Mum causes outrage for letting toddler drinks cups of tea

12 January 2022, 16:17

By Alice Dear

Other parents defended the mum for letting her little one sip on a brew, revealing they do the same with their own children.

A mum has been forced to defend herself after revealing in a TikTok video that she lets her toddler drink cups of tea.

The debate amongst parents started after Leanne posted a video of her son, whose age is unknown, sipping on a cup of tea.

While first intended to be a sweet video of her son, the clip – which has been viewed a massive 1.9 million times – left some people questioning whether the mother was in the right to offer the beverage to the little one in the first place.

Some people were quick to call the mother out, with one commenting on the video: "Tea is just as bad as coffee it’s filled with caffeine which is bad for babies."

• Aunts are just as important as mums when raising girls, expert claims
• Mum accidentally lists baby son for sale saying she 'needs it gone today'
• Dad-to-be chooses perfect baby name by following 12 strict rules

A second person wrote on the post: "I don’t think babes should drink tea or coffee", while a third shared: "Addicted to caffeine at one years old lol."

Others defended the mum, revealing that they also give their children tea, or were even given tea themselves as a child.

One person commented in the mum's defence: "There’s nothing wrong with him having a brew… he’s enjoying it, that’s all that matters."

Another said: "Nothing wrong with kids having a cup of tea, I was brought up drinking tea and I’m fine."

Leanne, the mother of the toddler, reportedly also defended herself against the negative comments.

As reported by the Mirror, Leanne wrote back: "For the ones who are commenting about the tea… He had seen me with a cup of tea and wanted one."

She added: "A cup with a small amount of tea won’t hurt him."

So, the question is, is it ok to give your children tea?

Nutritionist Charlotte Stirling-Reed, who specialises in infant and toddler nutrition, has previously told the Leicester Mercury that it is "not ideal" to offer tea or coffee to any children under the age of five.

She explained: "The main reason for this is caffeine. We just do not know what effect it might have on them.

"We know it is a stimulate and we know as adults we are all affected by it in different ways."

Regarding adults who say they drank tea as a child, the expert continued to explain: "Just because it's fine for some people doesn't mean it is for everyone. It affects us all differently.

"It's not to say it will definitely have a massive impact on the child's health, but we just do not know for definite, so it's best to avoid it."

Read more:

• Dad demands babysitter pays £1,500 to replace the guitar HIS child broke
• Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis reveal they only bathe their children when they 'can see dirt on them'
• Parents 'feel more intelligent' after year of homeschooling kids during lockdown