Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To give cup of tea to 4yo?

151 replies

maisybobbins · 17/05/2017 23:19

DS asked to try my tea couple of weeks ago so I let him, not for one second thinking he'd like it. Wrong!! So now he sometimes asks for his own cup and I make him one, really weak, lots of milk, honey in. DH caught him this morning having mug of tea with his breakfast and went absolutely spare at me saying DS is far to young at 4, that it's such an unhealthy drink etc. So really? Is it?

OP posts:
Neome · 17/05/2017 23:21

Howbout... decaffeinated?

Dmacka75 · 17/05/2017 23:21

If it's not decaffeinated, it's a lot of caffeine for a 4 year old x

CaulkheadUpNorf · 17/05/2017 23:21

Does he have to have honey in it? Would DH prefer it if it was decaf?

LittleLionMansMummy · 17/05/2017 23:22

Ds used to drink tea. He's now 6 but was probably about 4 when he drank it. We always made it weak and milky. The biggest issue was he liked it with sugar.

ILoveDolly · 17/05/2017 23:23

Tea isn't unhealthy but the caffeine isn't good for children . My kids love a nice cup of tea on a chilly day so I make sure we have decaf in the cupboard.

TittyGolightly · 17/05/2017 23:23

DD has had sips of my tea since she was tiny, but.....

I only drink decaf
I don't add any form of sweetener (why would you do that for a child?)
I drink milky tea.

I was always a bit concerned about the impact it has on iron absorption rather than anything else, but in your case the caffeine and honey concern me more.

ILoveDolly · 17/05/2017 23:23

Plus we don't put sugar in

anon1987 · 17/05/2017 23:24

My family and dp family all grew up on weak milky tea, and we are all 100% fine and healthy.
I always had mine in a half chewed Peter rabbit cup, my brother in a baby bottle with the teat chewed off and partner had his in a bottle also, his parents used to make it for him and sit back with baited breath and fingers crossed..if it wasn't to his exact specifications, he'd lob it across the room lol!

I wouldn't be too concerned, you could always give him decaf.

Fruitcorner123 · 17/05/2017 23:25

Yes a milky decaf tea now and again won't do any harm. A caffeinated tea is not appropriate. In caffeine terms it's like giving him 3 cans of coke!

ballerinabelle · 17/05/2017 23:25

It's not crack cocaine, its tea.

I drank tea from a young age. I'm now 32, no ailments and I'm a fully functioning adult. Weak milky tea now and again isn't that bad.

Rootvegetables · 17/05/2017 23:25

Drinking tea can actually effect iron absorption in children so it's not very good for them.

BackforGood · 17/05/2017 23:26

Why would you put honey in it ???
Totally apart from the fact that it would then taste nothing like tea, you are just giving him loads of sugar.

That is a lot of caffiene for a 4 yr old, unless you are giving de-caff.
I would also worry about burns - both scalding tongue and likelihood of him spilling it

5OBalesofHay · 17/05/2017 23:26

I wouldn't put sugar (or honey) in a drink but weak decaff should be ok.

anon1987 · 17/05/2017 23:26

Tittygo honey?? So you're telling me that your children have 0 sugar in their diet, not even apples???

mumtomaxwell · 17/05/2017 23:27

My 3 kids all love tea! I only drink decaf though so I make sure to give them that. One of them particularly likes Red Bush tea! Just switch to decaf and it'll be fine Smile

TittyGolightly · 17/05/2017 23:28

Where did I say that? I don't put sugar/syrup/honey in drinks. Shoot me. Hmm

Original poster
maisybobbins · 17/05/2017 23:29

Why oh why didn't I think of getting decaf for him??? Will do that. And cut down on the honey... Well will try, he watches me like a hawk when I add that. Didn't cross my mind that honey was bad tbh.

Decaf the way forward. Think the main appeal of the cup of tea is the mug. The grown up drink factor.

OP posts:
anon1987 · 17/05/2017 23:29

Titty you said 'why would you do that?'
It's honey for Christ sake, not meth 🙄

AndNoneForGretchenWieners · 17/05/2017 23:29

I've always drank tea, my mum used to give it me as a toddler. DS has never liked it but has loved coffee since about 2. I don't think there's anything wrong with it to be honest.

5OBalesofHay · 17/05/2017 23:30

Why not just give tea without sugar so he doesn't get a taste for it?

jajabonks · 17/05/2017 23:30

Apparently it stops/reduces iron being absorbed through the body. I read this once and have never given it to any of mine (I did however used to drink it as a child)

sonlypuppyfat · 17/05/2017 23:32

One cup of weak milky tea and your all losing your minds what absolute madness

Niceteeth · 17/05/2017 23:33

Please don't add honey. As a dentist, one reason I often find for children getting holes in their teeth is regular tea drinking with sugar/honey. Honey is just as bad as sugar for teeth. Best to avoid it altogether if you think he won't like it without.

TittyGolightly · 17/05/2017 23:33

Titty you said 'why would you do that?'
It's honey for Christ sake, not meth

You not aware of the seriousness of too much sugar then? Honey is pure sugar. Kids generally get more than enough sugar in their diets without adding more completely unnecessarily to drinks.

Why not just give tea without sugar so he doesn't get a taste for it?

For clarity, this was what I meant.

SomeOtherFuckers · 17/05/2017 23:34

I've always had tea ....

Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.

Join Mumsnet Log In

This thread is closed and is no longer accepting replies. Click here to start a new thread.