To not allow DS to drink tea and coffee age 12

[user1474221222]

DS started secondary school in September and recently asked if he could have a cup of coffee as a drink when arriving home.

I've said no but as a child of the 1970's I had my first cup of coffee age 4 after been taught how to make one for my parents

So am I just being unreasonable ?

Tea contains tannin which can stop kids absorbing vital nutrients from their food

Only in large quantaties and certain circumstances.

Why wouldn't he be allowed tea! YABU

I'm surprised that anyone would worry about this. DS has only ever liked coffee as a hot drink since he was about 2 or 3.

You realise that at that age he can quite easily make himself one anyway...

Tea and coffee were available from a dispenser with breakfast and the evening meal at my boarding school, which I attended from the age of nine.

I cannot think of any justification for denying it to a 12 year old. Would you rather he drank canned cola?

Well, I had coffee much earlier.

Imo YABVU.

But make him a nice and tiring one. Not with milk or useless stuff.mor else he'll believe Starbucks actually sells coffeee :o!

Started to let mine have decaff at around 8 years and now they both have the odd cup of caffeinated at 13 and 17 .... I'd rather they had that than these horrible energy drinks I've had to confiscate from time to time

We had a tea and coffee machine at school!

*strong

Not tiring

What on earth is the issue with milky tea or coffee?

I need to know, so I can tell my mother, who let me drink tea on a daily basis from babyhood, how subversive she was.

My 9 and 12 year olds like a cup of tea on a wintry morning or after a blast in a rainy park. DD's fond of a peppermint or lemon and ginger tea too.

Moderation, I imagine, rather than abstinence, is key. YABU (but keep him of the CocaCola)

My one year old drinks decaf tea and coffee

My child is 4 and enjoys decaf tea every morning. I think this is more common with Eastern Europeans though?

Tea contains tannin which can stop kids absorbing vital nutrients from their food

Well I live in Yorkshire (not a native) and milky tea is given to toddlers. So there must be tens of thousands of children malnourished.

Ds2 is almost 11 and drinks the occasional decaf coffee. I blamed pizza express for their bambinocinno

Tea I would allow but not coffee.

Is the caffeine the issue? I only ask because if he's allowed the occasional Diet Coke is there much difference? As others have said, decaf or milky coffee? My nine year old loves a brew-decaf Yorkshire tea

Jeez Louise, a 12 year old should surely be allowed have a tea or coffee if they want one!

As long as they're not mainlining espressos I can't see the problem.

Lots of babies 9n the c9ntibent ste fed tea in baby bottles. Uduakly cokd snd unsweetened.
I never had a problem with tea and coffee. None of my now teens are huge fans but Costa Coffee is a v popular hang out gor the teens in our town. My dc go to socialuse but usally drink smoothies over coffees(probably laden with sugars).
My 15yo os a tea snob. Will only dtonk darjeeling or lady grey made with leaves in a pot and served in a chiba cup. But its as and when. Maybe 3 cups a day sone days then weeks 1 cup a couple of tines a week.

DS 19 has had tea regularly since aged about that age - never with sugar.

He still doesn't much like coffee - has one in the morning with two sugars purely as a Wake-Up Medicine before work but doesn't enjoy it!

My four year old loves a cup of tea often askes for one in the morning and after a long day at nursery..so I do think YABU

Yorkshire here

My 2 year old has the odd decaff milky tea! We won't let her partake of her dad's coffee though as that's not decaff. She has snuck a few mouthfuls when we weren't looking though!
At 12 I wouldn't think twice if she wanted it.

I wouldn't let dd put sugar in tea and am v happy to let her drink it. She probably has three cups a day. I'd give her a very weak milky sugar-free latte if she wanted to try that,

YABU
One cup of decaff is hardly going to kill him.
Then again....I once came home to find DS1 sat merrily drinking a can of Fosters, with his feet up, watching the Simpsons.
Aged 11.

OP you said that you refused to allow your son to have coffee, but you didn't say why. Would you please explain why, especially as you said that you had coffee at 4 yrs old?