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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to not really want to give my toddler a cup of tea?

92 replies

goandshowdaddy · 02/04/2010 18:08

My MIL is always asking me whether I've given my DS (22 months old) a cup of tea yet. I haven't and don't really feel the need to!

AIBU to not give him a cuppa every once in a while? I'm not really sure why I don't want to - don't have any hard facts about whether it's good or bad for him but just don't feel like he's missing out by not having it.

MIL says she used to be given tea with a bit of sugar in it to make it taste nicer...

OP posts:

amber1979 · 04/04/2010 13:36

Can't believe some of these posts.. It's TEA not crack cocaine. It's a sociable and healthy drink - full of anti-toxins and contains none of the crap you get in processed juices or pop. Add milk and you have a drop of calcium and protein too. The iron issue is only a problem if you drink strong tea with every meal - it can slightly inhibit absorbtion. Unless there is a diagnosed problem with anemia it's not worth worrying about.

If you're worried about caffine - get decaff. Tea is one of lifes simple pleasures around which many of our social customs are built.

Jillydix · 04/04/2010 13:45

OP - I think we have the same mother in law! We have had exactly the same rows about tea and salt. All hers had tea with sugar in bottles when very young. Mine DD loves water, and I have tried to encourage this. I also, in keeping with the babycare books of the day, did not add salt to her food when pureeing veggies etc. She said that the food would be tastless without salt, and, "Salt and sugar never harmed my children!" I pointed out that some research indicates that a high sugar intake in childhood can cause diabetes, and a lot of sodium (salt) contributes to heart disease. Of her 8 children, 4 are diabetic, and 3 have had stents inserted for hardening of the arteries. I am the first to say that this could happen anyway, regardless of what they ate, but I also figure that healthy eating habits (i.e. little not lots!) of salt and sugar certainly can't harm.

ppeatfruit · 04/04/2010 14:22

YANBU at all!! tea is addictive, acid forming.

I think the older generation who drink tea in the bucket load tend to blame their arthritis on acts of god; it's not just the tea that causes arthritis of course but it definitely contributes to it.

Certainly not good for babies!!

amber1979 · 04/04/2010 14:49

Actually tea has been shown to help prevent arthritis. I think most of the older generation know exactly how they got arthritis - hard work!

Some info on black tea and health:

www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=P55&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-GB%3Aofficial&channel=s&q =black+tea+arthritis&meta=cr%3DcountryUK|countryGB&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=

SueSylvester · 04/04/2010 15:59

Tea is not addictive. FFS.

I'm addicted to oxygen, is that a problem too.

thumbchick · 04/04/2010 16:07

I don't let DS (2.4) drink tea because of the caffeine and because of the tannins (tannins are the mineral absorption inhibitors). But also because I don't want him to get used to the idea that a cup of tea is accessible to him in case he tries to drink one when it's hot.

As it happens, I very rarely have tea or coffee anyway, but still. (wouldn't give him coffee either)

mitochondria · 04/04/2010 18:22

I mentioned somewhere near the beginning of this thread that I was surprised at the anti-tea feelings on MN last time this came up.

Nothing has changed, it seems.

I think it's important to get children used to tea, so that they don't grow up to be one of those strange types who say "oh no, I don't like it" when you offer them a cup. I'm afraid I'm intolerant when it comes to tea avoiders.

diddl · 04/04/2010 18:27

I think it's important to get children used to tea

Oh that is so funny!

thumbchick · 04/04/2010 18:30

pmsl at intolerance of tea avoiders!! how utterly bizarre. Do you not have any other choices of drink, mitochondria? Like water or milk?

mitochondria · 04/04/2010 18:31

Oh yes, we drink water or milk too.

But we also drink tea.

Because there really isn't anything wrong with it.

As someone else said, it isn't crack, and it isn't vodka. It's tea.

diddl · 04/04/2010 18:32

I don´t think that you need to drink it as a child though to ensure that you like it as an adult.

amber1979 · 04/04/2010 18:38

It's worth considering that just about every adult I know who does not drink tea (or coffee spit) replaces it with something else - usually fizzy pop. Which is either full of sugar (around six tea spoon fulls per can I think) or aspartme which is thought to interefere with brain activity/development. Those who get into coffee these days often end up drinking hideously unhealthy crapiolatty things in huge buckets from sh*tebucks.

Tea - we built an empire on it

Hell, I even held up a "Make Tea, Not War" plaquard at an anti-war demo once.

Tea = Good habit to have.

thumbchick · 04/04/2010 18:42

that's just the adults you know though, amber.

I don't generally drink tea or coffee (although can be browbeaten into it if necessary) but instead drink water or diluted fruit juice. I never drink fizzy stuff apart from sparkling mineral water, usually diluted with wine . Aspartame is a huge no-no in this household as well.

nothing wrong with tea when older but not a life-essential.

amber1979 · 04/04/2010 18:46

"nothing wrong with tea when older but not a life-essential. "

Now that is a highly subjective issue..

Lots of things aren't totally essential in childhood, but they are nice options to present.

Prinnie · 04/04/2010 19:17

I think it depends on background - I grew up on a farm and me, my sister and all my cousins have all been drinking tea (which started off as very weak and milky) from about 18 months, it just seems to be part of the culture. Having a cup of tea after school was also majorly comforting and much less bad for you than a hot chocolate/juice/milkshake etc.

helyg · 04/04/2010 19:26

Have to say that I'm not a big tea drinker myself, which may be why my kids don't drink it. I don't actively dislike it (although I will only drink it black and without sugar), it's just that there are things which I like more. I have the odd cup of coffee, I drink it in work sometimes but don't really like instant and can rarely be bothered to make "proper" coffee just for myself. Usually I drink peppermint, chammomile or jasmine green tea if I want a hot drink. Otherwise I tend to just drink water! So I haven't replaced tea with sugar or aspartame laden fizzy drinks, and I have no reason to think that my children will either.

ppeatfruit · 06/04/2010 13:48

Amber .. I don't think that the OP is talking about black tea without sugar is she ?

i drink some green tea and would drink black no sugar if there was nothing else I would not give it to my DCs though.

Not fizzy pop either. As helyg says water is fine; maybe with some fruit juice mixed in.

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