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I believe most people in the United States believe coffee is generally not good for children. I find this interesting because my mother is from Peru, and she told me as a child she was routinely given coffee in the morning. They would dilute it with a lot of milk though. Is anyone else familiar with this tradition?

I have met people who do the same thing, though it is rarer than Peru, I'm sure. Mostly this seems to be a cultural rule, rather like wine in France, right? I understand people worrying about the caffeine element of coffee for kids, but they will happily let them get a sugar high from soda and candy!

I think you're right Brewster, what's acceptable will vary between different cultures. I guess that's what makes it interesting though. That's a great point about sugar too, I don't really see how a little caffeine is much worse, but I guess it depends on your perspective.

There is probably not an actual health concern with giving children coffee; it's just "assumed" to be bad because many stereotypes about coffee still exist. Like it'll stunt your growth!!

Little ones like to imitate their mom or dad or grandpa or grandma. When I drink coffee and my grandson wants some, I give him about a teaspoon of coffee and the rest milk or flavored creamer. He loves it and thinks he's drinking coffee just like me.

George wrote:I believe most people in the United States believe coffee is generally not good for children. I find this interesting because my mother is from Peru, and she told me as a child she was routinely given coffee in the morning. They would dilute it with a lot of milk though. Is anyone else familiar with this tradition?

As a child, I was never allowed to drink caffeinated coffee or decaf coffee that had been sweetened with a lot of sugar, however my parents would let me drink decaf coffee and milk, like your mother did when she was a child. My parents have never had an issue with one of their children drinking the coffee itself, it's just the caffeine and sugar in the coffee that they didn't want us consuming.

It is a cultural difference that I will never understand. I would much rather give my child a bit of coffee and milk than a candy bar with no nutritional value whatsoever.

Kids usually don't like coffee. Grown-ups do.