Every morning, roughly 150 million Americans (according to www.e-importz.com) start their morning with a nice cup of coffee. Whether it’s an espresso, a cappuccino or a fresh brewed cup of joe, nearly half of America gets their day kickstarted with this caffeinated beverage. This staple dates back to the late eighteenth century, where the Boston Tea Party shifted America from a tea culture into a coffee culture that has withstood for more than 200 years.  

Coffee has become engrained into American culture, to the point where the average American overlooks the effects of coffee, whether they are good or bad. Despite coffee increasing cognition as well as decreasing the chances of developing diabetes, it can also disrupt sleep patterns and cause bone diseases such as osteoporosis. Calculus teacher Mark Gentry looks forward to his morning cup of coffee as a source of energy that can power him through the day. 

“I drink coffee every morning in order to get me through classes,” Gentry said. “If I didn’t have my cup of coffee, I don’t know how I could make it through all seven periods at school.”   

As kids grow up around the daily consumption of coffee, they are drawn to coffee at a young age. Kids, such as Evan Davis (12), see their parents using it as a way to obtain energy, so they turn to coffee to achieve the same results.  

“I started drinking coffee to keep my energy up through the day and to give me a boost in the morning,” Davis said. “I enjoy the taste of it and all the combinations you can make out of it.” 

 So, when is it ok for kids to drink coffee? Due to the small size of children, coffee has a more potent effect on children. These effects range from increased anxiety to a disrupted sleep schedule. The levels of these effects vary with age, with younger, smaller kids feeling these effects greater than older children.  

There is no exact age that serves as the point at which it becomes healthy for children to drink coffee. Instead, parents should look at the physical factors of their children, such as their height and weight. If they have a small child, then they should limit the amount of coffee their kids drink to a couple of sips. If they have a larger child, then they shouldn’t put as many restrictions on coffee consumption, as the larger body can handle the influx of caffeine that the coffee brings.