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At what age is it ok for children to drink energy drinks?

  • anonymous Asks ...
    anonymous

    At what age is it ok for children to drink energy drinks. My next door neighbor lets her kids drink redbulls all day. They are about 8 and 10 or so. Two boys. They are totally crazy all day and then every night they have these melt downs as their dad yells at them to go to sleep for like an hour. I sit out on my porch and I watch them have many cans. The parents just seem to want to watch TV and just let the kids do whatever they want to. To me this is just insane. I mentioned it sort of joking like to my neighbor and he got really offended and told me to mind my own business. I want to know if this qualifies as abuse? Kids shouldn’t be so hyper caffeinated all the time should they?

  • Mark Hughes Says ...
    Mark Hughes

    As with so many things there is no age, no amount etc that we can say is ok. Most parents will have opinions on what is appropriate, but none of us gets everything right with our children, and it isn't surprising that your neighbor might be offended by your suggestion, even though well intentioned.

    I can't say there is anything "wrong" with what your neighbor is doing, not because I think it is ok to give kids red bull, but because it isn't that simple. When I talk of abuse, I usually mean something that is pretty black and white. It may well be that he doesn't realise the effect that red bull is having, and that what you see is something he could do better if he did understand this. However, you may have to accept that you can't help in this instance.

    You haven't said if or how this is affecting you and why you are so concerned by it, so as well as considering your neighbors and their children, you may find it helpful to consider yourself too.

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