To ask what age kids can make a brew?

[hawaiianhal]

Got to be getting close to it now surely 🙏🙏🙏

9 here - but we have a big, heavy traditional kettle on a gas hob. They were doing everything except pouring the boiling water from about 7, and able to pour the water from the small plastic kettle at granny’s house around 8.

As someone who was cooking full meals for my family from the age of 6 or 7, I am genuinely surprised at people whose 9 year olds can't handle a kettle! I'm not saying that it was a GOOD thing for me to basically be a housekeeper from such a young age, but I was perfectly able to handle it, technically.

We aren't really a tea family, and I made a point never used my own children as skivvys, but my son was into cooking and could use everything in the kitchen unsupervised by the age of 8 or 9 as I remember.

My DD is 9 and I've started letting her make me a brew, but I only put the minimum amount of water in the kettle (I know not efficient) however I think this means she's less at risk of a scald as the kettle is less heavy so she finds it easier to handle.

I haven’t taught ds yet (13) only because I am very fussy about tea

He makes a great omelette, noodle stir fry and the best scrambled eggs

I must admit this is something I won’t rush to let my kids do. But I did scald myself (entire chest and left arm) when I was 9 making my dad a cup of tea (the cord got caught/tangled in some dishes). I was also a ridiculously sensible child so it’s want a lack of care. It was very very painful and horrible for about 3 months. I am lucky to have minimal scarring as an adult and missed my face. But kettles will be at least 11 for my lot

I remember them coming home from camp having learned how to cook bacon and eggs. Quite a revelation 😁

I started when I was 8 for the Brownies’ tea maker badge. You had to make a certain number of cuppas and get the recipient to tick your record sheet. Easiest badge ever

When they are tall enough that their elbows are higher than the surface the kettle is on.

I trained mine at the start of lockdown when she was 7.

My daughter has just started chiming in with “I’ll have a cup of tea, please.” every time my husband asks me if I want a drink. We’re obviously doing something wrong.

Hostess badge did seem like a sort of easy win at the time I must admit - I didn't fancy learning knots or trampolining or whatever the others were involving (probably being energetic outside). Pouring out a kettle and mashing some tealeaves and bam - badge. It even had a little cup and saucer on the badge if memory serves.

@Worried234 manners take even less effort than making your own cup of tea.

@KarlKennedysDurianFruit

Why on earth do primary age children need to make tea? They shouldn't be drinking caffeine at that age, DH is a classic case study of introducing young children to caffeine, he now gets headaches if he doesn't drink at least a dozen cups a day. If it's for the parents, make your own!!! A friend of mine has terrible scars from when she knocked her mum's cup of tea over when she was 8, not worth the risk letting young children handle boiling water because you can't be bothered to make yourself a cup of tea

I was drinking coffee, albeit Mellow Bird's with milk, when I was 3. I'd probably been drinking tea since about 1. I was drinking standard coffee at 6. I liked the taste more than tap water or fizzy stuff and I never had a sweet tooth.

Teaching children about risk and how to manage risk is an essential part of growing up. One of those risks is from hot things. Not teaching them how to identify and reduce risks does children a disservice.

By age 9 i could make a meal because i had too. M y lot were taught early how to make a brew.

Mine turns nine next month and has been making me the odd cuppa for the last few months. Before that I did the hot water pouring but she did the rest.

@alexdgr8

sounds like next lesson is basic first aid...

Used to be the next badge with my Pack. Hostess, then First Aider, then Seamstress. I like to think it made us fairly useful by the age of 10 as we'd already got badges and learned skills that served some purpose in the world by the time we were 8.

I did feel hard done by that the cubs got to go fishing and shooting with air rifles, though. Now, they sounded like fun. When I eventually learned to do both, they were, too.

I'm going to have to confess- my kettle lives in the cupboard and only comes out to make gravy.

Years ago when dd was about 7, and DW used to drink about 6324 cups of tea a day We taught dd how to use the kettle and how to make a brew and use the teapot.

We then got a dolce gusto machine, and DW stopped drinking tea. Dd (11) makes herself hot chocolate or the very occasional mocha.

Worried234

You said it way better than I could!

8 when we had a one cup self pour kettle. That then broke and she’s just recently started again with our normal kettle at 9 and a half.

I work on the principle that DS will listen to me less about risks as a teenager than as a junior age child. So we taught him at 8 under strict supervision.

@Wroxie

As someone who was cooking full meals for my family from the age of 6 or 7, I am genuinely surprised at people whose 9 year olds can't handle a kettle! I'm not saying that it was a GOOD thing for me to basically be a housekeeper from such a young age, but I was perfectly able to handle it, technically.

We aren't really a tea family, and I made a point never used my own children as skivvys, but my son was into cooking and could use everything in the kitchen unsupervised by the age of 8 or 9 as I remember.

My daughters 9 and a half and Iv only just started letting her help cook. She cooked bacon the other day and was pleased. Iv probably started to late.

I don’t ever remember making meals for my family though... my parents always made the meals which is why Iv probably not taught her.

She wanted to cook the bacon, so I let her with me next to her.

My dd (11) could make tea, but she trips over dust, so I'm not convinced I'd fully trust her with a kettle of boiled water or carry. She does however know how to make coffee with the Nespresso machine, and make scrambled egg.

It's not that I don't think she could, just worried we'd end up in a&e with burns and a tea-stained carpet.

Why on earth do primary age children need to make tea? They shouldn't be drinking caffeine at that age,

My dc are 24, 21, and 19 and still none of them drink tea the weirdos but they have all be taught to make a decent cup of tea. It is a life skill.

OP I think mine were about 8 when they started making tea. I think the key thing is that they are tall enough and strong enough to be able to lift and pour the kettle.

My DS (11) had realised he can get things he wants if he makes me a cup of tea as a surprise I am a proud Mum!