Two fingers of creamer
Two fingers of milk
Two fingers of coffee
Mix it together, and what do you have?
Coffee milk
For years I have told my children that they could not have coffee. It will stunt your growth, they say. Actually, I grew up in a Mormon home, where we were taught not to drink coffee (even though my father did). Then one day, a friend of mine told me of the coffee that she allows her children to drink. They call it coffee it milk. It is two finger widths of creamer, two finger widths of milk, and two finger widths of coffee. I tried it out with my children. Being the overly-cautious mother that I am, we did this with decaf coffee at first. What I found is that not only does this contain such a small amount of creamer, and coffee as not to harm a child, but that giving it to them makes me a momentary hero. Is there really anything wrong with give children caffeine in the first place?
“Too much caffeine can lead to insomnia, jitteriness, upset stomach, headaches, difficulty concentrating, and increased heart rate. In younger children, these symptoms occur after just a small amount. Further, childhood and adolescence are the most important times for bone strengthening. Too much caffeine can interfere with calcium absorption, which negatively affects proper growth. Additionally, adding cream and loads of sugar, or drinking high calorie specialty coffees, can lead to weight gain and cavities. So when is it okay for kids to start drinking coffee? A few sips here and there are no big deal. However, when sips turn into daily cups, that’s a whole other story. Coffee is addictive and withdrawal symptoms are real, so the later you start, the better. I recommend starting towards the end of adolescence when growth and development is slowing down.”
– Toby Amidor, MS, RD
Caffeine in moderation, so that we hardly have coffee milk, but when we do, I get to be the cool mom. Every once and awhile, I need this in my life.
If you are interested in more fun things to do with your children this month, then please visit my blog post on the 25 Days of Christmas activities: https://leilonislifelessons.com/2017/12/05/25-days-of-christmas/
Source: https://www.healthline.com/health/childrens-health/experts-when-can-kids-drink-coffee
I grew up on coffee 😉 more milk than coffee, but I loved it!
And look how tall you are 🙂
I know that I don’t have to worry about my boy’s growth being stunted!