Introduction: In this study, we aimed to determine why parents who applied to the "well-baby clinic" of a university hospital in Ankara do not abstain from smoking around their children. Methods: Data of this descriptive study was collected between November 11, 2013 and March 30, 2014. One hundred and fifteen volunteer participants who are either mothers or fathers of the children under five years of age participated in the study. Results: Among a total of 115 parents participated in the study 53.6 % of the participants were fathers and 46.1% of them were mothers. Nearly half (49.6 %) of the participants stated that they had smoked at least 100 cigarettes in their lifetime and 37.4% of them were current smokers. Nobody had smoked in 75.7% of the participants' houses. Smoking was not prohibited in the balconies in 32.1% of the houses. The most frequent two reasons why the participants do not abstain from smoking around their children were lack of information (34.7%) and addiction (24.6%). Conclusion: The major passive smoking source at home is the parents' smoking behavior. Prevention of this unhealthy behavior is crucial for children's health. Long-term studies in cross-sectional and qualitative designs clarifying the dynamics which determine parents' abstaining behavior from smoking around their kids are needed.