would you let your child drink coffee?

I think it depends on the age of the child. A very young child, I would say no (non decaf). Now a teenager, I don't see a problem with them drinking a cup of coffee. I don't think a sip of coffee would harm a young child. I would let a child drink decaf coffee if they preferred it to soda pop.

When everyone in the family is drinking coffee, my son gets his own "coffee". It is aout 90% skim milk and 10% coffee, no sugar. Loving coffee runs in my family so I know he will be addicted one day. When we go to Starbucks he has always gotten his own "coffee" as well. When he was younger Starbucks had a juice frapp without whipped cream for kids (I wish they hadn't discontinued that!). Now that they don't carry it, he gets a Vanilla Bean or Straberry Frapp, hot chocolate or Chocloate milk.

I don't drink coffee nor agree giving it to mu kids. My husband has on occassion if the girls ask. i don't think they need the caffiene or sugar. I do not let them have soda often at all. It is usually milk or water.

I'd let my children have a sip if they wanted. When I was young, at restaurants, my Dad would give me tastes of coffee in the little creamer containers. I think it's harmless to let them have a taste or 2. I think it's no worse than soda and my children don't drink that anyway.

You don't say how old the child is... I don't remember at what age I started drinking coffee. But I have been drinking coffee everyday since the age of 12. And I am 55. What's the alternative? Tea contain caffeine... and so does most soft drinks. So unless you are prepared to drink water your whole life, it is going to be hard to escape caffeine. I don't have this problem... but a lot of people complaint that drinking coffee at night keeps them awake. So that it one thing to look out for.

I don't give my child coffee or soda. I think as a parent, I need to make these kind of decisions for my child who is still young (only 2). Of course, if given a chance, he will want everything! But just because he wants something, doesn't mean I have to give it to him. I think it depends on the age of your child and what you think is acceptable. I know a lot of moms who give their 2 year old pop but I don't.

When everyone in the family is drinking coffee, my son gets his own "coffee". It is aout 90% skim milk and 10% coffee, no sugar. Loving coffee runs in my family so I know he will be addicted one day. When we go to Starbucks he has always gotten his own "coffee" as well. When he was younger Starbucks had a juice frapp without whipped cream for kids (I wish they hadn't discontinued that!). Now that they don't carry it, he gets a Vanilla Bean or Straberry Frapp, hot chocolate or Chocloate milk.

I sometime's make my son, his own cup of coffee. I don't do it often but every so often he get's some. I don't know which is worse coffee or soda. I think I would rather he drink coffee, it does not have that much sugar

No I would not let my kids drink coffee. They are young still. I rarly even let them drink soda and when they do it is caffine free.

My son loves coffee, he goes to Starbucks with his grandma and started out on her frapaccino, they started out sharing, now he gets his own. If we tell him no that just makes him want it more. When we go to the store, my youngest son and I will get Hot Chocolate but my husband and oldest son get coffee. But most of the time he drinks milk, juice and water.

I don't want to upset any coffee drinkers here, but probably not. I had some real troubles with caffeiene about a year ago and had to really seriously limit my caffeine intake, so I would be very cautious with a child of mine and not want to get them started on caffeine at an early age. This would also mean making sure that they had non-caffeinated soda pop, which thankfully isn't too difficult to find nowadays.

i rarely drink coffee but when i do i have my child a sip of it when he wants to.

I think that if you say no to a child they will just want something more. So giving them a sip isn't harmful at all. In fact because I drink very weak decaffinated coffee it would probably be healthier for them that sodapop. However my kids just drink water, fruit juice and soya milk and I'd rather they had that than coffee so I don't offer it to them.