AIBU to say no to drinking tea?

[SnowSurprise]

DD, 9, had a sip of my tea yesterday and said she liked it and asked to be allowed to drink some more often. I'm not sure. It was after walking back from an activity to the car, so I'm inclined to think it was a warm drink she was after rather than "tea".

I let her drink fruit "teas" which are technically infusions, but not black tea or coffee.

AIBU to think she is too young for proper tea? My main concerns are caffeine, teeth staining, iron absorption.

YABU: let the poor child drink some tea!
YANBU: She is too young, no tea for her!

She's nine! Of course she should be allowed tea (and coffee). It's not gin she's asking for.

It’s fine

Yeah, it’s fine as long as it’s not multiple cups of strong tea a day! Keep trying fruit infusions or other warm drinks too, or course, but the occasional cup is fine.

I wouldn’t allow it but that’s because I don’t drink hot drinks and hate that everyone seems to have this addiction to tea and coffee.

I really can’t see the issue with the odd cup of tea.

It's fine, but if you are concerned about caffeine, maybe decaf tea? That's what I make for my DS, who is 7.

Tea will be better for her tooth enamel than fruit infusions.

I’m sure I had a morning cup of milky tea at this age. Nothing wrong with it.

I’m not a caffeine addict but I do like to have two cups of tea a day

My ds is 16 and has been drinking tea from the age of 4. In fact, most people I know have been drinking it from childhood. She will be fine, as long as it isn’t loaded with sugar.

I think it's absolutely fine.

I used to drink tea at 9 years old, I didn't want it very often but maybe once a week or so! I'm an adult now and my teeth are fine and never had any problems with my iron!

I also don't drink tea daily now or ever drink coffee

We said ours could have tea, but no sugar in it. They often didn't want it then, though, because they wanted it to taste sweet. We didn't allow caffeinated coffee.

Now, they're 16, 14, 12, I'm not too fussed, but still like them to have decaf coffee. I drink decaf tea.

Do you let her have hot chocolate? That has caffeine, so it probably isn't worth getting hung up on.

A cup of tea isn’t significantly more caffeinated than a large chocolate bar! An occasional cup for a 9YO is absolutely fine. Just make hers milky.

Just buy her some decaf teabags if it's the caffeine you're worried about? Teeth staining unlikely to be a problem unless she drinks loads of it. She's 9, she'll probably go off the idea soon enough anyway.

I'd let her for sure . I'd worry more about coffee . My 13 year old likes coffee after discovering Starbucks with her friends so we buy her decaffeinated but I'd let her have tea if she asked
I drink the fruit ones but worry about the sugar content

Do you have stained teeth and anaemia OP? Nor me.

Children used to drink light ale back in the day as it was safer than water.

You're making an inoffensive drink into something mysterious and exciting.Give her some tea, but leave out the sugar- bleurgh!

Get her some Yorkshire decaf, I started at 9, didn't get staining til I was 19. It just doesn't seem to cling to your teeth the same way when you're young. I'd def avoid caffeine though as it can cause all kinds of issues - get her through puberty first 🤣

@Twoweekcruise

My ds is 16 and has been drinking tea from the age of 4. In fact, most people I know have been drinking it from childhood. She will be fine, as long as it isn’t loaded with sugar.

I'm a child of the80's born in.tye 70's and it was normal to see tea in babies bottles. Dont see it nowadays mind you but I remember both my sisters having tea when they were toddlers in baby bottles

@DigOlBick

I wouldn’t allow it but that’s because I don’t drink hot drinks and hate that everyone seems to have this addiction to tea and coffee.

Goodness. You sound rather joyless If I didn't drink hot drinks I would get dehydrated. I never fancy a cold drink on a cold day or when I am sitting shivering under the aircon vent at work.

Should I ban everyone from eating parsnips just because I don't like them?

@SnowSurprise if you are concerned about caffeine there are loads of decent decaf options now that taste just as good as the full fat version. As for iron absorption you just need to ensure that tea is not drunk within an hour of eating a meal.

I have no issue with a 9 year old having a cup of tea. DS goes through phases of having a cup of tea and he's 11. He has recently started having the occasional flat white or latte on a Saturday if we're out shopping, or the odd cup of coffee at home. Frankly, I'd rather that than a can of coke or a massive glass of orange juice or even a hot chocolate.

I can't see much harm in a cup of warm, milky tea. Especially when it's so cold right now. I would make a big deal of allowing it, though!

Just get decaf or rooibos tea (no staining but goes with milk)

A cup of tea isn’t significantly more caffeinated than a large chocolate bar!
But she wouldn't eat a large chocolate bar in one sitting.

I do drink decaf tea in the evening. I do get stained teeth. I have had issues with iron, but this could be for a variety of reasons. I drink 6 cups a day on average. Definitely no sugar

You could just dunk your own teabag in a mug for her to make a weak tea.

@RampantIvy if people started being unable to function in the mornings without a “nice hot parsnip” or need to have two or three parsnips a day or ruin days out because of the need to find somewhere to sit down and have a bloody parsnip then yea I would ban them too!

Get decaf tea, if you worried.