To allow my 11 y/o DD to have a small cup of coffee every now and then?

[RafaellaNhaKyria]

Among my friends and family there is general shock and disapproval that I let her have coffee, ever. Regardless of amount or frequency, which is low on both counts.

Most of the. Wouldn't blink an eye if I handed her a coke, though. IMHO, isn't a bit of coffee with cream in it less potentially harmful than all the crap in a coke?

She has it maybe once a month. She adores coffee. Even when I was pregnant, all I could stomach eating for months was Haagen Daaz coffee ice cream! Maybe that's why, though.

*them

YANBU. I had a little bit of coffee nearly everday when I was that age, it helped me focus at school. As far as I know it's had no ill effects, I'm healthy as anything.

Let me guess. Your friends' children are all toddlers.

YANBU as far as I'm concerned. We grew up drinking tea from a relatively young age (6-7?) and it doesn't seem to have left any lasting impression other than the enjoyment of tea.

Good grief I can't see why anyone should be shocked at that. I am sure I was drinking coffee well before that age.

Strangely though my DD (17) still doesn't like coffee but she has trained herself to like tea because she thought that would be a sociable thing to do.

blimey... I was drinking a cup of tea or coffee every day from the age of about 5... probably two cups..

Seems odd to me.

I always think of it as an adult sitting chatting drink.

My 17yr old has only just started drinking tea-otherwise it's water or milk.

15yr old not had either yet-water, milk or juice for her still.

YANBU, my 11yr old is allowed coffee, she's not that fond of it though.
She can drink whatever she likes in moderation, in fact I'd let her taste alcohol if she asked, she never has.

Is this really a big thing?! My daughter has been drinking tea/coffee for about 2 years now and she's just turned 10.

My mum and dad were prolific coffee drinkers, it's something I started drinking very early on and infact drank black coffee daily by the age of 12. Unfortunately it's habit that has stuck and I drink far too much of the stuff.

I think there are worse drinks out there and once a month isn't an issue

YANBU I was drinking coffee at 8. The only time it did any harm was when I guzzled too much and couldn't sleep although the de-caff variety would have sorted that.

I read your title as
1yo and was quite shocked but 11yo seems quite normal to me.

I loved my cup of coffee after the family Sunday roast at that age.

Might be worth considering decaff if it becomes more frequent. I've been addicted to caffeine since 10. Not great.

Do people really get anxious about drinking coffee ? - I happily gave my 10 year old the odd glass of wine or beer on special occasions, actually my Mum gave him a few swigs of Pimms at a much younger age .

My DDs both like tea and Camp coffee :) (11 and 6)

My DS(2.7) would happily drain my coffee cup if I left it unguarded. Same with tea.

I allow him a sip every now and again if I'm on decaf.

But then I also give him sips of fizzy juice, bottles of fruit shoots and Greggs sausage rolls

I don't see any problem with it unless it was large quantities or on a very frequent basis. Especially if it's fairly milky.

I'd be a bit worried if it was a young child, but over about 8 years old I would be fine with it. I spent a lot of time in mainland Europe as a teenager and they all drink coffee from a young age there - as far as I know, French/Swiss/German/Italian kids all make it to adulthood without any major caffeine related issues.

My DDs aren't a huge fan of coffee - DD1 and DD2 will drink flavoured starbucks type lattes and mochas, but I suspect that's more the social aspect than anything else. It certainly wouldn't worry me if any of my DDs drank coffee or tea in moderate doses.

My dd has Ben drinking milky tea since she was tiny. And coffee since about 11. I am sure I read somewhere that tea was good for children.

Ben? Been

My ds loves a cup of tea when we have one, although he usually forgets to drink it. He's 13 but has been drinking tea (and making mine more importantly) since 11

YANBU, my DCs are only 3 and 5 so not coffee drinkers yet, but 11 seems entirely normal to me.

DD loves a latte

She's 3

I wish my 2 would drink some brews, it would be cheaper and healthier than the gallons of juice and squash they prefer.

We weren't allowed coffee until around 16, although allowed tea from around 5. This is apparently frowned on now as it inhibits iron absorption in children.
DH was given a flask of coffee with his packed lunch from 5.

There was something years ago about tea inhibiting iron absorption, Exit. But unless your daughter was guzzling great bottles of builders' brew I doubt it would have any negative impact.