Quick! Five News want you thoughts on giving kids "energy drinks"

[HelenMumsnet]

Hello. Five News want to know what you think about giving children Red Bull and other high-caffeine "energy" drinks - in response to this story?

Would you let your children drink them?

Or would you horrified at the idea - and why?

at the thought of giving a child high energy drinks. I agree with the previous poster, if a child has no energy after eating a well balanced meal and water for fluid, they are most likely tired and should sleep/rest. Or see the gp if not those things.

Children have plenty of time as adults to put rubbish into their bodies. It is our jobs as parents to give their fast growing bodies the right nutrients, to cope with the junk they might eat and drink as an adult. I would think that excessive caffiene which is addictive, can be detrimental to the development of children.

Good God NO! My DD has enough flaming energy as it is - why would I want to rev her up several notches.

Not necessary and probably a bloody stupid thing to do anyway!

No way would I allow my 2 (6 and 9) to have anything containing caffine. I agree that when children are tired, they should rest. Who on earth would even think of it anyway?!

I once gave my 13 year old a can of Red Bull to drink in the interval on the 3rd night of a drama production when he was exhausted after taking part and staying up till 11pm several nights in a row.

It was more practical than trying to get him to drink coffee which he had never tried and probably wouldn't like anyhow..

But NO WAY would I send it to school in his lunch box - bizarre!

I'm doing a 12 mile sponsored walk starting at midnight on Saturday and I will take a can of the Sainsbury's own brand version which is about a third of the price!

I don't fancy lugging a great heavy flask of coffee so the caffeine drink will have to keep me awake!

Absolutely ridiculous

these drinks are not for children
caffeine is an addictive thing
I dont even like drinking it myself

children should not be having it at all

Dear god, people actually give that to their children? How can you be anything but horrified?

I would never let my children have these, it would be unhealthy and besides, they are already Tasmanian devils.

I wouldn't touch them either.

These sorts of high energy drinks are marketed directly at children. I live opposite a school for children aged 12-18. One day after school I saw the Mini car that advertises these drinks outside the school, drinks were given out to these children. That evening our street was littered with empty cans of the drink.

That happened in Belgium btw.

Jesus no, DS is hyper enough without giving him super charge. No no no

I know it's probably an urban myth, but I had heard that every can of Red Bull takes a minute off your life cause it's so bad for you with all the sugar and caffiene and taurine (sp?).

I spend all my day trying to make sure DS stays happy and healthy and alive. I would no more give him Red Bull than I would give him a fag!

Plus, it's disgusting stuff - has given me the runs everytime I've tried it Which is why I can count the can's I've had on one hand!

MY children have energy drinks every morning.

They are called fruit smoothies.

Don't see the need for these 'energy' drinks tbh.

Though DP will sometimes take them to work if he is on a night shift he finds if he has a good meal and a smoothie before he goes he doesn't need that extra intake at 3am because his body has been fuelled properly.

Why on earth would I give my child a drink that claims to give her more energy? I spend half my life and half my money taking her to ballet/swimming/park etc in order to dispose of the never ending energy she already seems to possess.
Madness, imvho.

I have been known to drink these drinks when on a 12 hour night shift, but I agree with you VS, if I eat properly before I go I tend not to need them.

That said, I would never give them to my young children, totally unnecessary.

Thanks everyone - just given our twopennethworth to Channel 5. (Look out for glimpses of MN Towers on their new programmes today.)

That should say 'news' obviously. Quick Techs, we need an Edit Function .

I snorted caffeine before my GCSEs. Helped me write faster.

Not done it since then.