do you give your toddler coffee? - Page 2

[annettemarie]

Originally Posted by Melly24

would describe my toddler without coffee added!

We've been following the three-day potty learning method and pumped him full of red Kool Aid. I actually can't imagine that coffee could be worse than that. It was bad.

[ThisCat]

No, but only because neither of my kids have expressed any interest in it. If they did, I'd have no problem with letting them have a few sips. I doubt I'd fill up a straw cup for the toddler though.

[Anastasiya]

Dh is a big coffee drinker and yes, the kids sip his coffee. Black, no sugar.

At first I was opposed to it but he showed me the "numbers" - there's more caffeine in a cup of hot cocoa or a chocolate candy than there is in a sip of coffee.

[eclipse]

I said yes, although none of my kids are toddlers now. I have let all my kids try coffee - my oldest spit it everywhere and never tried it again, my dd didn't like it, but my 4 yo ds love love loves it and would probably down a whole cup if I set it in front of him. He gets a sip every now and then, or if I have an iced coffee, I'll give him one of the ice cubes. I don't think it's a big deal.

[littlemizflava]

both of mine do but i dont see it as a big deal. its not like they are drinking it everyday all day. they are allowed coffee, cappuccino, ice coffee and iced cappuccino but then mine are allowed to eat things with cocoa or carbo. coffee is 1/2 milk most times.

[EviesMom]

I've let him try it, and he makes a huge face and now says "Coffee Yucky! You like coffee Mama? My not like coffee." Same for my older kid and soda. She pretty much drinks water, lemonade, oj, and apple juice. If it's carbonated or hot, she wants none of it. Since neither of my kids likes any "junky" or "kid-inappropriate" drinks, I've never really thought about it. I let them try it bc I know they'll hate it.

[Llyra]

My kids have all had sips of coffee. But I wouldn't give them a whole cup of it, not at this age-- seriously, they wouldn't sleep for a week afterwards. But I don't see the harm in a sip. They were just asking because they're curious about what it tastes like. They've had tiny sips of tea and wine before, for the same reason. No soda, though, except once DD2 had ginger ale when she had rotavirus. I think soda is a bigger problem, because it's sweet. Tea and coffee are naturally bitter, and for the most part my kids haven't really particularly liked them anyway, so they've never begged for more. I would think that highly sweetened caffeinated drinks full of cream or whatever would be a problem for the same reason-- they're so tasty. Our coffee and tea are black and only lightly sweetened or not sweet at all. But again, a sip here and there does no harm.

That said, I wouldn't give a child ANYTHING because they'd throw a fit if I didn't. I don't let my kids bully me into things like that.

[2timestrouble]

Originally Posted by 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?

No, I don't think I will. I say think because I have end up doing many things I say I would never do and end up doing, lol.
However, the only reason I wouldn't give it to her is because I haven't take the time to investigate if this is good or bad and decide to play safe.
I do know that chocolate have some caffeine and I do allow her to drink it some times so is not really about the caffeine because if that was all it worried me I just simple diluted with tons of milk, but for some reason just the idea of giving her coffee just doesn't seam right to me. Like I said, I haven't really have the need to investigate the effects on coffee on toddlers.
I actually don't give coffee to my 12 year old, maybe when she start getting interested I will have to educate my self about this subject to take a good decition.
With that say, so far I have being able to don't give my kids things just because they trow a fit...my husband on the other hand is not so good at it

[nextcommercial]

There should be an "Other". So, here's my "other".

No, I don't, but only because I don't drink coffee. I do drink tea, and my daughter has grown up on tea. I think it's a midwestern thing.

[nolonger]

I drink coffee very, very rarely. ds is a "foodie" who really enjoys his sense of taste and loves trying new flavours. We routinely share a cup of herbal tea several times a day and when I do have coffee, it would feel strange not to share with him. Coffee is a rare treat that I don't keep in my home. I try to give him sips as surreptitiously as I can to avoid judgement and "tsk tsk"ing from disapproving strangers.

It affects his behaviour about the same way it does my own: a band-aid alternative to a nap in a situation where we have to stay alert. I don't give him very much but I don't see it making him irritable or irritating. He probably gets more caffeine from chocolate, which I also limit for the same reason: the abuse of child labour by both industries.

My parents were both very heavy coffee drinkers. I have many fond memories of sitting in their laps begging for sips. Sometimes they said I'd had enough and I accepted that. It wasn't weird back then.

[treeoflife3]

no I do not. I also don't give sips of alcohol or soda. My husband DOES give sips of soda and sweet tea, but thankfully he won't do coffee (mostly because it is hot) however he did once give her a sip of beer. I was pissed but he was glad she stopped begging.

Of course, he comes from a family who gave him beer in his sippy cup. Not exaggerating.

[MadiMamacita]

Originally Posted by nextcommercial

There should be an "Other". So, here's my "other".

No, I don't, but only because I don't drink coffee. I do drink tea, and my daughter has grown up on tea. I think it's a midwestern thing.

Originally Posted by MadiMamacita

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!

in your case, that would be a no!

[JamieCatheryn]

Nope never would do that, no soda either. But, I don't drink any of either so it's not a problem. They don't ask for their daddy's.

[dbsam]

We haven't given coffee, alcohol, or pop and my children haven't asked.
My husband has been drinking coffee since he was six and I was allowed sips of my parents cocktails; but I wasn't allowed pop!?

[confustication]

My 2 yo has sipped it- and would like more please! My 10 month old, has not- hey, apparently I do draw a line somewhere, not quite sure where though.

My 8.5 year old has her own cup of coffee a couple times a week- though, really, she gets warm milk with a little sugar and a little coffee. If she's really bouncy/unable to sit still I give her a full cup of proper coffee- and it helps her to settle down and focus, it also helps her to fall asleep when she isn't able to sleep otherwise- our cure here is a cup of coffee- and it almost always works. I figure it's probably less harmful than ADD meds in a pill bottle are.

[heavensearth]

nope! nothing but goats milk, caffeine free tea and water when we're out.

[mommajb]

I want to say no, I really do but...

My little ds loves hot, black coffee. It sounds like a joke but he is constantly sneaking a sip while I let it ccool enough for me to drink. He doesn't do it to dh because his has 'cream' in it. I keep hoping he'll outgrow this before too long.

[Anastasiya]

Originally Posted by mommajb

I want to say no, I really do but...

My little ds loves hot, black coffee. It sounds like a joke but he is constantly sneaking a sip while I let it ccool enough for me to drink. He doesn't do it to dh because his has 'cream' in it. I keep hoping he'll outgrow this before too long.

My kids LOVE black coffee, hot. I don't see them outgrowing it any time soon....when DH grinds his beans in the morning the kids stand there waiting for their coffee bean to munch. THAT I don't get....chocolate covered beans, yeah, but just plain old beans? Blech.

[JollyGG]

I voted yes, but I feel I must explain my yes. I give my preschooler coffee because she gets migraines. We are experimenting to see if caffeine helps when she's having one.

But otherwise my kids don't get coffee. Of course, I'm not a big coffee drinker myself. When we started the experiment I actually had to run to Starbucks for a coffee (I do now have some in the house).

[luvmybaby333]

No. I do not.

Having only recently been able to (with much effort) kick my own wicked caffeine habit, I will not foster such a habit in my own children. If a child needs it as a form of non-medicinal therapy for migraines or ADHD, then that's another story. But my children do not suffer from those conditions, and I will not create a problem for no other reason than they are curious to try it. Thankfully, I don't drink coffee... so really, it's a non-issue. My oldest *very* occasionally gets a sip or two of caffeinated soda (from daddy or someone else) but she makes very healthy drink choices most of the time, so I don't worry about the long-term affects of those rare indulgences on her. My toddler doesn't ever ingest caffeine. I would lose my hair if I had to deal with her on a caffeine buzz.