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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

When do kids start making and/or drinking tea & coffee?

26 replies

chablis · 11/08/2009 21:40

Was interested to see on the 'chores' thread that several people have their kids making them tea and coffee.

I'm sure DS1 (9) could do this (and it would be great for DH & I!) but I've avoided asking him, as I'm sure the next, logical development would be him wanting one for himself, and I don't feel young children need the caffeine from these drinks.

However I can remember drinking coffee at my friends' house when I was about 13/14, so when does it start?

What do yours do?

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GodzillasBumcheek · 11/08/2009 22:00

DD1 and 2 started making drinks as soon as they could safely reach and use the kettle - since our kettle was too high up in our last house, this was when they were 11. I think if they could have reached the kettle safely it would have been sooner. They are only allowed one hot drink a day though - as it tends to be options Hot Choc which is a bit more expensive than coffee. We also have de-caff coffee in though, and tea really doesn't have enough caffeine in for me to worry about.

danthe4th · 11/08/2009 22:06

My daughter makes a great coffee and I don't always have to ask she offers, she is now 12 and has been doing this for a couple of years.My 14 year old daughter however is useless and looks at me mad if I so much as ask her to put the kettle on. Neither of them drink tea or coffee but the 12 year old loves an occasional hot chocolate.

Tortoise · 11/08/2009 22:09

My DS1 12 has just started making his Uncle a coffee.
He has been making his own hot chocolate for around 6mths to a year.

I don't drink tea or coffee so until recently no one in the house has drank hot drinks other than hot choc.

Hormonesnomore · 11/08/2009 22:10

DS (28) and DD2 (27) don't drink tea or coffee, don't know how to make it and don't make it for me

I think DD1 first made me a cup of tea at about 9 years old (she cooked a meal at 11).

Larger Tesco stores sell 'baby tea' (Typhoo?) which has camomile in it & no caffeine. Most children like weak milky tea anyway, so their caffeine intake is likely to be low with only a cup now & again.

GodzillasBumcheek · 11/08/2009 22:11

Oh but i forgot - they don't make my coffee!

sandyballs · 11/08/2009 22:12

My DD (8) has been making us tea or coffee for the last six months or so. She's very sensible and practical so i trust her to do it. Her sister is another story though (same age!), so I'd say it depends on the child.

weegiemum · 11/08/2009 22:14

My dd1 who is 9 can make me an (instant) coffee. Dh will not let her near his complicated coffee routine.

She can also make instant hot chocolate, and tea.

Both my dds (9 and 5) like a "cuppatea". It is about 1/3 weak tea and 2/3 milk. They are only allowed one in a day and it is very weak - but a great way of getting milk into non-milk-drinking cheese-hating dd1 - calcium, hooray!

RustyBear · 11/08/2009 22:17

Mine have been making coffee for me & hot chocolate for themselves since they were about 11-12. But neither of them drank tea until they went to university - they still both dislike coffee.

TrinityRhinoIsInDetention · 11/08/2009 22:18

hoping mine will never drink it

wont be letting them at home

wont be asking them to make it for dh

Sidge · 11/08/2009 22:18

My DD1 is nearly 11 and has been making us tea for the last year or so. She also has a cup a day herself. Tea has a lot of beneficial ingredients and can contain less caffeine than coke so I don't mind her having a cup most days.

Guadalupe · 11/08/2009 22:19

Ds1 is 11 and brings me a cup of tea every morning. Has done for a year or so. He never has one himself though sometimes he makes a hot chocolate.

LittleMissBliss · 11/08/2009 22:22

I know of a few babies/toddlers that drink tea and find it really .

I didn't start drinking tea until i was about 12/13 and think will introduce tea at that age them making and drinking it.

Remotew · 11/08/2009 22:26

DD only started drinking and making tea at aged 12, she doesn't make many as she is lazy. Went camping recently and she tried coffee for the first time as I'd made up a flask, has since had a latte.

FourArms · 11/08/2009 22:37

I made my first cup at 8 or 9. No idea if it tasted nice!

We have a tefal one cup thingy, so hopefully the DS's will be making mine soon. They can already spoon in their own hot choc, then stir once the milk and water is in.

I think tea has more caffeine than coffee doesn't it? And de-caff still has about 2/3 the caffeine of caffeinated varieties. This is info I remember from my degree though, so it may have improved.

All that said, DS2 loves tea. It usually has 1cm of tea from my cup (which would be de-caff if DS2 wanted one), topped up with extra water and milk. It's a fab way of getting him to drink!

DontCallMeBaby · 11/08/2009 22:39

DD is 5 and has the occasional cuppatea in the style of weegiemum's DDs. With one sugar, admittedly, but I figure the calcium is worth it, and it's a big improvement on my first ever cup of tea at a similar age (FOUR sugars).

Clearly she is far too small to be allowed near a kettle. One 8yo making tea here though, only three years to go, lovely - DH makes me a cup of tea about every six months, I could do with someone else to do it.

cat64 · 11/08/2009 22:45

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Hormonesnomore · 11/08/2009 22:46

Guadalupe - your DS is lovely!

Guadalupe · 11/08/2009 23:07

Sometimes he offers me one in the afternoon, and says would you prefer redbush as it's a bit late.

I think it seems normal as I always made drinks for my mum. Though I am still somewhat disturbed by the sight of her slapping her lips with the skin of the coffee in those days when everyone had full fat milk. Boak.

beanieb · 11/08/2009 23:10

I was 7 when I started making tea.

TheLadyEvenstar · 11/08/2009 23:26

ds1 was 7 when he started making me coffee he is now 11 and suddenly makes the worse coffee ever he can make a brilliant tea for his dad though!!! and the odd one for himself.

ds2 has a long way to go yet until i let him make coffee that said he is only 23m old. He does enjoy a cuppa though, which I don't mind as other than milk and milkshake he won't drink any other drink, so tea is ok in my eyes.

timmette · 12/08/2009 10:54

Well I am a terrible mother and my 3 old ds has tea and or coffee once at the weekend - in a little espresso cup and it's more milk than anything else but he thinks he's such a big boy. Considering his favourite drink is water I don't mind.

Hormonesnomore · 12/08/2009 20:33

Nothing wrong with a babyccino (sp?) - warm milk with just a dusting of chocolate powder on the top - that's the way I like it too. . You're not a terrible mother timmette - apparently as a baby I loved it when my gran fed me rich tea biscuits dunked in her tea!

pranma · 13/08/2009 17:26

My dgs sometimes has about 1cm of Earl Grey topped up with water or a cup of frothy milk with choc sprinkles

Hormonesnomore · 13/08/2009 19:41

Yum! I'm going to try that pranma, it sounds lovely.

mumeeee · 14/08/2009 22:24

DD3 17 doesn't drink coffee but she satrted drinking tea at about 15 and has been making me tea or cofee since she was 12. She is dyspraxic so didn't try befor. DD1 and 2 are 22 and 19 they both drink tea and coffee which they started doing at arounf d 15 but would make it for others from the age of about 10/ DD1 doesn't drink eithe tee or coffee after 6.30pm as she finds she can't sleep if she does. she.s married and living in London now so doesn't make me drinks anymore.

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