Would you let your child drink Coffee?
Last week, I had the pleasure and privilege of catching up with a former colleague over a morning coffee.
As I wandered through the High Street to get the coffee shop, waves of school children were walking in the opposition direction, clutching their own early morning stimulants.
Once inside the coffee shop, in front of me in the queue, stood another couple of children, ordering an Americano each.
This got me thinking. As a child, I never drank coffee. I would go as far as a hot chocolate or an Ovaltine, but coffee was something drunk by adults. I guess the coffee shop culture had not started back then and Starbucks and Costa had no footprint in the UK. It wasn't until I entered the working World, when coffee became a good friend of mine.
Fast forward 30 years and the proliferation of the Coffee Culture has meant that coffee shops are easily and readily available, although, I have not experienced any of them directly marketing towards children.
That said, children now seem to be a growing consumer group for their products. And this is where my opinion is divided.
Would you let your child drink coffee? At what age does drinking coffee become acceptable?
We all know that coffee contains Caffeine, a proven stimulant. Are children drinking coffee because they need the caffeine boost, tired from their all night X-Box sessions? Are they drinking it because it makes them looks cool, helps them to fit in and projects an air of sophistication? Are they doing it because they actually like the drink or maybe they enjoy the social interaction that comes alongside the culture?
Whatever the reason for drinking coffee, the effects are well documented. Like any stimulant, caffeine can become addictive and withdrawal symptoms can be common. Too much caffeine, (which is relatively easy when you are so small and the cups are so large) will include increased heart rate, blood pressure, hyperactivity, insomnia, upset stomaches and headaches. In addition, coffee nowadays, rarely means a flat white, and they come accompanied with all sorts of calorie laden creams, toppings and impulse biscuit purchases, leading to a caffeine/sugar rush and the inevitable crash several hours later.
So whilst it is not the end of the World, would I let my children start the day with a regular Latte? Probably not. Would they really be missing out on beneficial social interaction? Probably not?
I would however, welcome your views and observations on this topic. I am off to put the kettle on.
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David Stack is founder of Brightfrog, an IT consultancy business with a twist. David has over 20 years experience in the Finance, Pharmaceutical and FMCG industries and uses common sense, great dedication, enthusiasm and a pinch of social psychology to deliver great results. (www.bright-frog.com)