Viewing 40 posts - 1 through 40 (of 51 total)
  • STW Health experts: Tea and coffee and young children?
  • redted
    Free Member

    The local rag did an article on the increase of under 8’s regularly drinking energy drinks, (Monster, Red Bull etc). Whilst I agree it definitely isn’t the best thing you could do for your kids, it also mentioned about tea and coffee also not being suitable for young children.

    Our boys are 6&4 and regularly (although not every day) have a small cup of tea with half a sugar with their breakfast and very occasionally a small milky coffee. Is this something we should re-consider until they are older?

    What harm are we potentially doing?

    miketually
    Free Member

    What harm are we potentially doing?

    You’re letting them ruin tea with sugar, and putting milk in coffee.

    Stoner
    Free Member

    you want your children caffeinated??!?!?! 😯

    Mine would explode!

    Have you got tamazepam in the water or something?

    binners
    Full Member

    I gave my daughter full fat Coke once.

    ONCE!

    Never again. She had transformed within seconds into this…

    Now I wouldn’t put a combination of caffeine and sugar within 100 yards of her. Why on earth would anyone give a child energy drinks? 😯

    Solo
    Free Member

    You’re letting them ruin tea with sugar, and putting milk in coffee.

    I’m struggling to think why you’d give tea, coffee or milk to chilidren.

    Solo
    Free Member

    Why on earth would anyone give a child energy drinks?
    Lazy parents and pester power?

    thestabiliser
    Free Member

    I’m struggling to think why you’d give tea, coffee or milk to chilidren.

    I know, milk? for children? unheard of.

    OP as long as you balance it out with quality downers you’re safe. Gee’s Linctus or full fat Benylin should sort it.

    Solo
    Free Member

    I know, milk? for children? unheard of.
    Funny that, I thought most parents allow their children to drink milk.

    gonzy
    Free Member

    Binners i feel your pain…my daughter does the same! are they related? 😀

    my son knows that he’s not allowed to go near my energy drinks which i only have at the end of a big ride. isnt an issue as my energy drinks are red coloured and he seems to have an aversion for any drink thats red

    i have to hide them from my daughter as she will go for any soft drink that she can spot

    my wife is the only one who drinks tea or coffee. kids arent allowed fizzy pop/sugary stuff on a regular basis…only as a treat.

    thestabiliser
    Free Member

    Make your mind up

    eckinspain
    Free Member

    Milk? To children? Imagine!

    Personally I wouldn’t (and don’t) give them any caffeine though they’re a little younger than yours anyway. We do give her camomile as it’s caffeine free and she likes to have a “tea” when everyone else is.

    I also wouldn’t add sugar to anything I give them.

    Solo
    Free Member

    Make your mind up
    Thanks for the advise, I know what I believe, perhaps you should re-read the thread.
    🙂

    thestabiliser
    Free Member

    Perhaps I should but I’m not going to cos it’s lunch time and the missus says I’ve got to go to morrisons to get the kids some pseudoehphidrine and razor baldes

    loum
    Free Member

    Check out nhs website for more info.

    Apparently , it’s the tannin in tea which interferes with iron absorption that’s the longer term health problem.

    Caffeine and sugar are just options.

    MoreCashThanDash
    Full Member

    Sensibly, a milky tea or coffee once a day won’t do them any harm. I was drinking the same at that age, gradually reduced the sugar and milk when I was 7-8, no health or behavioural consequences then or 35 years later.

    Mine are a bit older than yours, but just don’t like the taste, but will drink hot chocolate.

    I guess you could even stoop so low as to give them decaf if the caffiene worried you.

    Far more concerned by fizzy drinks loaded with sugar. Again mine don’t like the taste or the bubbles, so not a problem for us. Not all kids react to cola the same way, most of my sons mates drink coke, most are fine with it, but they tend to have a balanced diet anyway.

    Some parents we know happily chug coke into their little darlings and then wonder about behavioural issues. I have not punched any of them yet for their stupidity, but it’s been close.

    As for full on energy drinks in kids, well, it just shouldn’t happen, and anyone who can’t grasp that needs to take a serious look at themselves and their parenting.

    Solo
    Free Member

    I guess you could even stoop so low as to give them decaf if the caffiene worried you.
    While not endorsing coffee for children, doesn’t the process of removing the caffiene actually make coffee even worse for you/them?

    Far more concerned by fizzy drinks loaded with sugar.
    As for full on energy drinks in kids, well, it just shouldn’t happen, and anyone who can’t grasp that needs to take a serious look at themselves and their parenting.
    Definitely.

    D0NK
    Full Member

    Kids occasionally finish our cups of tea, haven’t noticed any immediate effects, unlike coke which eldest loves but he goes batshit when he drinks it – so he doesn’t get it often.
    Wouldn’t let them anywhere near energy drinks, I really would not want to see the result!

    molgrips
    Free Member

    does the process of removing the caffiene actually make coffee even worse for you/them?

    No, it’s done with heat.

    hels
    Free Member

    You should get a cross trainer – if my nephews take in too much sugar they have to do cross training until they calm down. It is both prevention and cure, and genius if you ask me.

    Solo
    Free Member

    hels – Member
    You should get a cross trainer – if my nephews take in too much sugar they have to do cross training until they calm down. It is both prevention and cure, and genius if you ask me.

    Hook up a small electricity generator to the Xtrainer, then should your house suffer a power cut, you’re sorted.

    johndoh
    Free Member

    I wouldn’t dream of giving my kids tea or coffee (despite being allowed coffee myself from an early age). They are five years old and so far have never had a fizzy drink and only had McDonalds’ on two (emergency) occasions whilst travelling.

    MoreCashThanDash
    Full Member

    Mine have McDonald’s once or twice a month, as a treat, as part of a balanced diet/lifestyle.

    Neither have yet descended into a drug and drink addled obese life of benefit scrounging debauchery yet, and the eldest is now at secondary!

    Stoner
    Free Member

    and the eldest is now at secondary!

    not bad for a 17 year old!

    WackoAK
    Free Member

    McDonalds’ on two (emergency) occasions

    Unless it was for a McShit I fail to see how it could be an “emergency”?

    Solo
    Free Member

    Unless it was for a McShit I fail to see how it could be an “emergency”?

    2 McD’s in five years is pretty good going, imo. Considering.

    binners
    Full Member

    MoreCashThanDash – Member

    Mine have McDonald’s once or twice a month, as a treat, as part of a balanced diet/lifestyle.

    Neither have yet descended into a drug and drink addled obese life of benefit scrounging debauchery yet, and the eldest is now at secondary!

    *phones social services*

    😉

    redted
    Free Member

    Some good answers, and some humourous ones thanks. I’ll check out the NHS info thanks LOUM and cheers MCTD, I’ve always done the “everything in moderation” approach with food and drink, and they even ask now “is this good/bad for me?” but I was more concerned with along the lines of what LOUM pointed out. I don’t notice any change in behaviour after they’ve had it, certainly not compared to chocolate, squash or ketchup anyway, that seems to definitely affect them so we avoid or restrict it.

    bearnecessities
    Full Member

    I wasn’t allowed rice crispsies as a child 🙁

    scruff9252
    Full Member

    Not much to add other than my mum used to pack me a wee flask of tea in my lunchbox in winter when I was a nipper. Never killed anyone or expelled due to behavioural issues.

    Solo
    Free Member

    I wasn’t allowed rice crispsies as a child
    Yeah? And look how you turned out.
    😉

    wallop
    Full Member

    Solo – Member
    Make your mind up
    Thanks for the advise, I know what I believe, perhaps you should re-read the thread.

    And you need to switch on your sarcasm detector 😆

    thomthumb
    Free Member

    ever had a fruit shoot – i can’t remember why i did – but it’s unbelievably sweet.

    johndoh
    Free Member

    Unless it was for a McShit I fail to see how it could be an “emergency”?

    First was in LA at the end of a long flight, they were starving (aged 3 years old) and the most familiar food we could find was chicken nuggets, the other was at Donnington Services after being held up behind an accident for several hours and again, it was the food we felt they were most likely to eat.

    Neither times did they eat it 🙂

    Solo
    Free Member

    And you need to switch on your sarcasm detector
    So missed what I was saying too then.
    CBA
    🙂

    Solo
    Free Member

    chicken nuggets
    vom

    Neither times did they eat it
    I’m not surprized.

    molgrips
    Free Member

    Chicken selects >> chicken nuggets.

    Neither times did they eat it

    Far to frightfully common for the little darlings, I expect? *

    * and yes I am winding you up but you sound like you need it!

    Solo
    Free Member

    and yes I am winding you up but you sound like you need it!

    molgrips – Member

    Now so far this thread has been a bit of a laugh, but that’s nudging me towards annoyed
    😐

    thestabiliser
    Free Member

    Solo – I’m back from the shop, what have I missed? 🙂

    Solo
    Free Member

    Solo – I’m back from the shop, what have I missed?

    Zip !
    😐

    How busy is it at Morrisons?

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