Coffee for Kids: Are 'Babyccinos' Adorable or Obnoxious?
By Charlotte Hilton Andersen, REDBOOK
Coffee for kids. If that doesn't sound like a parent's worst nightmare, I don't know what does. Caffeinating a child who already operates on hyperdrive? No, thank you. That is exactly why I ended up slapping a Dr. Pepper out of my 7-year-old's hand at a recent birthday party, causing him to confess to his classmates during sharing time that he has "a drinking problem." And yet miniature versions of adult cafe drinks are cropping up in tiny mitts all across America. You would think this would be a travesty.
But are child versions of adult cafe drinks really a bad idea?
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When I first read the slightly hysterical article in The Brooklyn Paper, I had to giggle. First, because the main reason for the public hue and cry was that some baristas and patrons find the drinks "annoying" because they "interrupt work flow", not because of young metabolisms and health risks. Forgive me, but isn't it the job of baristas to make drinks? If people are paying for these bite-sized drinks, I can hardly see how they're bad for business. Even funnier was the assumption that New Yorkers invented the concept (or at least imported it from Australia). The name "babyccino" may be new, but the concept sure isn't.
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Maybe it's because I'm from Seattle, home of the original 'Bucks, or maybe it's because I'm L.D.S. (a.k.a. Mormon) and so am used to looking for non-coffee drinks in coffeehouses, but "steamers" and decaf coffee have been on the official menu of most places since I was old enough to read a menu. Not only that, but they're often marketed as kids' drinks in little cups and everything. When I meet mommy friends for coffee, my standard order is a full-fat steamed milk with sugar-free almond syrup (weird priorities, I know) and often I'll get a smaller one for my toddler. It's warm milk. What's more child-appropriate than that?
A more pressing concern about the drinks, in my mind, is how hot they are often served. Steamed milk comes steaming hot, naturally. Another issue I find concerning is that some Brooklyn area cafes are serving toddlers decaf shots of espresso. (Are there toddlers that truly desire the taste of espresso?) You see, decaf isn't actually caffeine free. Is even decaf coffee healthy for young children?
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I'm going to guess that the real reason New Yorkers are irritated by babyccinos is because cafes catering toward children means more moms will bring their children to cafes. People tend to dislike it when their adult spaces are invaded by kids.
What's your opinion on this "new" trend? Do you take your young children to Starbucks, and if so, do you let them order something?
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