# My Children & Other Animals



## Obnic (Jan 14, 2014)

As I write this my son (16 months old) is insisting I give him my Rave Signature cappuccino.

It started about a week ago when he stole a sip if a latte but now he wants his own coffee as part of his breakfast. I'm certainly not doing that. He can tread the time honoured path to righteousness via instant coffee like the rest of us but is there any harm in letting one so young have sips of my coffee?


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## froggystyle (Oct 30, 2013)

As we know caffeine can be addictive, giving it to a 16 month old will cause you problems i feel over time, he will want it every day, and being 16 months old will not understand the concept of not being able to have it....

Steer clear i say!


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

Would decaf be an option ? Would it be any better medically ?


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## Tiny tamper (May 23, 2014)

Hi obnic

My 18 month old grandson has the exact same trate i let him try my rave capa and he was hooked lol i give him 3 teaspoons in one of my espresso cups at a time 9 in total and he is always ok to sleep etc I once gave him slightly more and my daughter said he was late to bed by 2 hours lol so stick to the 9 teaspoons or so for now but your def not alone.


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## Phil104 (Apr 15, 2014)

Just to be melodramatic for a moment, it's close to the equivalent of giving him a can of red bull, which you wouldn't dream of doing (although to be fair a 500ml can of Red Bull contains about 13 teaspoons of sugar and the equivalent caffeine of two cups of coffee.) There is growing awareness of the effects of these sugar/caffeine based drinks on children's behavior, where they get a brief high followed by a low. Throw in caffeine with fast action computer games and other electronic smart wizardry and it's what contributes to what Sue Palmer has called 'toxic childhood'.


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## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

My Dachshund loves coffee as well, and tea, and just about anything! Even pickled onions and banana, so you have a few more things to try him on!


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

Children like and learn by copying - especially parents. Whether a 16 month old likes coffee is questionable. The taste receptors of a child let alone an infant are very different to that of a grown up especially when it comes to strong/bitter tastes. I would wonder if it's the effect of the caffeine that is having the effect of the child wanting coffee and not something I would think is advisable.


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## aaronb (Nov 16, 2012)

You could do a babycino, think it's just a bit of steamed milk!


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## Obnic (Jan 14, 2014)

&aaronb tried the babiccino thinking that if he had his own cup he'd be happy... the look of contempt was something to behold. He then gave it to his sister and demanded mine again! Hysterical.

@phil104 these are real considerations that you raise. We've combatted most things - they eat fresh organic food and are largely sugar & chemical free, but that blasted iPad!!!!!

Well for now he gets a couple of sips when he asks (my sense is it's a 'participation/mimic' thing as Systemic says, rather than an addiction). He's way under @Tiny Tampers 9 spoon solution.

He's a gadget fiend so it's only a matter of time before he joins this forum


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## Jon (Dec 3, 2010)

Yes, I would advise against this VERY strongly.

(Mostly cos it's YOUR coffee not his).

Seriously; not a good plan I reckon!


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## welshrarebit (Apr 17, 2014)

Could try substituting for hot chocolate.


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## VJC (Apr 23, 2014)

Obnic said:


> &aaronb tried the babiccino thinking that if he had his own cup he'd be happy... the look of contempt was something to behold. He then gave it to his sister and demanded mine again! Hysterical.


Add some flavoured syrup - he'll probably like gingerbread or caramel etc. far more than the coffee taste.


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## Phil104 (Apr 15, 2014)

Obnic said:


> @phil104 these are real considerations that you raise. We've combatted most things - they eat fresh organic food and are largely sugar & chemical free, but that blasted iPad!!!!!
> 
> He's a gadget fiend so it's only a matter of time before he joins this forum


Of course, you're sensible parents - and you'll be providing a wide range of experiences. I'm in the digital immigrant generation - so it always seems like running to catch up with what the digital natives are up to. As good as ipads (and other tablets) are at providing learning opportunities, there is still no substitute for human interaction when it comes to learning and development, including learning about sustained attention (the sort that I currently require to get to grips with my Mignon and Classic and pull a perfect espresso). Interestingly, although the forum clearly relies on access to some kind of electronic medium, it works because of the people and your son could learn a lot about appropriate netiquette from it that would serve him well. So, no to heavy doses of caffeine but yes to joining the forum.


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## Charliej (Feb 25, 2012)

I think far far too many behavioural issues with children get put down to what they eat or drink, does no-one remember what orange squash used to contain? Yet it didn't cause the almost global issues some people seem to think is a problem these days. In many cases it's just a get out for excusing good old fashioned bad behaviour.

I personally think children get far to well wrapped up in cotton wool these days and don't get allowed to be children any more, I lose count of how many cuts, grazes and bruises I got from simply playing out and being a kid and I don't think it did me or any of brothers and friends from that era any harm whatsoever and none of the times any of us acted up or misbehaved was ever put down to what we ate or drank, but there again food was in general less messed around with by it's producers in those days.


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## Big O (Feb 25, 2014)

With my ones its babychinnos! No coffee, micro foam milk and a sprinkle of chocolate powder. Works wonders!

Best not to introduce caffeine to little ones Obnic.


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## Daren (Jan 16, 2012)

My 3 year old loves a babycino - but I have to dust the top with hot chocolate powder and call it a latte otherwise he gets the hump. There is no way I'd let him have coffee.... It's bad enough my wife has started using my precious beans - I don't want a third person drinking them! He can buy his own when he starts earning - sponger (is it wrong of me to call my 3 year old a sponger?







)


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## Thecatlinux (Mar 10, 2014)

Caffeine + 16 month toddler!!! Doesn't sound right to me, I don't believe in wrapping kids up in cotton wool , but it doesn't sound right at all !

On a similar topic I can not believe the amount of kids i see going to school post 8am drinking energy drinks like there is no tomorrow, (think I am turning into a grumpy old man ) mind you in my day on the way to school it was fruit salads and blackjacks.


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## Big O (Feb 25, 2014)

Daren said:


> My 3 year old loves a babycino - but I have to dust the top with hot chocolate powder and call it a latte otherwise he gets the hump. There is no way I'd let him have coffee.... It's bad enough my wife has started using my precious beans - I don't want a third person drinking them! He can buy his own when he starts earning - sponger (is it wrong of me to call my 3 year old a sponger?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Haha! I'm sure there are worse things we as parents think of our little ones at times when driven up the wall which we do not voice or write about and is recycled in our heads ☺


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## Obnic (Jan 14, 2014)

jonc said:


> ...Mostly cos it's YOUR coffee not his)!












Going to try the babychococcino. It's a matter of time though - I can already see he likes to 'test and solve' - he won't be able to resist the pursuit of the god shot any better than me.


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## Obnic (Jan 14, 2014)

And David... Pickled onions! He's still in nappies! That's an experiment for Porton Down! Yikes!


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## Phil104 (Apr 15, 2014)

Charliej said:


> I think far far too many behavioural issues with children get put down to what they eat or drink, does no-one remember what orange squash used to contain? Yet it didn't cause the almost global issues some people seem to think is a problem these days. In many cases it's just a get out for excusing good old fashioned bad behaviour.
> 
> I personally think children get far to well wrapped up in cotton wool these days and don't get allowed to be children any more, I lose count of how many cuts, grazes and bruises I got from simply playing out and being a kid and I don't think it did me or any of brothers and friends from that era any harm whatsoever and none of the times any of us acted up or misbehaved was ever put down to what we ate or drank, but there again food was in general less messed around with by it's producers in those days.


 I agree with all this - food in general was less messed around with, there weren't the same commercial, advertising and media pressures,and there is no doubt that a relatively controlled exposure to risk helps in learning how to manage adversity and solve the problems that crop up in life.


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## drude (Apr 22, 2013)

My kids love babyccinos - foamed milk, a few mini marshmallows and a dusting of cocoa powder in cute little espresso cups. They also have a couple of toy coffee machines. No way am I letting them have real coffee though (nor a go on the real espresso machine).


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## Charliej (Feb 25, 2012)

wild children by charliejeal, on Flickr


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## c_squared (Jun 26, 2013)

Plus one for a child's own espresso cup with hot choc or babychino. Over the winter my 4 year old started requesting some of 'daddies special hot choc'. I said it was reserved for times when we had been outside and come back in from the cold. Come to think of it, we did spend more time outside last winter than usual...


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## Hoffmonkey (Apr 28, 2014)

Every time I make a coffee, my 2 year old daughter asks for "Fluffy milk in an orange cup please?"

Has to be an orange cup. She likes it, and I don't think she needs to learn about the effects of caffeine just yet...


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

Aw, sweet!!


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