Friday 8 November 2013

Coffee and children

About a week ago, I listened to a segment on the radio about a father who took his son into a coffee shop. Naturally, the dad had a coffee; then, his child asked if he could have a coffee, too. This supposedly attracted stares and mutterings from many of the other customers and the dad was mortified, lost for words.

This attracted a debate on the radio station and its website about whether or not children should be allowed to have coffee. I was surprised by how many people stated that they would not give their children coffee; after all, I've been drinking coffee since before I became a teenager and never considered any parent(s) being opposed to letting their kids have coffee.

Coffee is not alcohol, so there are no legal ramifications to be concerned about. That being said, coffee does contain caffeine, which can cause hyperactivity in children, although on that note, any parent who objects to their children having coffee should also refuse them sodas and sugary drinks, given that they are far more unhealthful. If anyone is concerned about kids having coffee, perhaps teaching them to consume it in moderation is in order, as with any food or drink.

Finally, returning to the aforementioned incident in the first paragraph, if the dad was bothered about his son having coffee, he shouldn't have been in a coffee shop in the first place. In addition, as coffee isn't an age restricted drink, nobody had any business staring at the father and his son as though they were engaging in some sort of socially unacceptable behaviour.

What about you? How do you feel about children drinking coffee?

6 comments:

  1. I;ve been drinking it since I was a toddler. Nan and dad always just put lots of soy milk and sugar in it. I guess that's why I love coffee so much. :p

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  2. Oh well, the site ate my initial comment, or it might be in the queue to be approved. I don't know.

    I think it's none of my business what other people do.

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    1. I only had to approve your existing comment and the one from Jessica.

      Yep, same here; staring and muttering when a child asks really isn't necessary.

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  3. I wouldn't give my child coffee, that being said 1. I wouldn't mind a teenager having coffee (when I think child I think of a 4 or 5 to about 11 year olds), and 2. I also wouldn't give a child soda.

    http://www.livestrong.com/article/496998-why-is-it-bad-for-kids-to-drink-coffee/

    I just think there are some things kids don't need to experience until they're older. I also wouldn't blatantly judge a parent in a coffee shop who gave their kid some coffee because honestly, it's none of my business.

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    1. That's a completely understandable viewpoint; I appreciate your consistency in regards to coffee and soda! :)

      Thanks for that link, too.

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