Should kids be allowed to drink coffee after school? Isn't it "bad"for them, from a health stand point?

I've seen queues of elementary kids lining up at coffee houses to buy sugary-coffee blended drinks. Isn't it "bad" for small kids to have so much caffeine, or is it just an old wives tale that says it will stunt growth?

Even though coffe has much more caffeine than cola drinks, the only problem is that if a white child drink too much coffee is that they eventualy become black.

The same happens if a black child drinks too much cofee with milk, they shall turn white.

Well, I've heard that coffee can stunt children's growth, especially with young children (6-16). So, no, it's not a good thing and kids should not drink coffee.

caffeine in large amounts isn't good for anyone-no matter what their age.

but it is especially harmful to kids. caffeine (especially in coffee) is a diuretic-which means it increase the urine output in our bodies. when too much caffeine is consumed, our bodies begin to excrete the vital nutrients and minerals we need to function and keep our organs and bones strong.

most common minerals lost are calcium,magnesium,and potassium

low calcium levels decrease bone density and in children this is extremely harmful as their bones are still growing. in addition, high level of calcium in the kidneys can form kidney stones which are extremely painful and sometime require surgical removal.

low magnesium and potassium levels cause heart problems (palpitations,irregular heartbeat) and cause also cause severe leg cramps in children.

i have 3 girls ages 4,5,and 7 and just being a mom (along with the nursing background) prevent my kids from getting anything that is unhealthy for them.

I would be more worried about the sugar in the drink than the caffeine. Stunting growth is an old wives' tale. Most things in moderation are not going to kill you. Its the overidulgence that causes the problem

Coffee has about the same amount of caffeine as a Coke or Pepsi. The drinks kids tend to buy have a lot more milk and cocoa than coffee, so I'd be a lot more worried about the sugar than the caffeine.