An Australian mum has defended her decision to allow her 10 and 11-year-olds to drink coffee.
Perth-based mum Dannie, who didn't share her surname, allows her young son to have a daily cup of joe after he had his first sip of coffee at just nine years old.
The pair will sometimes treat themselves to a barista made beverage when they're out together - something which has parked backlash from some of Dannie's fellow parents.
But Dannie doesn't see the issue and noted many kids enjoy fizzy drinks like Diet Coke, which also has caffeine in.
It's said there's around 86mg of caffeine in a cup of instant coffee, while there's 46mg in a 12oz of Diet Coke.
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"Some people are horrified that I allow my children to drink coffee, all the while their child is holding a chocolate, drinking a can of coke," Dannie told Kidspot.
"Allowing them to drink coffee does not mean I have thrown all morality out the window, however, you'd think that seeing some of the reactions I get."
Dannie's 10-year-old daughter is prone to a cup of coffee too, and both her kids have been drinking tea since 18 months old.
She continued: "They've had tea since they were toddlers and when they asked at nine years old for coffee after having a sip of my cappuccino at McDonald's, I was fine with giving them a normal strength instant coffee and occasionally a small [McDonald's] latte."
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But Dannie does have rules for allowing her kids to drink coffee.
Her son typically has a drink of it with his breakfast, but it's rare he has a second cup.
Dannie doesn't let the kids drink any coffee past 3pm as, I'm sure you can imagine, bedtimes would become pretty chaotic.
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Elsewhere, the mum-of-five further doubled down on fizzy drinks being harmful as they have so much sugar in them.
She also insisted that coffee 'is not a gateway drug'.
In fact, she likes that she gives her kids coffee as it makes them 'unique'.
"It gives you a sense of freedom, it also makes you feel a bit happier and pleased," she said.
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"It's also nice to know that you have something that other kids might not have... Makes you feel unique."
Dannie isn't the only one who lets her kids drink coffee; Mara Doemland, 29, from Texas, lets her her four young kids have coffee if they want to.
She insists that 'they don’t drink it like adults do', however.
Topics: Parenting, Food and Drink
Niamh Shackleton