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Original poster

Toddler drinking tea at MIL's!!

38 replies

boo64 · 14/05/2007 18:23

My MIL bless her insisted on giving ds (just under 2) some tea today - very milky and weak but still tea. I tried to tell her I'd rather he didn't have it but she gave it to him anyway....grrr.

Now yes he does always try and drink our tea as he sees us with it but surely this isn't a suitable drink for a 2 year old - dilute or not??

Or am I being over protective??!

OP posts:

fryalot · 14/05/2007 18:24

I may be alone in this, but my kids have been having tea (no sugar) pretty much all their lives.

DD1 used to have it in her bottle.

cornsilk · 14/05/2007 18:26

There's no harm in weak tea surely but you'd told her not to so she shouldn't have!

CorrieDale · 14/05/2007 18:26

Not sure. We don't give it to DS because it inhibits iron absorption, and since we're veggie and I tend to anaemia, we err on the side of caution. OTH, I've seen lots of mums let their children dunk their biscuits in mum's tea/coffee.

Original poster

boo64 · 14/05/2007 18:27

I've pretty much given up on the issue of MIL not taking any notice of what I say.....that would be a whole other thread!! But it is very annoying as I feel like I can't let her babysit him alone as I don't trust that she won't do anything stupid....oops am slipping off the subject!

OP posts:

cornsilk · 14/05/2007 18:29

I was regularly given tea as a child. Have never given it to mine though.

Carmenere · 14/05/2007 18:31

Better tea than fruit shoot or fizzy drinks imo. You have a choice here, you know that your dc doesn't have tea regularly and you know that your mil doesn't mean any harm so you can either get upset and risk upsetting her by calling her on it or just ignore it and accept that it happens occasionally.

lissielou · 14/05/2007 18:31

she shouldnt have gone against your wishes but i give ds v weak milky tea in the morning. he loves it.

Hilllary · 14/05/2007 18:31

My dd loves a cup of tea we often have one together - she's nearly 3 btw. Personally I cant see the harm in it, too much goes on what you can and cant give your dc's Its like we live by a rule book instead of actually living. I always had a cup of tea with my mum too, I had a bunnykins cup and saucer - still got it actually.

fryalot · 14/05/2007 18:32

hills, that's lovely - can you post a pic of your bunnykins cup and saucer on your profile so we can all see it?

CorrieDale · 14/05/2007 18:34

Ah, now, that's a different issue, Boo. Can you come up with your non-breakable rules, adn let her know what they are? Let her know that it's understood that DS can do things at granny's that he won't get away with at home, and that you don't want to stop her from spoiling him to a certain extent, but that there are definite no-nos, that you would be very angry about if they occurred?

stressteddy · 14/05/2007 18:34

My ds and dh have a cup of tea together every morning
He seems to like it
V weak, v milky. Sometimes decaff

Not worried at all

I do hate it when MIl's don't do as you want though! poo to all those that don't!!

suzycreamcheese · 14/05/2007 18:36

ds doesnt like tea much but loves expresso ...give him tiny bit in tiny cup at weekend as otherwise he just swipes mine...
am sure it all started with the foam from cappucino..

other than though its water or milk..nought else...

lissielou · 14/05/2007 18:36

good idea corriedale

lissielou · 14/05/2007 18:37

ds also loves decaff coffee. again only a few granules and v milky but he has it with a biscuit

Hilllary · 14/05/2007 18:38

Hi Squonk

Oh yes I will have to have a look - must go and put the kettle on all this talk of tea is getting me thirsty

lyrabelacqua · 14/05/2007 18:39

DS2 often finishes my tea if i leave a bit at the bottom. I can't see that it does him any harm if it's only occasionally.
MIL should have listened to your wishes though. if another mother said 'please don't give my child that' there's no way I'd have ingmored her.
Her behaviour is disrespectful of you as a mother and it's like she's saying to you 'what do you know? I'll do what i want'.

yaddayah · 14/05/2007 18:44

My MIL is the same .. all i get was but DH loved his tea.. yessss but my dc's tried your sodding tea (i gritted my teeth on this one and let them after the zillionth time of but, but) and hated it .. so why persist in getting them to try it again (and again ad nausem you daft old bat)

sorry .. veering off topic !

Perhaps not overprotective, just a long suffering DIL ?

SenoraPostrophe · 14/05/2007 18:46

jaysus is there something wrong with tea now?

It's a great drink for kids. low sugar, makes them feel grown up etc....

misdee · 14/05/2007 18:48

dd3 loves a cuppa. the older two dont. she has it very milky as well.

handlemecarefully · 14/05/2007 18:56

Yes you are being a wee bit over protective - tea is fairly innocuous

Original poster

boo64 · 14/05/2007 19:01

Maybe I should buy her a box of decaff for him then it would be ok occasionally.

FWIW I checked the Food Standards Agency site and it says children shouldn't have tea but I guess I take the point that a bit of dilute tea occasionally won't do mcuh harm.

To be fair to MIL English isn't her first language (although she has been here for 45 years so not much of an excuse) so maybe she doesn't understand sometimes.....

And she is renowned for not listening to people anyway.

It is sad as Ds adores her so would be very happy being babysat by her but it would be a recipe for an accident - she left the steaming hot cuppa on the coffee table well within his reach today despite me saying 'can you move that it'd be safer on the windowsill' etc.

Ok before I continue whinging I will stop!

OP posts:

Hilllary · 14/05/2007 19:02

Sorry Squonk forgot it was actually a bramly hedge tea set I have a bunnykins dinner set

anyway heres a link (being lazy)

bramley hedge tea set

LadyTophamHatt · 14/05/2007 19:02

ds2+3 both love a cuppa.
and they have sugar in it.

I'm goping to hell.

lilymolly · 14/05/2007 19:39

I have heard that drinking tea whilst eating, prevents Iron absorption in children. Also I would be concerned about caffiene.

To be honest, I would go mad with mil, is she gave my dd anything other than milk or water, and these are only given in a cup. dd is 17 months.

It is my bugbear, giving children (at least under the age of 2) anything other than water/milk. I am presuming, dd will soon catch on and realise thst other children are getting juice etc, that I will be up shit creek

lilymolly · 14/05/2007 19:41

I also have a great fear that if dd drinks things that grown ups have, she will want everything we drink, and I really just enjoy having a cup of tea in peace, without dd constantly wanting it.

Please tell my everyone that you do not put sugar in your tea for your children

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