriage is mostly illegal too. Do you feel bad for folks who feel the need to get legally married to celebrate their love abhorent as well? Please think about what you say, especially here. Simply saying “It’s selfish and disgusting” is really doing nothing to forward the discussion.
Love this article! So glad to see it on offbeatmama. I don’t smoke myself (I’ve even had a terrible and irresponsible stoner parent), but I love the joke about pot and kid games. I often find little kid games mind-numbingly boring. Smoking pot would totally make candyland, tea parties, and peek-a-boo a million times more fun and would make me a lot more attentive to the kids in my life. Good for you!
Kudos! I’ve enjoyed reading all this discussion and all this talk about “The Ganj”. Thank you, OBM, for always pushing the limit and going to the “outer limits” of parenting.
I was using to deal with nausea and a complete lack of appetite during pregnancy. I had quit when I found out I was pregnant, but then lost 20 lbs in 2 weeks. I could eat and keep down maybe one small meal a day. I started using again, and was able to eat. I delivered a happy, healthy baby boy who is now working on learning to crawl. I got pregnant again right away and decided not to bother quitting till after my 1st trimester, so I would be able to keep my prenatals down.
I was dealing with PPD and SAD, a lack of support from friends and family, and the tendency to fly off the handle if one thing went wrong. I did what I thought was the smart thing and went to get some professional help. I talked to a therapist for one session, admitted light use for appetite and stress reduction (mostly appetite) stating that I had done my research for both babies (making sure there were no studies I had missed)and had taken a calculated risk.
I viewed malnutrition as more harmful than the slightly lower birth weight (which will happen due to malnutrition) and some learning differences between those children exposed and not, and definitely more safe than various other meds out there which might not have had a long enough history of use to see the effects of. I thought back to other medication side effects, even those not used anymore, ::cough:: thalidomide ::cough:: and decided that a plant from a medical dispensary (through some trustworthy hands to get it from a legalized state, as I live in Minnesota) that is used to medicate women with my same issues was probably safer than pills that I would have had trouble swallowing in the first place.
I did quit the day after my first therapy session, just to commit to that fully. The day after that, I got a call from the county. She had called the county on me and yesterday I had the pleasure of hosting a social worker in my home, who handed out incorrect facts on fetal exposure with no statistics in sight, and didn’t listen to me or my husband very well. Luckily, the state views MJ as less harmful than a liquor or meth or coke problem, but still… I lost my trust in my therapist, I have to get a urine analysis sometime during pregnancy, and they may have the right to test my baby when it’s born.
So, another rule for being responsible, Don’t tell ANYONE. Not even your therapist I guess. Honesty (even with a privacy contract and all) can be a huge mistake that brings the people you least wanted to know about it into your home.
Your therapist is required by law to break confidentiality since smoking pot during pregnancy is considered (legally) “harm.” (As is *any* alcohol use in the US, despite the research which shows thresholds for safe alcohol consumption.)
http://mentalhealth.about.com/library/weekly/aa040901a.htm
I’m actually a little surprised at all the people who are commenting about their use, given that the internet is NOT in any way shape or form private. (Assuming that not everyone lives in a legal state/ country.)
I now know she is required, but she should have told me that she was going to.
It should have been in your non-disclosure you signed prior to the treatment.
I’m not sure if a head’s up is considered ethical or not. I suspect not. Licensed therapists have a lot of rules they are required to follow (and I am NOT a licensed therapist, I just happen to know a lot of them).
I think that posting this article was good, because it’s interesting to see another persons view point, and how they live their life with their family. I like the discussion that followed on how other people relate, and whether they agree or not.
I think it’s difficult to express youself in comments too, and that sometimes things are taken not *quite* as they were meant.
I personally don’t like weed, don’t want it in my house, and will obviously not be smoking it around my (future!) children, and that IS to do with the fact that it’s illegal. I am (hypocritically or not!!) fine with a glass of vino whilst with children(we’re talking responsibly, not necking vodka at 11am). However I’m fine with other people doing what they want – some of my friends are stoner parents, and whilst I might not agree with their choices, that is it – their choice. As long as the family is fine (again, we’re talking responsible use) then it’s not my concern. In fact, it’d have to get pretty bad to make it ‘my concern’.
This article makes me so sad. I was the kid with stoner parents, and I’m still the only person in my immediate family who doesn’t smoke all day, every day. I like that she included the last point, that your children will figure it out whether you like it or not. But what you must understand is that when they do figure it out, there is such a breech in trust that it could have permanent consequences. There is a definite shift of power when you realize that you cant trust your own parents to show you right from wrong.
But, I assume that if your parents thought it was truly wrong, then they wouldn’t do it (especially around you!). I think “wrong” and “illegal” need to be distinct, here. In general, I (please don’t forget that this is an opinion) am supportive of parents who do not teahc their children to follow the law blindly, but instead to question it and potentially grow the drive to change it if needed.
Of course, your experience may simply have been an all-around bad one, and everyone’s will be different. I think most people here are in agreement that if it does affect your child negatively, then the parent missed something.
I LOVE that this article was posted, not because I agree with it, but because it shows that this is a place where all voices are allowed to speak openly.
That said, I don’t smoke pot, but my husband did when we started dating. He said it was just recreational, and didn’t affect him, but then he went climbing for the weekend and said he’d call me on Sunday night. When Monday evening came and his phone was still off, I started worrying. On Tuesday he told me he got so high he spent all Monday passed out in his car, and actually lost his phone. That day I told him that if he wanted to be in a relationship with me, he had to quit, because I didn’t want to be worried sick that he had fallen down a boulder and cracked his skull when he actually was “recreationally using”. He quit, and now says he’s glad he did.
Obviously, he didn’t have control over the matter, and I’m not implying that everybody who claims recreational use has this issues, but this is to explain why this subject puts me on edge.
I don’t think it’s wrong to say playing a thousandth game of x with a 3 year old is not fun, because I’ve been there, and I’ve put on the radio or tv in the background just so I had something to distract myself… because I couldn’t take it anymore and I thought it was better for me to play “distractedly” with the kid than to just plop him in front of a disney movie and ignore him all day. So I don’t see how that’s sad.
BUT assuming this is a contolled use, assuming rules are being followed, etc:
I think there’s a big difference between smoking weed and having a glass of wine. And that is legality.
As many things as I want to teach my child in the future, as much as I want him to fight for what he wants, to question the rules and to be proud of his beliefs, and as much as I think weed should be legalized (and I do), I also want to teach him to follow the law, because it’s part of the system in which we live. And then, if it’s an unfair law, or if he’s against the system, fight as hard as you can so it is changed. Fight endlessly. But I won’t be teaching my kid that some laws he has to follow and some others are ok to break.
The ONLY reason pot is illegal is from our dumb Gov’t. If it WAS legal, I’m sure people wouldn’t have a problem with parents being stoned. It’s a hell of a lot better than a parent being drunk. God gave us pot. Our Gov’t took it away.
for racist reasons and to make money. Yay money! http://www.drugwarrant.com/articles/why-is-marijuana-illegal/
I agree that it should be legal, but do you really think that if it was people wouldn’t take issue with parents who watch their kids while stoned? The legality is just a very small part of it. Drunk or stoned…if you are impaired while watching your kids (and I mean IMPAIRED as in unable to be a responsible adult) it’s a problem.
I appreciated reading this post and especially the comments. Offbeat Mama always makes me think and that’s a great thing. Question for the pot smokers – would you hire a babysitter who told you they would be smoking while watching your kids?
I don’t have any beef with this article being posted on OBM and I think it’s good to have this discussion. I don’t smoke, so I admit that there may be some level of smoking pot that would be acceptable, but I don’t have the experience to know where that line is. What I do know is that stepping over it means extremely damaging consequences for the child.
My husband was raised with two pot-smoking parents. They are not stoners; they’re responsible, kind and active parents and grandparents. They smoke every night, after everyone has gone to bed, in their room. I don’t know if this would be considered light, moderate or heavy use.
It seems to me that this fits all the rules above. But it still had a profound impact on my husband. As the article states, sooner or later, the children find out.
My husband understood early on that his parents were breaking the law. He lived in fear that his family could be taken away at any time. That fear plagued him and isolated him his entire childhood.
I’m the child of a functional alcoholic. I never once saw my father drunk but I still have all of the same psychological issues as children of less functional alcoholics. My husband has many of the same issues, too.
It’s not the substance or the frequency of use that harms children. It’s when parents lie or when they keep secrets, either from the children or with the children’s help. Children have a unique ability to sense when something isn’t right. Secrets and lies are not healthy for children and if they don’t fully understand them, they will make up reasons that they do understand.
Even if you talk to your child about drugs, you’re still asking that child to keep the secret and if they don’t, you could go to jail. That’s a lot of weight to put on young shoulders.
In communities where pot may be legal, it’s still not widely accepted while parenting any more than drinking to impairment while parenting is accepted. You’re still requiring the child to keep a secret, only this time it’s not jail but social ostracization. Not as damaging, but still not fair to a child.
I’m not saying that it can’t be done in the right way. I’m just saying that doing it wrong is disastrous for a child and is that really worth the risk?
First off, I will say that I am not a pot smoker and never have been, simply because I had a fairly sheltered childhood and by the time I got to college and encountered pot for the first time, I wasn’t really interested. And personally, it is not something I would do in front my of any children I had, mostly because of the whole lose your kids if you do drugs in front of them and someone finds out, if nothing else.
Just to be the devil’s advocate, though, how many of the people who feel strongly about pot are people that smoke cigarettes, especially near their children (even if it’s outside)? I grew up in a house where everyone was a fairly heavy smoker, and meals, playtime, and even when we went out to a restaurant would ALWAYS be interrupted every 45 minutes – 1 hour for my grandparents and mother to troop outside and have a smoking break, leaving me alone. I always found it disconcerting and kind of embarrassing, especially when I was a young child left alone in a restaurant booth to “hold the table.” This, I think, is much worse than having a toke and staying with your kid.
I feel even more strongly against cigarettes than I do against pot.
Although I believe both should be legal (you should legally have the right to harm yourself) I also believe I have a right – as an asthmatic – to be protected against smoke in public places. And I think kids have the right to be protected from second hand smoke as well.
Pot at least can be administered in different ways than smoking (although that is the most popular method).
I am completely in support of parents responsibly using moderate substances like alcohol and marijuana. My husband is a weekly user who has made me see that he’s almost discriminated against regarding his use. As a couple other commenters have mentioned, he doesn’t like the way he feels after having an alcoholic drink, but he DOES enjoy a minor high for relaxation. He’s made me realize that his toke or two for relaxation is absolutely the same as my glass of wine. No different, no more inappropriate, just sadly misunderstood and misrepresented. When our children are old enough, we will have conversations about this (about alcohol AND drug use), and work through whatever arises with honesty, clarity, and respect.
On an editorial note, I do think that some of this drama could have been avoided by a different style of presentation. Perhaps the way this was written was a little too reminiscent of how we imagine teens and young adults hiding their stash from their parents, toking in the basement, and rebelling. Perhaps if it had been presented in a more moderate way — without the lingo, with a more serious air — it may have been easier for those who are uncomfortable with it to tolerate the idea. But, that may not have been your goal anyway. I just know that even for me, a supporter, the style of the article was a bit off-putting.
I’m glad that others are chiming in who had experience as the kid of stoner parents. I see a lot of people posting “I smoke and I’m a good parent,” “my [friend, brother, sister, whoever] smokes and is a great parent” and so on. But parenting isn’t just about the adult side of things, so simply reiterating how great your parenting is from your own perspective really falls short of seeing the bigger picture.
Pot smoking affects kids. It just does. Whether it affects them in a negligible way or a huge, damaging way, obviously varies. But it still affects them, so ignoring the child’s perspective when determing whether or not you’re doing a good job is actually doing everyone a disservice.
My friend’s parents were stoners, and she seems to have turned out just fine (as far as I can tell from Facebook). At the same time, I hated being at her house because of how I felt when her parents were high. And again – they were not addicts, and were not abusing drugs. They were just a little high, and it made me feel unsafe and uncomfortable.
As for my own parents? My mother has depression. She was unmedicated throughout my childhood and THAT had a serious impact on me as well. Made me feel unsafe and uncomfortable. She wasn’t out of control, but she was sad, and it was hard. Had she learned sooner that medication would have helped her, I think I would have had a very different childhood and we would have a very different relationship today.
So the issue, to me, isn’t “drugs are bad.” The issue is that, as a parent, we are constantly making choices. And our choices affect our kids. And many of you are apparently choosing to be high while around your children, and I am just trying to point out how that can feel on the other side.
No judgment, honestly. I’m not calling you bad parents. I’m just asking that you take the children’s perspective into account when making your choices.
I think you were able to say this better than I was (because I have too many personal issues involved).
Thank you.
There have been several positive posts from children of smokers. In fact I think very few say “I smoke and I’m fine!” or something to that effect.
Wow, a lot of comments! Anyhow, I just wanted to say ‘thanks for posting this’! I don’t smoke, but I support responsible, non-abusive pot smokers. This is obviously a hot topic and I’ve had friends who have addicted (to many different things, not pot specifically, usually a combination of things) family members with children, so I understand it is a loaded and difficult subject, but I’m glad people are talking about it.
Wow, I take a day away from Offbeat Mama reading and I come back and find this fascinating discussion! I think the fact that it has unleashed so many reactions and exchanges makes this essay well worth posting.
From the medical perspective, a reminder that studies show that marijuana can have impacts on brain development in children and youth. (I work in this field.)
If you choose to smoke, please be careful about exposing your kids!
I personally have never used, but I do believe it is possible to use responsibly just like people can consume alcohol responsibly.
Hello! I really liked this article…Some of the rules are silly, but I like the general message.
A couple things I have to bring up.
1. If this was a post about beer drinking, and someone saying ‘candyland is way more fun after a couple brews’ Everyone would chime in ‘oh yeah hahaha i love beer, deeerrp de derp’ but because pot is an illegal narcotic and Evil thanks to years of bad propaganda and brain washing, we are attacking it instead of chiming in ‘ yeah candyland is way more fun stoned’
2. people are arguing that this lady needs to smoke pot to tolerate her kids. taking it way out of proportion saying she is an addict, and can’t bear the sight of her spawn without the influence of substance.
thats silly. why? well….have you ever been screamed at by and infant, toddler, teenager for hours and hours on end for no reason other than they are a being with emotions and feelings and they are going to express them regardless of how you might feel. was it fun? did you enjoy it? or did you sit on a island in your mind sipping coconut juice listening to waves, and as soon as dad came home ran out the door with the dog because you didnt want to stand another minute of hellish shrieking? I sure have.
Does stepping out for a walk, or a puff, or grabbing a beer make you any less of a parent?
Honestly, I would rather step outside and clear my head with a joint than get into a yelling match with my 9 month old.
fuck…I think if more parents chilled out and took a minute for themselves regardless of if the kid is present or not, there would be way less cases of shaken baby syndrome and child abuse.
but because every parent is going to by holier than thou, the claws come out and judgement flies through the finger tips.
you know what ‘rents dont hear enough of? ‘You’re doing a great job’
Some people find it acceptable to smoke pot, and some find it evil and horrible to drink around their kids. Some parents think its acceptable to spank their kids, and others would never dreams of doing that. Some people co-sleep, and some people let their babies cry themselves to sleep. some people say ‘ta-ma-toe, and some people say pa-ta-toe’ apples oranges.
Different views do not mean one is right or wrong. maybe if we stopped being so mean to each other there wouldnt be so much post-partum, anxiety or personality disorders.
I personally have to say – That I feel pot is totally acceptable, and honestly way safer then alcohol to say the least. What I don’t agree with is smoking pot around/ or being around your kids. You have to pick priorities in life… and moderation is one of them. I was a smoker (less and less as the years roll on) until I got pregnant with my third bouncing baby boy. (I also don’t agree with pot use while pregnant… or while breastfeeding…) and I have to say I have never smoked while the kids are still awake… that is basically an after bedtime activity in my mind. I also feel that that was a responsible choice to make. I can’t be “mom” and be “high” all at the same time… so being mom came first. As a parent you have to make sacrifices, a lot of them… drinking and smoking are just one of those things. Still as it stands I don’t smoke anymore, as I am breastfeeding – wither I will pick up the occasional doobie afterward is yet to be decided. That is my personal choice though, its not that I feel pot is bad and all that ridiculous hoo hah people go on about, its more like I’ve out grown it, like you would an old sweater or pair of jeans… it just doesnt fit me right anymore. My husband still smoke, and he’s really awesome about it… in fact I don’t think we’ve ever had a “don’t smoke, and be around the kids” talk… that just seems like something that should be common sense.
From 13 my mother and step father smoked in front of me and my 6 year old brother. They probably didn’t when they had a baby 5 years later!
Didn’t turn me into a stoner, I do not agree with the fact that they were OK about us breathing in that smoke, but otherwise I do not have an issue with it at all.
Thank you. As someone with lifelong disabilities, with a partner who has lifelong disabilities, both are very much helped by cannabis. We have both given up other, less useful medication, and both become healthier, more responsible individuals. I wasn’t on the Deans List until pot. I had no direction until pot. Now I see a bright future. Everyone handles drugs differently, and I’ve always refused to be judged by anyone saying I’ll be a bad mother due to my medical cannabis use with a glass of wine in her hand and a bottle of half-empty Xanex on her nightstand.
Whether it is pot or taking a Benedryl in allergy season, every parent needs to be in touch with the limits of their ability to be an “altered” parent.
Sometimes I’m sick, sometimes I need a shower, sometimes I’m so tired I can barely function as a human being much less a parent, and in those times I find a way to still make it through without scarring my children. Was I a perfect parent? Nope. Are the kids affected by it? Probably. Do I feel bad about it? No, I can’t, because then I have to choose between understanding I’m human versus living a life of guilt for my humanity. I’m already Catholic, thanks.
I don’t see this as any different than many other times that parents choose themselves for a few moments in what is ultimately twenty or so years of mostly-selflessness.
Of the listed “recommendations” up there, I think knowing your local laws and being safely within those is extremely important.
Also, I can’t get Peter Tosh’s “Leave My Business” out of my head. 🙂