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Original poster

Do your 5 year olds drink tea?

81 replies

Enid · 04/04/2005 12:14

was a bit shocked when dd's friend's mum offered me and them a cup of tea. Didn't know how to say 'dd1 doesnt drink tea' without sounding like a prat. She had already given them one earlier apparently and dd1 said she had sugar in hers - cheeky mare, she's never had a cup of tea in her life

OP posts:
mummytosteven · 04/04/2005 12:38

i'm a bit of an iron absorption obsessive coz DS is veggie!

RTMTMML · 04/04/2005 12:41

Nah!

sacha3taylor · 04/04/2005 12:54

my ds is 5 and has the odd cup, but it is really warm milk with a tea bag waved at it! He also likes coffee but has this VERY weak and doesn't have sugar in either.

iota · 04/04/2005 12:57

not mine - he won't go near tea or coffe - he tried hot chocolate once and hated it.

suzywong · 04/04/2005 13:05

no they don't
nor do I, vile stuff

CountessDracula · 04/04/2005 13:15

my dd has had one occasionally since the age of 2 - I give her decaf though and tbh is mostly milk

ambrosia · 04/04/2005 13:17

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

suedonim · 04/04/2005 14:28

Dd2 started drinking the occasional cup of tea when we were living in the tropics. I was keen to get fluids into her so didn't say no. In any case, dh and I drink Early Grey that's about the strength of gnat's p*ss so I doubt it did her any harm. Dd's the only one of my four to ask for tea or coffee, though.

hoxtonchick · 04/04/2005 14:37

i sometimes give ds herbal tea which he quite likes. it's an enormous treat for him to have a miniscule amount of coffee in with his milk but it doesn't even colour the milk so i doubt he's getting much caffeine from it....

Sophmum · 04/04/2005 14:44

Oh dear. I've given dd tea and coffee since she was about 1. She's always liked black coffee and tea either with or without milk (but I always make it quite weak, and only about one cup a day).

I think it might be a hereditary taste thing, as I and my mum both liked black coffee as very young children.

sansouci · 04/04/2005 20:15

Herbal teas (NB only those made for babies!) highly recommended. Given as sample in "going home kit" after birth of ds.

Shazzler · 04/04/2005 20:37

My dd is 19 mths and loves tea. She has half tea and half milk.

hatsoff · 04/04/2005 21:09

I think there's something really nice about littlies having "tea". Mine have some wee tin tea cups with nice piccies on and - maybe once a weekend - when dh are having a cup we offer it to them - they get half a cup of milk, with a dash of hot water and a dash of tea, but they really like it (the "event" not the drink, which they often leave!), there's something about doing something adult for them, asking them if they want a cup of tea in exactly the same way as you'd ask an adult which makes them feel quite special and grown up, it's kind of acknowledging them as people, somehow. Maybe that's reading too much into it, but it's just something I eally like doing.

WideWebWitch · 04/04/2005 21:15

It wouldn't occur to me to offer children tea tbh, it just doesn't seem like a children's drink (because of the caffeine I suppose), I'd offer water. Although I do know the odd 7yo who drinks tea.

wysiwyg · 04/04/2005 22:22

My DD 5 yrs has tea on occasion - she thinks it is really special and "grown up". (V weak, lots of milk).
My nephew (now aged 18) used to be given tea in a bottle regularly, which always struck me as kindof odd.

dinosaur · 05/04/2005 12:06

Yes, DS1 and DS2 (aged five and three) both have an occasional cup of tea. In fact, DS2 went through a phase of having a cuppa every afternoon. As we were kind of weaned on tea, I don't really see the harm in it. I don't put sugar in it though.

colditzmum · 05/04/2005 12:08

My son, age 2 does have an occasional cup of tea. He really likes it, it stops him pinching mine, and guess what?

It's not actually poisonous!

onebadbaby · 11/03/2010 10:10

My dd has the odd cup if she asks when we are having one- grandma positively encourages tea drinking- but I don't. If it's not drunk with your meal then I don't think the iron thing will be a problem.

taffetacat · 11/03/2010 11:26

Mine have a tea when adults are over and we are all drinking it, and they notice, and they feel left out. I do a 20/80 tea/milk ratio.

This happens about twice a year.

misshardbroom · 11/03/2010 11:58

My 3 y.o has the occasional cup of tea. I'm pretty sure that the iron absorption thing (or whatever it is) is not going to be a problem unless they're knocking back 5 or 6 cups a day. I'd be more worried about caffeine keeping my children awake, that's the last thing I want!

ShowOfHands · 11/03/2010 12:03

Gosh this thread brings back some memories.

I feel old.

catsdontscreetch · 11/03/2010 12:08

My 5yo occasionally has a weak tea but not coffee, although she's been pinching the foam off my cappuccinos for years.

I'm more likely to offer her a weak herbal tea, usually camomile, honey and vanilla.

lilyjen · 11/03/2010 12:11

Apparently it's the tannin in it that's not good for children I heard. My 6 year old has occaisionally had a cup of weak milky tea (just this last year) with a biscuit but I keep it rare and only because she's not a fan of hot chocolate or hot milk. I don't see the need to put it babies bottles tbh

DwayneDibbley · 11/03/2010 12:11

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

aristocat · 11/03/2010 12:26

my DD would have half of a small cup of tea but only so she can DUNK her biscuits in....

cant imagine who taught her this gem