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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Giving my 3 year old a cup of tea every weekend..

146 replies

Mexicantahoe · 16/08/2021 22:30

My little girl is so great, eats everything, sleeps 7 to 7 uninterrupted.. Recently at the weekends she has shown an interest in my cup of tea, tea is the only thing I can manage first thing in the morning, I don't eat breakfast but at the weekend I sit down with her whilst she eats and I drink a cuppa.. I made her half a cup of weak tea last weekend and she absolutely loved it, I have mine with Oat milk so I don't add anything further to sweeten it.. Is it OK to give her 1 cup of reasonably weak tea at the weekends? Her teeth are also beautiful, straight and white with no plaque or cavities so I hope this isn't a slippery slope. It just was so lovely to see her really enjoying it. I'm pretty sure my first cup of tea was when I was very little too!
Is it ok or should I stop?

OP posts:
WaterIsBest · 16/08/2021 22:32

One cup of weak tea with no sugar wont hurt her

NeedingAGoodNap · 16/08/2021 22:33

I wouldn’t do it. Could you just give her warm milk instead? Or just quickly dunk a tea bag in so it looks like she’s having it but really isn’t?

ilovepixie · 16/08/2021 22:33

My 49 year old sister as a toddler loved tea. She used to ask for tea and toast all the time from about 18 months on. It never did her any harm.

OverByYer · 16/08/2021 22:33

Mine used to love a milky tea now and again

EileenGC · 16/08/2021 22:33

I'd personally not make caffeine a regular thing at 3 (be that tea, coke or chocolate...). Could you give her decaf or a nice peppermint or other herbal tea instead? I absolutely loved herbal teas when I was child and used to have mugs and mugs of it... still do as an adult Grin

newmumwithquestions · 16/08/2021 22:34

It’s fine. But if you prefer then redbush is a good caffeine free alternative

AllTheUsernamesAreAlreadyTaken · 16/08/2021 22:34

Maybe you could get her some decaf tea bags?

chillidoritto · 16/08/2021 22:35

I think it's fine! Mine like a cup of tea once in a while and my DD age 10 has one every day!

Original poster
Mexicantahoe · 16/08/2021 22:35

She's grown out of drinking milk now in the morning and has most of her milk in take in her cereal and a beaker full before bed. It was very weak the tea, i added a lot of Oat milk to it too. I was just worried about developing a bad habit.

OP posts:
mswales · 16/08/2021 22:36

Give her red bush (rooibos), my son also loves tea! She'll probably like red bush even more as it has a sweeter taste but looks just like normal tea. And has no caffeine!

WaterIsBest · 16/08/2021 22:37

Its honestly fine

Ninkanink · 16/08/2021 22:38

It’s absolutely fine. You can always make it 1/3 to 1/2 milk.

MistressoftheDarkSide · 16/08/2021 22:39

I was practically weaned on sugarless tea. I'm now 52, have only had two extractions and no fillings. I think it's one of the less harmful things to children tbh.

Original poster
Mexicantahoe · 16/08/2021 22:40

@Ninkanink

It’s absolutely fine. You can always make it 1/3 to 1/2 milk.
That's basically what it was, there was far more milk than tea.
OP posts:
DismantledKing · 16/08/2021 22:40

It’s honestly fine.

cushioncovers · 16/08/2021 22:41

Both my kids loved weak tea with sugar in it, they had one cup every day from about 3 years old they are fine so's their teeth.

Ninkanink · 16/08/2021 22:41

Then there’s really no problem at all.

Strokethefurrywall · 16/08/2021 22:41

There’s a picture of me having my tea out of a supply cup when I was about 18 months old! We were brought up on the stuff!
No issues, it’s not like you’re giving her a full on mug of builders Yorkshire tea (or are you?) 🤣

Ninkanink · 16/08/2021 22:42

Tbf it’d be absolutely fine even if it wasn’t very milky.

There’s no need to worry about it. 🙂

lyntheyresexpeople · 16/08/2021 22:42

Absolutely fine Smile

Runkle · 16/08/2021 22:43

I would be decaf.

Runkle · 16/08/2021 22:43

*but

heyimadeit · 16/08/2021 22:43

Slippery slope OP.

She’ll be on crack next.

I drank tea as a child and I’m now 36 with no fillings (and in the west of Scotland too which makes me a modern day miracle 😂)

Enjoying little treats is what life’s all about. Enjoy your cuppas together - she’ll still hopefully be joining you for a tea when she’s all grown up Smile

aworldofourown · 16/08/2021 22:43

Wow I thought tea was a very bad thing for children, due to caffeine. I know there's decaf now. Although I drank tea as a child, we loved dipping biscuits and drinking the tea. I have never given it to my children, they have shown alot of interest for tea and coffee as they see us drinking it but I have told them it's only for adults.

Original poster
Mexicantahoe · 16/08/2021 22:44

@Strokethefurrywall

There’s a picture of me having my tea out of a supply cup when I was about 18 months old! We were brought up on the stuff! No issues, it’s not like you’re giving her a full on mug of builders Yorkshire tea (or are you?) 🤣
Haha no.. That's my cuppa in the morning though which she tries to nick.. That's why I started making her one for herself so she stopped taking mine🤣
OP posts: