AIBU to feel sad that my 10-year-old prefers coffee over our family tea time?

I knew this thread would get filled with the crazies! A small cup of coffee verse a diet coke or a cup of tea is fine

🤣🤣

Your son has taste! He's a mini sophisticate and should be encouraged.
Tea drinkers on the other hand....
I jest, I am a Northerner who hates tea! My family are virtually NC as a consequence, they think I am bonkers.
But your son and I know how the world works...
😀

How juvenile. My 7 year old likes whiskey and a cigar.

Considering little kids have been wandering around drinking cold tea in their bottles since time began (I know, it's revolting but it happens - probably not in Mumsnet circles though haha) I can't understand why people are so aghast at anyone under 25 having caffeine! I'm more shocked that the OP is so prescriptive about what drinks everyone has than that the kids are getting a drink with caffeine in it. Should ten year olds also not be allowed Coke then? Oh, this is Mumsnet so probably not.

My first inclination is to wonder why you’d be so controlling as to tell him which drink he should be preferring to drink?
But my overriding concern is that he has been encouraged to regularly drink tea at his age!
A second on Google tells you all you need to know: “There is no accepted safe amount of caffeine for kids under the age of 12. When deciding whether to give a child tea that contains caffeine, experts recommend being cautious”

What!??!?!?!?!?!?!!? Why on earth are you allowing him to have coffee? Even tea, is fucking weird at this age, it also has caffeine. Also, let's say we ignore that, why can't he drink his coffee with you drinking tea. I don't get it. Why can't you have different drinks at the same table? Sorry, but this is all utter nonsense.

I hear ketamine infusions are popular nowadays.

I feel your pain. My 10 yo just won’t join in with family gin hour - insists scotch is his drink, the Philistine. Honestly, kids these days! Perhaps try offering him a tot of rum with his tea? That might persuade him.

How odd, for a couple of reasons.

1. Odd that a child of that age even likes coffee.
2. How exactly does it infringe on tea time? Can’t he just drink coffee whilst you drink tea? You sound a bit controlling

A pile of crap
That concludes the early morning episode of jackanory.

Do... Do some of you not know coffee and black tea both have approx same amount of caffeine? Black tea actually generally has more per portion than nescafe for example?

Like this thread is obvious a wind up (yet another) but it's actually concerning how many people don't know black tea has quite an amount of caffeine?

We had similar, except that with our 10 year old it was tequila slammers.

Join you for teatime? Is it served in the drawing room with cucumber sandwiches by people from downstairs?

All sounds very formal. People should drink what they want, but kids shouldn’t be drinking coffee.

Why on earth has a ten year old been given either tea or coffee?

But that crazy decision to give them access to these aside, how does it matter what drink he is drinking at the same time as another person is drinking something?

The idea of sitting down as a family is in no way impacted by one person having a glass of milk or water while another drinks cocoa!

Have Hot Drink Time instead. Two of mine drink tea but the middle one prefers coffee.

10 is too young to be drinking coffee. If he really likes the taste give him decaf!

You have some strange expectations of him.

The coffee should be swapped for hot chocolate until he is older. It’s a strange practice having a tea time these days. I imagine you are hankering after the connection with him, so find a few hobby or activity to do together. How about introducing a game such as double?

One can drink coffee at Tea. Only perhaps don't post about it on MumsNet as some may get the hump over creeping Americanisation. Which, come to think of it, may be a real concern - has he also been making his own Frito Pie and saying "movies"?

Don't buy coffee then.
If it's not in the house he can't drink it.
I also don't know many ten year olds that like tea either (my 16 year old will drink ice tea).

For the ones pearl clutching about caffeine content, there can be as much caffeine in black tea as coffee, depending on the strength.

That said, I don't drink caffeine in the afternoon as it will disrupt sleep, and I don't think a child should either.

What have I just read? 😮

Give him decaf, far too young.

Cuppa makes me feel sick.

He shouldn't be drinking coffee unless it's decaf. Why can't he drink that at the same time? Family tea time sounds mad.

My mum made me start drinking coffee around ten years old! So that I could get used to it before I got older and invited round people's houses for coffee.... hated the stuff at first.

Why can't he drink his coffee with you all while you have your tea? Though also, he's growing up, its natural to want to spend less time with your family as you grow up.