To give my 12 year old decaf coffee?

[SweetOneSizeFitsAll]

DD likes the taste and smell of coffee. She has had a few sips or tea spoon full from my cup and has asked to drink coffee as a now and again treat. I'm not sure I should give her caffeinated coffee so have bought some decaf but my sil says I'm poisoning my tween.

What age do people start drinking normal coffee and AIBU to give dd decaf once a week?

Seems fine to me?

I don’t see the issue
mine have had decaf at that age and the occasional weak caffeinated.

many kids and teens that age drink coke which also has caffeine

decaf or normal, it's not poison. My kids have had an occasional coffee (with caffeine) from about age 10.
I wouldn't give them a caffeinated drink in the afternoon in case they can't sleep.
most fizzy drinks are way worse for kids than coffee

Mine have had tea and coffee since they were that sort of age. Weak probably at that age, they're 16 now and my teenage son loves coffee and drinks far too much of it! I'm not overly concerned though, his dad and I are the same!

Well, back in the dark ages of the 1970s I had tea and milky weak normal coffee fairly regularly and I am, just about, still here.

I think a weak decaf a few times a week would be fine. But if in doubt, have a Google.

SIL says decaf is processed food and why would I give that to such a young child. Her dd drinks fruit tea, as apparently that's much better?

My daughter and her friends have been having costa/Starbucks etc for about a year now so since 14, but before that she used to just make herself a regular coffee since around 12. Not very often though, maybe once every few days. De caf is a good idea, I probably should have been making my daughter have that

I think I started having the occasional coffee while in primary school (maybe age 9/10, not sure), though wasn't keen enough on the taste to start drinking it regularly until I was maybe 12/13. The only time I've had decaf tea or coffee was when I was pregnant.

A 12 year old drinking coffee wouldn't register as an issue for me at all.

Of course YANBU, and no, you’re not poisoning your child. Your SIL is being ridiculous. DD was drinking proper coffee from around age 11/12 - usually just plain 1 shot iced lattes so mainly milk, not a huge amount of caffeine and more importantly in my opinion no sugary syrup rubbish in it.

Her school was right beside a Starbucks - your SIL would be having a panic attack if she saw the floods of Y7s coming in after lessons..

Not to everyones taste but at the same age DD loved Camp coffee and enjoyed making it herself. As an added bonus she started experimenting wth cold milk and ice cubes to make iced coffee. She is now a big fan of frappacino.

I'd say no

It's very hard to avoid processed food, so as a treat it's fine. They can choose their own food and drinks once they are in secondary school and able to go to shops with friends etc so your SIL is probably fighting a battle she won't win in the long run. Of course healthy food and drinks should be encouraged but they will most likely choose a sausage roll at lunch time with friends etc

What's Camp coffee?

Mine is 11 and definitely on occasion has the odd cup of coffee (not decaf). Your sister sounds intensely joyless. I truly can’t see how a bloody fruit tea is any less processed than coffee. I can’t get worked up about that sort of thing.

My DD (13) drinks aggressively caffeinated coffee maybe once a week or fortnight. Has done for a fair few years. She likes it black with half a sugar. Please don't tell your SIL 😂

I drank regular coffee from age 10. There is nothing wrong with a bit of caffiene. Kids that drink coke or Pepsi will be getting caffiene in a chemical cocktail, and no one bats an eye at a that. Coffee, tea, they are natural caffiene with anti-oxidants and are not unhealthy in moderation adjusted to body weight.

Your SIL is over cautious.

I was given weak milky instant coffee for breakfast from 2 onwards. I don't have a coffee addiction and never have. In fact I prefer a cup of tea. But of course it's ok for a 12 yo to have any drinks apart from alcohol. In moderation obviously.

I drink decaf coffee and both my children have been helping themselves to mine since they were 2 ish. A decaf latte is mostly milk in my opinion, I'd rather they were drinking that than squash or most fruit juice to be honest, I don't see what the issue with decaf coffee would be.

She has had a few sips or tea spoon full from my cup and has asked to drink coffee as a now and again treat.

Blimey, I was a very biddable, compliant adolescent, but I'd have taken umbrage at my mother rationing out teaspoons of coffee, and then claiming it to be a treat!

Ive been drinking coffee since i was 11.

It doesn't sound like SIL's opinion is worth your consideration.

Tap water is a processed food. This way madness lies

If you google “ is drinking too much herbal tea bad for you” Google produces absolutely chilling answer.
Forward the screenshot to you SIL.
I would rather stick to coffee, decaf or not.
I started drinking normal black coffee at the age of 13. I wouldn’t do it in the evening or if you have high blood pressure ( mine is low) otherwise it’s fine.

That what I was like at that age😂 I drink 25 tea and coffees a day now. Full caffeine 🤭

I started drinking black filter coffee around age 4. One cup a day for breakfast because that’s what my mum had. But I am old! I don’t think the odd decaf is an issue.