do you give your toddler coffee?

[MadiMamacita]

this sounds like a joke post, but its not!

I have twice in the last few weeks heard very IMO sound-minded mamas say that they give their toddlers coffee "because they throw a fit otherwise".
One gives her daughter the foam from her cappuccino and the other gives her DD sips of her own coffee with milk and sugar.

I don't give DS coffee because I can't imagine what the caffeine would do to his behaviour, and I think its not good for physical development (though that might be a myth, not sure!)

If I was drinking a martini and DS was screaming and squawking because he wanted some, I wouldn't give him any, so why is coffee any different?

ETA: I meant to add- CAFFEINATED coffee. If you give your child decaf, but not regular, then please vote no.
also this poll is not about tea, so if you give your child tea but not coffee, vote no.

[scottishmommy]

I let dd sip coffee. In my family people have been giving their kids coffee and tea for generations. In fact, I was drinking a cup of coffee every morning by the time I was 12 or so. We were also given hot totties when we were sick (hot whiskey, lemon and honey). Maybe it's a Scottish thing!

ETA
I don't drink martinis, but I let dd sip wine and beer(we rarely drink at all, maybe once a month)

[laughymama]

I answered no but I guess I'm in the "other" category.

We don't buy him his own non-fat latte or anything but he's had a couple sips of coffee or certain coffee drinks when we've had it.

So no, we don't serve him coffee drinks but he gets sips now and then of ours when we have them.

[Drummer's Wife]

Yes - sips. Well, the one of my four kids that likes coffee is not a toddler anymore (he's 5), but I've been letting him have a taste since he was that age. This isn't daily, and it's such a small amount I don't have any concerns. He really only likes it b/c of the cream and sugar - I doubt he'd enjoy it black.

ETA: I wouldn't be opposed to a small sip of alcohol, so I guess that comparison doesn't apply to me.

[pantrygirl]

She's never been interested but I don't think we'd offer it to her either.

My brother though drank coffee since he was 2. It was just one of those things where he drank it with my grandmom.

[covertlycrunchy]

I just give my kids small sips of tea/coffee. Sometimes I will give my older one (4 years now) a cup of tea/coffee with milk 25% tea/coffee 75% milk. She usually only drinks about 1/2 or so. I figure that some parents give their kids pepsi/coke in the bottle so really a couple sips of tea/coffee (no sugar) really isn't a big deal. It's the sugar that is the big issue for me, not the caffeine.

[Honey693]

DD is almost 2 and not interested right now. I probably won't have a problem with giving her sips once she's closer to 3.

[LadyCatherine185]

I have coffee every morning, and DS always wants what I have.. I do my best to minimize his interest "ohh, its very hot!" etc but he usually ends up getting at least 1-2 sips a day..

[happysmileylady]

No, but then, we don't generally drink coffee. DH has a cup in the morning, but that's usually before she's awake.

We do drink pop and she has gotten a sip or three, but I try not to allow her to share drinks period. It tends to create a crawling all over the person sharing that I don't like at all. And alcohol, no, that's an adult drink. We have adult drinks and adult words in our house and these are things that kids just don't do.

[mumkimum]

We don't, though she's never asked (though I always jokingly offer her some, to be polite ).

We do let her sip green or black teas though. I don't think it's horrible to let a kid sip coffee I guess, but probably best not to make an early habit of.
I fear what my dd on caffeine would be like, too. And would challenge anyone wanting to give her caffeine to have to deal with it (have gone through & continue to battle the issue with sugar-giving MIL and her already, that's bad enough).

eta: Wanted to add, I'd never give her coffee just cause "she'd throw a fit", and pretty much whatever she's asking for when she's in that mode I don't give her until she's calmed down. I also don't go around eating ice cream in front of her saying she can't have some, either, but that's all a separate issue imo than whether I think it's okay for her to try coffee at all or not.

[evening start]

I HATE coffee, so I clearly don't offer it to DS, but DH and his family enjoy coffee and espresso, and I wouldn't be happy if he gave DS a sip. I am very sensitive to caffeine though. I used to be able to have a cup of caffeinated tea every once and a while if I drank it before noon, but since my pregnancy, I find any caffeine at all really messes up my sleep. Sometimes I forget and drink a small amount, like when we go out to a Chinese restaurant and they put the tea on the table, I sometimes drink half of a tiny teacup without really thinking about it, and I always pay for it big time at night. DH on the other hand can drink several cups of coffee during the day and a stiff espresso after dinner and STILL fall asleep faster than I do. I think there is a genetic component to caffeine sensitivity, and sleep is a precious enough commodity, that I'm not willing to test whose genes DS inherited by seeing how he reacts to a few sips of coffee. Luckily DH only drinks it black, so I think if he ever did offer DS a sip that would curtail his interest very quick. We also don't give him sips of alcohol at this point, though I think I would actually be more comfortable with that than with caffeine.

[ramama]

Caffeine actually has a calming effect on my oldest DD (who is no longer a toddler at 6.5yo!). In small amounts obviously. I don't allow her caffeinated soda (generally, no soda at all, but if it's a treat, no caffeine) but when she was a toddler I'd allow her very weak coffee with more milk than coffee. It calms her, go figure, which happens to be the same effect it has on me.

[eleonrauis]

I've been drinking coffee, tea and soda since I was 4 or 5 years old and have been addicted to caffeine most of my life as a result. It was easier for me to quit smoking than to give up caffeine!

I won't give DS coffee because I don't want him to have the same problem. I do occasionally let him have sips of iced tea, but that's only happened a few times.

[MadiMamacita]

well I'm glad I posted then. It seems like its not uncommon at all.

Like a PP said, I am, and come to think of it, DH is also, really sensitive to caffeine and so I just imagine that DS will be as well.

And, to Laughymama- I am rebelling against the "other" option
I think this is a YES or NO type poll- either you do let your LO have coffee or you do not. no middle ground! so in your case I would have voted yes!

[Drummer's Wife]

I think sips count as yes b/c I doubt most parents would fill up an entire mug (or sippy cup ) and let their toddler chug it. So, that's how I voted, even though my kid and I don't sit and drink coffee together reading the newspaper every morning.

[Melly24]

Nope. No caffeinated drinks at all

[just_lily]

I gave my DD a sip once because I hoped she would hate it and she would stop bugging me for mine. To my dismay she actually liked it! I still don't give her any though.

I can understand why some parents may allow their child to have sips or very small portions. When I was a kid my grandmother would often give me my own tea.... mainly milk though.

What really blows my mind is when I see young kids with their own frappacinos... the amount of sugar and caffeine in those things would be enough to make most kids bounce off the walls!!

[Ellien C]

Originally Posted by covertlycrunchy

I just give my kids small sips of tea/coffee. Sometimes I will give my older one (4 years now) a cup of tea/coffee with milk 25% tea/coffee 75% milk. She usually only drinks about 1/2 or so. I figure that some parents give their kids pepsi/coke in the bottle so really a couple sips of tea/coffee (no sugar) really isn't a big deal. It's the sugar that is the big issue for me, not the caffeine.

Mine gets a small cup some mornings with sugar and milk. I figure moderation is OK. We don't have martini's but we do drink beer and I've offered a sip when she got to 4 or 5 and was really interested. She hated it. And YES - she will throw a fit and it's easier to give her the coffee so we can all get out the door in the morning. I think she was probably 4 when the coffee started, so maybe not a toddler. Definitely out of the sippy cup phase.

[annettemarie]

I can't even imagine my toddler on coffee.

[Melly24]

Originally Posted by annettemarie

I can't even imagine my toddler on coffee.

would describe my toddler without coffee added!