Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

About giving a baby/toddler tea?

130 replies

WannabeNigella · 30/03/2011 17:00

I have heard a few people mention it over the last few months at baby groups etc and I'm a bit miffed?

Why would you give a baby/toddler tea? I'm talking anything between 10 months to under 2yrs in particular. Even if it is decaf, why?

I just can't think of a reason, apart from a selfish one, such as maybe you want them to have some with you cause you're having one. Even in cold weather, what is wrong with warm milk or some sugar free Horlicks etc if you really must.

I just don't get it, or AIBU and you're about to flame me and my 4yr old and 18month old are "missing out"

OP posts:
spongefingerssavedmylife · 30/03/2011 17:23

DD 3yo sometimes has a swig of my weak earl grey. It's warm on a cold day and she likes it. No worse than giving salty shop bread etc IMO. And deffo better than decaff or artificial sweetners. The process of decaffinating isn't very gentle!

tomhardyismydh · 30/03/2011 17:24

as stated previously tannin affects absorbtion and is also in some fruit teas. tea and most fruit teas are a dieretiic and so increases urine output.

WidowWadman · 30/03/2011 17:24

I think Horlicks (and especially the sugar-free variety) is much more nasty. My daughter likes tea. So she's allowed it once in a while. Doesn't hurt her, so how does that make me selfish or wrong?
I'm not saying that you must give tea to your children, but that doesn't make my choice wrong.

cloudydays · 30/03/2011 17:31

My dd (toddler) is at an age where she wants to try everything that we're eating or drinking, and she begs like a spoiled puppy even if she's just finished her dinner. I figure that she's experimenting with new tastes, temperatures and textures, and if what I'm having isn't particularly bad for her, I'll give her a bite or a sip.

I drink decaf tea in the evening and dd has successfully begged a few slurps out of my mug on several occassions. She seems to like the taste and the warmth of it.

I have no earthly idea why you would be miffed by this, or why you would think that I'm selfish for sharing my tea.

I also can't image why you think I'd care whether you give your children tea or not, or why I'd want to 'flame' you either way.

It's just tea!

crapbarry · 30/03/2011 17:32

in DH's country children have tea from 6 months/1 year old - fruit teas mainly. can't see the harm myself, except that the stuff is minging.

Mandy2003 · 30/03/2011 17:32

At DS's nursery they always served a big urn of milky tea for morning break, but DS did not like it and still doesn't 10 years later.

I'd heard the iron absorbtion thing too so I was a bit [skeptical]

cloudydays · 30/03/2011 17:32

can't imagine , obviously/

Mandy2003 · 30/03/2011 17:33

Oops, meant Hmm

WinterOfOurDiscountTents · 30/03/2011 17:33

Why wouldn't you? And, more to the point, why would you care what anyone else gives their kids to drink?

spongefingerssavedmylife · 30/03/2011 17:36

Tannin may well affect iron absorption but I doubt a mouthful of tea now and then will stop it altogether!

Original poster
WannabeNigella · 30/03/2011 17:41

It's not so much that I 'care' Winter. As I said in my OP I am curious if anything as to why it was done. I guess I've sort of had an answer to that, in the same way that I allow mine chocolate buttons some allow theirs tea. I still don't get it but that's ok.

OP posts:
AccioPinotGrigio · 30/03/2011 18:07

I was raised on tea - I am in my (ahem) 40's and can report no adverse health effects so far.

DS will sometimes drink herbal teas but isn't keen. I can totally understand why people might give tea to their kids, it's a natural product with some health benefits.

IMHO tea would be preferable to a laboratory manufactured powder drink which in its 'lite' form is quite likely to contain aspartame or similar.

crazygracieuk · 30/03/2011 18:32

On a tangent here but on the continent, children and babies are encouraged to drink fennel tea.

thisisyesterday · 30/03/2011 19:41

but there is nothing to "get" op

it's a drink

SnoozleDoozle · 30/03/2011 19:47

I would never have offered DD tea as I thought it was weird too, but was asking for advice from pharmacist one day regarding preventing dehydration (she had just had a stomach bug) and the pharmacist suggested giving her warm milky tea, so when she suggested it like that, and said she was happy to give it to her own son, who is the same age, I just thought, oh, must be ok then. That was when she was about 2. As it happened, she wasn't interested but now at the age of 4 she asks for a cup of tea every morning with her breakfast. She rarely drinks any more than a mouthful or two, but she has her own special mug and it makes her feel all grown up, and that suits both her and me.

LoveLeonardCohen · 30/03/2011 19:48

Weird, I've never heard of anyone doing this....yes why would anyone do this, surely not necessary

squeakytoy · 30/03/2011 19:48

I drank milky tea and coffee from a very early age too. No harm ever came from it.

quiddity · 30/03/2011 19:52

Are you sure the people at baby group mean tea? West Indians would call the contents of a baby's bottle "tea."

Nagoo · 30/03/2011 19:53

I've read threads on this before. it seemed to be a generational thing, where GPs suggested giving tea to toddlers.

If mine wants a bit of whatever I've got, i'll let him try it. (Fizzy drinks and alcohol excepted)

RitaMorgan · 30/03/2011 19:53

Milky tea is quite a common drink for small children where I'm from - it's more tea flavoured milk than anything.

RitaMorgan · 30/03/2011 19:54

I only judge when people put sugary tea in a bottle.

Sweetpea215 · 30/03/2011 19:56

My little nephew loves his mini cup of milky tea with his Grandma....occasionally.

Does everything a child has have to be 'necessary' before they should have it?

Unbelievable...
Nagoo has a healthy attitude....to let them try anything (in moderation).

Gemsy83 · 30/03/2011 20:00

It interferes with iron absorption when drank with a meal, so dont give your babby tea with their supper- jobs a good 'un!

mrsravelstein · 30/03/2011 20:01

ds1 and ds2 have never had any interest in trying the (endless) tea i drink all day... dd starting making a grab for it as soon as she could and absolutely loves it, will happily steal a whole cup of it. she also steals glasses of champagne, but i generally don't actually put that into a sippy cup for her.

Fresh2death · 30/03/2011 20:02

a mocha is probably tastier

Swipe left for the next trending thread