Is a half a pot of coffee too much for an 8 year old child to drink?

Question

my daughter needs a couple of cups in the morning to get moving, which was fine with me. now she needs a few more after school. i don't know if i like this or not. i keep soda handy and this coffee is ruining our relationship; i'm sick of fighting over who is going to have the last cup.even though she is only 8, she is very mature and has been drinking coffee since she was 5, SO DON'T JUDGE ME! should i wean her slowly? thanks all.

Answer 1

try crack.

Answer 2

um yea i dont think thats healthy at all. im not judging u im just saying theres no way thats healthy for a child

Answer 3

coffee will stunt your growth.

Answer 4

well, it is cheaper and hydrates her better then ritalin, so what is up everyones butts? Look at all these teens drinking these dang energy drinks. Stop being a hater to this mother. I admire ur kid cuz I can't stomach coffee, and I think you're doing a good job with her. If you want to wean her off it, which I still am confused as to why you would, try starting her on those energy drinks in the morning like Red Bull or Rockstar. I'm guessing you've already tried the mt. dew injections?

Answer 5

coffee isn't good for a child see if they'll drink something else in the morning

Answer 6

One cup of coffee is too much for an 8 year old.  You admit to treating your child badly and yet you don't want to be judged?  Sorry, you are doing your daughter major damage, you have addicted her to caffine, at her age that is equal to being addicted to cocaine.  Too bad CPS doesn't know about it.

Answer 7

um yea i think thats a little much for someone her age, its time to take initiative at as a parent and limit her, theres other things that contain caffine for her to drink to get a move on, but too much can damage her health in the long run

Answer 8

If I were you I would switch her to a cappuccino. I hear they have more caffeine and they should last her a little longer. Also you could try packing a redbull in with her lunch.

Answer 9

Dont judge you? Your kid is drinking cups full of CAFFINE and soda doesnt help. Put the coffee machine away and hide anything to do with it. Wean her? she is 8 not 2! Tell her whos boss. Your in charge so take some responsability! I cant believe you let your child drink coffee at 5 !

The only way is to just enforce rules and stop letting your daughter rule you.

Answer 10

As long as she drinks it black, it's just fine.  It's way better for her that all of that soda with tons of sugar.

Answer 11

Have you tried Red Bull or my absolute FAVORITE Diet Rockstar in the 16 oz can??

Tell her that she can only have coffee in the morning, like a normal child and that if she is tired in the afternoon, she can take a nap. Then while she is sleeping you will have the WHOLE pot to yourself. That will cease the fighting and give you the afternoon to yourself.

Answer 12

Hmmm...maybe she and you should switch to decaf. ;o)

Answer 13

Hmmm, dunno if to take you seriously or what? Of course she shouldn't be drinking the stuff. Wake up.

I bet she's peeing freely too with all the coffee you giving her?

Answer 14

really?????????????

Answer 15

Yes there are also caffinated energy drinks that would be better for her. I think a half a pot is a little too much for an eight year old, not because I'm judging you, but it can give a child kidney stones and ulcers.

Also, you might want to skip the after school coffee if anything because it will keep her up at night and then she'll just need more to get going in the morning.

Answer 16

ummm yeah

Answer 17

yes coffee is not good for a child buy ice tea and heat it up it helped me now i love ice tea and there are variaties of ice tea i love raspberry well that's my opinion

Answer 18

as if thats a funny "joke" question!!!!

but if your serious.....i dunno..

Answer 19

In no uncertain terms - coffee is a drug - it contains caffeine - it is a stimulant to the central nervous system - it is addictive - it can cause major irritability and mood swings - no wonder it is affecting your relationship. Fighting over the last cup - are you insane your daughter is 8 years of age - most people would see excessive consumption of a stimulant drug by an 8 year old as exactly what it is - Child Abuse - whether thru ignorance or plain stupidity!!! Your daughter needs to be weaned and it will certainly not be a pretty site if you already argue over the last cup - how old are you? 8? Grow up and be the mother you are supposed to be - protecting your child from harm. Coffee is DANGEROUS to children and should never be offered as a beverage.YOU HAVE ENABLED YOUR DAUGHTER TO DEVELOP AN ADDICTION - WHICH WILL LEAD TO OTHER STIMULANTS (ILLIGAL DRUGS) ADDICTIVE PERSONALITY SYNDROME!!!!!!! You both need help!

Answer 20

I think you should.

Answer 21

ah hello shes 8 and she needs a few cups of coffee to kick start her day!!and she very mature thats why she started drinking coffee at 5!!listen momma you wake up and smell the coffee,shes 8 STOP the coffee fixes

Answer 22

Don't judge you?  You've gotta be kidding.  How about you try getting your child to bed at a decent hour so she can get up in the morning instead of doping her up to get her moving.   Her maturity level has nothing to do with her being allowed to have coffee.  Are you going to let her smoke early too to "even her out"?

Answer 23

why not just make esspressoo. More of a caffeine kick. Hey who's to say caffeine is bad for you. Those doctors with all their fancy degrees and reserch can't know more than you can they?????

EDIT: I can't believe the amount of people that took this seriously.

Answer 24

Wean her off the coffee, soda and any caffeine - start NOW! Yes, you need to wean slowly - otherwise she's going to have massive headaches from caffeine withdrawl. Water, milk, some juice - those are the appropriate beverages for an 8 year old child.  At the same time, I suggest you wean yourself as well.  no coffee in the house, harder for her to get it.  no soda in the house, harder for her to get that, too.  plus you'll save money - dentist, doctor, groceries.  Drinking coffee doesn't make one more mature.  I'm not judging - ignore those who do. There is only one who can judge us - our Father.  Good luck, say lots of prayers - together.

Answer 25

maybe one cup of decaf in the mornings, but normal kids just have cereal. . . she should try that

Answer 26

NO child should be drinking coffee....geesh

Answer 27

Seriously, coffee at 5?  She needs a couple of cups in the morning to get moving?  It's called a healthy breakfast and orange juice.  

You are making your daughter dependent on caffeine which is ridiculous.  She's so tired in the afternoon because you are giving her coffee and she's coming down from the high.

You may as well just have her be a crack addict.  Wean her slowly.  Take a minute and read your post. seriously...this is your kid, where is your concern for her welfare?

Answer 28

Hellooooo...Just teach her how to make another pot of coffee. Problem solved! You won't have to fight over the last cup,and you can Have more mother/daughter time over even more cups of coffee...just like the Folgers commercials!

Answer 29

I can't tell if this is true, or you are just looking for shock reactions.

When my children were school age , I allowed them to have what I called "tender coffee," which was a cup of heated milk, with just enough of a splash of coffee to make them think they are drinking coffee, with Mom.

This is certainly smarter than people who give their children Pepsi, and Coke, which are FULL of caffeine, and yes, so is hot chocolate, whether you want to believe it or not.  I see kids who are just walking, in restaurants, in the malls, walking with a straw in a can of Coke, Pepsi....Do you know that Sunkist orange has caffeine?  And of course, "sweet tea," which some people give their kids...I've seen it in restaurants.

I see a LOT of kids, packing the coffee houses, and Starbucks...since there is no age limit, and that's some heavy-duty caffeine, Espresso drinks. I see them chugging the "Power Drinks" on lunch breaks, at a store close to the school, and after school. Those are nothing but caffeine nd sugar, then there is a bad crash when it wears off.

Be concerned that she will find another way to get a morning-after school boost, if she doesn't have the coffee.  See if you can get her to switch to herbal tea.  There are a lot of really good flavors, fruit flavors to choose from.

I did not give tender coffee to my kids for a "morning boost," but we occasionally drank it together on the weekend, them with theirs and me with regular coffee, while we were watching a movie together.

I am saying, since you asked, yes, keep making her coffee less and less strong, cutting it more and more with milk.  If you just stop it, since it sounds like she is drinking a lot, she will get a bad lack-of-caffeine headache.

Allowing an 8 year old to argue with you, and letting it ruin your relationship with her, sounds like you better get the upper hand, before it's too late, or she will soon be telling YOU what to do.  She can only do what you allow her to do...she is a child, in YOUR home.  She needs a clos relationship with you.  Go out together, have a milkshake or something together and talk with her about how you are going to get off the coffee, too.  Keep it out of the house, less temptation.  You can't make any if you don't have any.  Share with her that it will be hard for you, too.

Keeping soda handy isn't any better, if it is Pepsi, Coke, Mt. Dew or Orange, you are defeating the purpose.  Buy 7-up, or Gingerale, Cherry, Lemon-lime, grape, Koolade, Gatorade.

Answer 30

Switch to half calf and let her have a whole pot. She wont be able to tell the difference.

Answer 31

Wean her completely from the caffeine.  It can stunt her growth and it's just not necessary.