What age do you let them have coffee?

[Spotsbeforemyeyes]

I have 6 dc, eldest is 23, then 21, 15, 13, 11 and 7.

Eldest had latte from 17. Ds (21) not interested in coffee, he drinks tea from time to time.

Ds is 15, he said this morning “ I’m going to make a brew” I assumed tea, when I realised he was making coffee (pods if it’s relevant) so I stopped him.

He goes to football regularly with his dad so I don’t know if ds allows him coffee.

Anyway this has got longer than I intended.

Coffee at 15? It feels too young. Is decaf an option? I don’t drink decaf, I only ever have one coffee a day so is decaf completely free from caffeine?

Thanks if you made it through.

My 12 year old likes coffee so I let him have decaf. Don't see the issue?

Decaf is fine. BTW - I come from a coffee-addicted cultural background, started with espressos at 15 on a school trip and never looked back. My 16 months DS loves licking DH's decaf cup

I wouldn’t stop a 15 year old having coffee.

I wouldn’t be happy to let an 11 year old start a coffee habit. But I think if you already allow tea if seems odd to say no to coffee!

X*well because of the caffeine.

So is decaf completely caffeine free? I’ll pick some up later. Thanks

I'm not sure why you'd stop a 15 year old having a single cup of coffee in the morning? He could easily buy them out and about or buy Coke/red bull which is far worse IMO

I'd rather coffee than Red Bull or something else. The canteen at my school served coffee from year 9 onwards at breakfast, we all used to drink it black thinking it was some kind of cool thing to do.

As my 12yo is already physically bigger than me, it would be ridiculous to stop her, as the caffeine would have more effect on me than her!
She's never asked for one, mind you.

My 15 year old started drinking coffee at 13. She drinks a cup of caffeinated coffee a week if that?

I let my daughter taste my (warm) coffee (no sugar) aged about 3....she hated it and has never wanted one since (20).

Watching with interest. My 10yo really likes coffee apparently. (His dad has given him v weak mocha apparently )

I ask every morning if he wants tea or coffee when I mean toast or cereal just because I'm not yet awake.
I'm worried decaf is a bit chemicaly.

Really? Hand wringing over a 15 year old having a cup of coffee???
If it was a neat gin with his Cheerios you might need to worry OP, but this is the most non issue non issue I’ve ever heard,

I had a 5 year old ask me for a latte I laughed and his mum said no He loves them. Said no we don't do lattes ( this was in a dental practice) so he asked for a black coffee and his mum was fine with it! Didn't know what
To do really!!

I think from 14 or 15 you have to let them make their own decisions about what they eat and drink. You've had your chance to teach them healthy/sensible habits. Now it's up to them.

You know teA has caffeine in it too right?

He is 15 and you are stopping him having a cup of coffee? That's a bit extreme.

I sometimes give my 13-year-old a half-caff in the morning.

Oh god dd2 drinks decaf (4 yrs) she loves the stuff! I make it milky though

I can’t remember ever not drinking coffee! I have a vivid memory of my parents getting one of those filter coffee machines in about 1980 and being a given a cup. I would have been about 5 or 6. My mum is Italian though so perhaps that makes a difference. My DCs (12 and 14) don’t really like it yet, but I wouldn’t be bothered if they did. They do drink tea though.

I have a 6 year old cousin who drinks coffee, I'm sure it's not even decaf because the kid is mental.

But I wouldn't think anything of a child over 12 having it.

My 13 yr old has had a few lattes from the Dolce Gusto machine. Tends to have a couple in a week them nothing for months.

It's coffee, not crack.

I had a six year old patient at work who I would share my latte's with. (Tried babycinos, but he didn't like them and kept looking at my coffee)
His mum gave him coffee at home as that was their culture.

Seriously the things people worry about. No wonder we are raising a bunch of snowflakes!!
My Ds 15 and 13 both drink coffee rarely but it's up to them. As said before I've spent years teaching them how to be healthy. Now it's time to let them choose and chat over how it makes them feel. 13yo definitely feels different after coffee so I have suggested it's not a good idea but have little control now that he goes into London etc alone

But you let him drink tea? Why do you think coffee is worse than tea?

I didnt start drinking coffee until my 20s i think its because I grew up in a non-coffee drinking household. I'm in my late 20s now and I drink coffee on average twice a week.

Children under 16 are not allowed to buy energy drinks in the UK. In some countries they're pushing it to be 18yrs old at least. But there's no age restrictions on who can buy coffee lol