At what age do you think it is acceptable for a child to start drinking coffee?

Question

My daughter, who is 14, has acquired a real taste for coffee and now drinks either coffee or coffee-based drinks daily. I don't see any harm in this, as coffee can't be any worse for her than some of the caffeinated soft drinks or high-caffeine "energy" drinks her friends drink. But I get some tut-tutting from other parents over allowing her to drink coffee. FWIW, my husband started drinking coffee when he was 5; I don't drink coffee at all. What do people think about kids drinking coffee?

Answer 1

Sure! I think you should encourage your child to become addicted to as many mood altering substances as possible as early as possible. That's only a great parenting strategy! Stimulants are a good choice to start! Caffeine was an excellent choice! It's cheap and very effective. All that money she'll spend on it over the years will be great for the economy.

When she gets to the point that her blood pressure is effected, it will be great character builder for her to have to go cold turkey. Suffering is good for the soul, so if she gets migraines, that is only another plus on the up-side.

I hope you are giving her an early jump on the nictotine addiction too. We'd hate for her to gain any weight and it's not like it's crack after all. We need more concerned parents like you.

Answer 2

Wow, some harsh answers here!!!

Maybe it's because I'm a coffee addict, I don't know, but I don't see any harm in letting her drink coffee at the age of 14. As long as she's drinking all of the water that she needs and getting her other nutritional needs and it's not an excessive amount, I don't see what the big deal is.
There should be limits to everything, of course.
A lot of 14 year old girls are going to do the opposite of what you tell them they can or can't do. It's just coffee, it could be a LOT worse!!!

Answer 3

I started drinking coffee fairly young. Based on my personal experience I would recommend to her a few things. Don't drink too much in one day, especially late in the day--it does affect sleep. Also limit the amount per day because it is addictive, and migraines SUCK!

I'm short--but so is my mom.
If coffee actually stunts your growth I think it's because of two reasons. One, caffeine is an appetite depressant--so children may get less nutrition thus leading to stunted growth. Second, caffeine may also lead to less quality sleep, and it is during deep sleep that growth occurs. Either way, any caffeinated beverage will result in the same thing... if any of that is true is beyond me--it's just what I've been told.

Otherwise I LOVE my one to three cups of coffee in the morning and have for years!

Answer 4

Well, I started drinking coffee at the age of 16,well a couple of months ago. Many would say that its bad for you, which is true, and some would say its good for you, which is also true. I drink coffee to keep my up for the morning during class instead of an alternate of energy drinks such as the popular drink made by the Thai people, redbull. I see coffee as a negative stimulant because it may cause cancer later in life, thats why I'm drinking less and less. Coffee can also help prevent cancer, if you try msn, I believe they have an article on the pros and cons of coffee. Try to see it from your child's point of view.

Maybe the when you start your college schooling you should start drinking coffee.

Answer 5

Your daughter is kind of young to be drinking coffee. Ask he to try decaf Tea instead. You are the mom so whatever you think is best is what you should do. I come from a Spanish family and we start drinking coffee at a young age, just like many Italians drink wine at a young age. If she only has a cup a day than I think it is fine, but I guess it is better than her drinking soda. I would suggest for you to patrol how much she drinks

Answer 6

I really don't want my kids drinking coffee. I even have cut back a lot, maybe one cup a day.

What I have started drinking is a HEALTHY energy drink. It does not contain all of the sugar and caffeine like most other energy drinks do.

If you are concerned about your health and /or your kids health, you may want to consider this as an alternative.

You can find them at www.carlshealthhelp.com/energy.

There is even a picture that shows the loads of sugar that are in the energy drinks that kids like. My kids are now drinking this one. they say it gives them more energy and mental clarity, which helps them a lot in school.

Answer 7

I would say when he/she is a teenager. Their bodies are pretty strong and I dont believe there is any in coffee that would hurt them other than caffeine, which is fine within reason. I would let me kids drink coffee if they liked it once they get to be 14, 15 yrs old.

Answer 8

The caffeine in coffee is a drug which can stunt the growth of a child. My daughter is also 14, and tests by her doctor have shown that she is as tall as she's ever going to get so I allow her to have iced coffee from time to time, but decaf if she wants "real" coffee at other times. I am a harsh coffee addict myself, so I didn't see it as fair to be having it in front of her and to tell her that it wasn't good for her in the same breath.

Answer 9

She's a teenager, and she's going to drink what she wants. She's also, at this point, responsible for her own healthy or unhealthy eating/drinking habits.

One thing she may want to remember, though: If she adds cream and/or sugar to her coffee or if she's drinking those ready-bottled coffee drinks she will easily pack on the pounds.

I don't think its a big deal if she drinks coffee/coffee drinks, but maybe you could just mention to her that moderation is a good idea.

Answer 10

My father is Italian descent, my Mom is full blooded Cajun French - I was raised on coffee - starting with "coffe-milk" (basically homemade cafe au lait) when I was toddling around in diapers.
So far I've lived to the ripe old age of 35 and am going strong. And you're right, regular coffee, lattes, etc. are MUCH better than an energy drink.

Answer 11

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