Does Your Kid Kick-Start Their Day With Coffee?

January 27, 2010

Starbucks is a lot of parents' poison, but do you let your children indulge? Lately, I've seen school-age kids — even as young as six — shuffling through the local coffeehouse line and they aren't ordering hot cocoa. Blended beverages like Frappuccinos are what some youngsters drink to kick-start their day. Does your child make a stop on their way to school?

14 Comments

snarkypants 3 years 16 weeks

i agree with anon #11. it's cultural. i have a friend from ecuador who was raised drinking coffee! so she gives it to her daughter now. it's just coffee that she makes at home though. she's not shelling out $5 for a fatty, calorie-laden frap.

Sarana 3 years 16 weeks

I don't drink a lot of coffee and wouldn't let my children drinks normal coffee, I don't think they would like it anyway. But there is not much coffee in frapuccinos so I would let them have some. Although the smallest size from Starbucks is way too big for a child.

3 years 16 weeks

Aren't Mexicans known for being short? Hmmm.. wonder why!

3 years 16 weeks

totallz cultural, in Colombia all kids drink coffee, noone that I know would ever think is not normallz, well it is pretty much milk with coffee but still coffee for breakfast, for dinner, not a problem

amandachalynn 3 years 16 weeks

My son loves coffee. We'll got to coffee shops and have a cup together fairly often. I hate frapps and all that stuff, so we just get regular coffee. I didn't vote though because I only give him decaf. My mother in law gave it to him the first time, it was decaf so I didn't care, and he loves it! I limit caffeine because my son already has a ton of energy.

starbucks 3 years 16 weeks

My girl's only 5 months old, so the question has never risen. We drink a lot of coffee in this house (decaffinated because I'm breastfeeding, psst, hubby doesn't know ;) ) so she'll probably will want to try someday and I will let her. When I first tasted coffe I hated it. If she ends up liking it, I will stick to the occasional sip, though. Never to 'kick-start' the day. There's just no need. It's bad for growth, isn't it?

HoneyBrown1976 3 years 16 weeks

Nooooooooo!

MissSushi 3 years 16 weeks

llol, my daughter loves coffee too, but she isn't allowed to have it. We let her have a sip or two sometimes, but not often. We don't drink coffee daily though, we have milk with breakfast. I can very honestly say i shell out 5 bucks for frappucinos several times a month. i LOVE them. That being said, I'm an adult and those coffees are really bad. Not only do they have way more caffiene then coffee you would brew at home, but they are LOADED with calories, sugar and fat. I can't imagine letting my kid get one...I know the large has 50 grams of fat give or take, but i don't know the content for the smalls.

jenni5 3 years 16 weeks

My 22 mth old loves coffee and espresso = : O O P S : But I only give him sips here and there....don't need him bouncing off the walls.

3 years 16 weeks

As a kid I was not allowed to overindulge in coffee, and to this day I only have a few cups ever week, however I was not denied coffee either. It wasn't something I was allowed to have inthe early morning, but rather on occasion when my mom had a friend or 2 over for coffee, I was allowed to join in. Most of the time mine was 1/2 milk too. My kids have had coffee and regularly ask to have a swallow of my iced cappuccino, and often are given a swallow or 2, but again I only get one every few weeks or so. Also, my oldest is an asthmatic and studies on younger children and caffeine have shown that caffeine doesn't have the same effect of them as it does most adults, and can be very beneficial in small doses for treating some conditions. I DO NOT think it's a good idea for kids to be having it early in the mornings to get themselves going or that it should be a regular part of their diet, however occasionally I see nothing wrong with it. There's caffeine in a lot of things most people don't even think about.

3 years 16 weeks

I used to know someone who let her 2 year old have coffee when she did. She actually would pour him a cup. Not judging but I can barely keep up with my son when he's non-caffinated!

RoaringSilence 3 years 16 weeks

No! I don't have a medical explanation for this, just.. no!

mstrauss 3 years 16 weeks

I wonder if these parents are just forgetting that those Frappuccinos are not just a fun blended drink but also have actually coffee in them. Why get your chidlren addicted so young, or at all? There are other ways to jump start a day.

meandtheo 3 years 16 weeks

this is crazy! i would never let my kids drink coffee while they were under the age of 16 (and even then i would only let them have the occasional cup). i remember very fondly my mom always cuddling her cup of coffee in the am, it looked so good to me and i always asked to have a cup, she always said no. but i was persistent and finally got what i asked for, i hated it! it shocks me that kids that young like it...but i guess if you blend it with sugar and whip cream

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