What are your thoughts on giving caffeine to children?

[Lucy68]

Especially children as young as 3-6 years old?

After a really important doctor appointment I went to the nearby McDonald's to get some lunch. While waiting for my food I see a father come into the restaurant with his daughters (one seemed to be around 2 years old and the other one possibly 4 years old). After he ordered his daughters kid's meals, he then ordered 2 mocha frappes for his daughters. Because of that an older lady and him debated on him giving his two small daughters a "coffee milkshake". The man told the older lady to "mind her business" with the lady telling the man "this is why children are spoiled and fat". Personally to me I'm indifferent, one I was drinking caffeinated drinks since I was 6 years old and coffee when I was like 9 years old. However, I personally wouldn't give my small children their own frappes. Maybe I would let share some of mine, but that's me and I rarely buy them except maybe 2-3 times a month if we want to be technical about it. But honestly I did not see an issue with it, and both were small mocha frappes. And from the looks of it, both children were well mannered and were groomed nicely.

What is your opinion on this, should small children be given treats similar to that or no? And if you were the parent and someone made a comment similar to the one of the older lady, how would you react and why?

[Curmudgeon]

I drank coffee (at first sweetened a bit, but gradually more and more "black") since I was 8. it just seemed like such a warm and comforting and frankly neat thing to do on the cooler wintry mornings, sipping hot coffee from my old man's spare metal Thermos before the school doors opened. It attracted the attention of the teachers and I became the talk of the elementary school PTA meeting, to which my parent's sheepishly grinned and replied, "That's our boy!' :D

And the metal Thermos with a mental handle for wielding was handy when bullied. I actually whacked one tormentor with it and sent him scurrying away. :D

[Curmudgeon]

And a punk song from my teen years:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o94ij6KdBS4

[Cubus]

Coffe is not healthy and tastes badly. Why would you?

[Lucy68]

I guess cause they wanted it

[Cubus]

Thank you for Most Helpful

[Lucy68]

You're welcome

[dustybiker]

I was having black tea with milk out of a sippie cup back in my earliest memories. Never was hyper. I was pretty quiet and thoughtful as a kid, so it didn’t effect my focus either. I’d say it’s personal choice of the parents.

Arguing with a father in a restaurant was out of line on the woman’s part. in my opinion

[purplepoppy]

I think it's great. Slip a kid a red bull and sit back and watch the parents have melt down as they bounce off the walls.

[SnowedIn]

I think the lady in your story was wrong. It's fine to have opinions and it's fine to share them nicely if asked (IF ASKED, sheesh) but otherwise, just keep the opinion to yourself and butt out. But I digress.

Great question.

Like everything, it's all about moderation. Am I going to give my 3 year old a Red Bull every day? Nope. Put Coke in my baby's bottle to nurse? Nope. Take my 3 year old to McDonald's and let them have soda? Absolutely yes.

Buy them their own frappe? That's a maybe. It wouldn't be a daily thing, but I might. A treat. Something special.

As for coffee and tea and soda at home? Occasionally, but not with a matrix of ages and amounts and stuff like that.

While it's not going to be all the time, caffeine and drinks is another hill of parenting to not die on.

[Kaneki05]

Caffeine is super healthy for an adult and teens but for a kid under 12 Caffeine is highly unhealthy and even dangerous.
It's alright if your kid has a can of pop every now and then. But do not let them be drinking coffee, some tea may be fine. But again just don't really do it.
Once they are over 12 then they can have quite a lot because people can have more caffeine than they actually think. Which is why you'll see teens drink energy drinks all the time and be fine.
Though of course doing anything to much will be bad or deadly but at that point the teen should know to be sensible with it and if not that's their own fault.

[CateM]

If I had kids, if they were under 9 or 10, no caffeine. Period. Once they turn 9 or 10, I'd let them drink sodas like coke or dr pepper. Once they're around 14, I'll let them drink coffee (within reason!!) and mtn dew. No energy drinks until they're 18

[CateM]

I forgot to mention tea, which I'd let them drink at 9 years old

[420Rachel]

I let my son drink tea every once in a while, and a sip of my soda sometimes, but I wouldn’t ever give him coffee or anything high in caffeine. He’s wild enough as it is! I couldn’t imagine him on caffeine 😭😭😭

[BCRanger10]

My son has not yet had soda. When he can though (which is not often), he'll try to sneak some of my coffee. I catch the little punk though. My wife on the other hand will give him spoonfuls of it.

[Massageman]

I just don't like coffee- period. I do drink tea which ia about 10-15% the caffeine content of coffee. As far as children, they really do not need anything to boost their exuberance. If between the doctor and the parents a child needs medication for behavior modification, then it is time to sit down with all parties and have a long chat. Bring the water before you start, though.

[TheSpaceGnome]

Most children don't need it. Caffiene's purpose is to give you energy quickly, but at the cost of sustained energy because it taps your sugar reserves. Healthy people are so full of energy that caffiene is pointless and inaffective. If Anyone of any age NEEDS caffiene, then they are sick, and being that sick while that young, is rare.

[Anonymous]

I can't recall a single moment in my childhood where an adult offered me a coffee. I'm fairly certain, however, at just about every kids party there was coke which is caffeinated, so I certainly had some caffeine, but as the adult now, there is no world in which I would give my nephews caffeine. I think they would need to be high school age or older and their parents would have to be cool with that anyway.

[Anemone978]

I don't... I might let them have a little coke/pepsi here or there but they usually only get juice. Mostly because I was addicted to Pepsi and I don't want them to be and I'm a shorty so don't want to stunt their growth at all..

[mobiusforniner]

Fuck no. My kids are up by 6 and asleep by 10. And I get nothing done in between the arguing, the jumping, the screaming, the crying, the boredom, the hunger...

Hell, I can't drink enough caffiene to keep up with them

[petitedollbabee]

I’m against it. I don’t believe that anyone under 16 needs caffeine. There’s a law in my country that stops people under 16 from purchasing coffee or energy drinks. They don’t need it.

[PBandJ_Nerd]

Things like soda & tea are ok I think. I had mocha flavored milkshakes when I was a kid, but I was never allowed to have actual coffee until I was 14.

[LazerBean]

Caffeine every now and then is infinitely better than a constant intake of sugar, red food coloring, and high fructose corn syrup..

[letuswaltzforthedead]

I've seen kids 4-6 have alcohol, I think a little bit of coffee is fine. But that lady shouldn't get involved with kids that aren't hers

[FreyaRed]

Making those little shits addictive to caffeine so early is beneficial from perspective of caffeine dealers.

[exitseven]

no, I see kids drinking so called energy drinks and I cringe. That stuff is the worst shit for you. i would rather see them drinking beer.

[oddwaffle]

Well you give them sugar which is a drug that modified the brain. Caffeine is not that much of a problem.

[Anonymous]

3-6 years old is way too young. i feel like 10 is more reasonable if giving caffeine. that is if we're talking about soda. coffee, that's a whole other story. no child needs coffee.

[Apple1996]

I think it's fine especially for kids with adhd. Caffeine gives them a calming effect

[Sparkie460]

I never gave my kids caffeine of any sort until they were 18 years old. They also didn't have any candy.
I didn't need my kids bouncing off the walls all day and night