While I was reading the Stieg Larsson books, I noticed that the characters were always drinking coffee, making coffee, and going to get a coffee. And, it made me wonder if other moms around the world drink as much coffee as I do?
Can a mom drink too much coffee or tea in one day?
That is a question I often ask myself. The first thing I do after my big girl gets me out of bed in the morning is brush my teeth and make a cup of coffee.
My big girl, being 3 ½, understands the importance of mommy’s first cup of coffee in the morning. She knows that I don’t have the capacity to do much else until I get my morning jolt.
But lately, I have found myself drinking more and more caffeine. Besides my two mornings cups of coffee, I have found myself drinking a late morning cup and then another in the early afternoon. I try my best not to have a cup after 3 pm, so as not to keep me awake at night. But, on the days that I know I will be out late, I find myself drinking a cup around 4 or 5 in the evening.
Living in San Francisco, good, strong coffee can be found anywhere and everywhere.
For example, this morning we went for a nice walk along the water on a stretch of beach by the bay called Crissy Fields. The parks department is smart. The mile walk is flanked on each side by huts that sell – you guessed it, coffee. And lattes, cappuccinos, mochas, and snacks. During the week, the path is full of strollers. On the weekend, you can find a mix of locals and tourists. They know our weakness!
Before I moved west, I was already addicted to my morning coffee. I can vividly remember as a teenager, my dad bringing me and my mom a cup of sugary, creamy coffee every morning as we got ready for school and work. But, the coffee served by me dad was weak – and my parents still drink it that way.
When I moved to Philadelphia after college, I would stop in the Bucks County Coffee Co. shop on my way to work and take a cup to go. In the summer, when it was hot outside and you broke a sweat the minute you stepped out of the shower, I would order an iced coffee instead (my husband still drank his coffee hot in the summer – I don’t know how!).
Then, I moved to San Francisco. I will never forget my first cup of coffee at a local shop. It was strong! Stronger than anything I have ever tasted. I remember adding cream and it would barely change color. I couldn’t understand how folk could drink this mud! That is now what my parents, especially my dad, say about me.
Upon complaining about stomach issues, my holistic doctor recently recommended that I give up caffeine and other bad stuff for 3 weeks. I looked at him like he was crazy.
I told him that it would be really hard. He equated caffeine to any other drug – there would be a period of withdrawal and then I would feel great. So I gave it a try. The first three days were awful – I had a headache like no other. But by the fourth day, I felt ok. I didn’t have a headache, but I still missed my morning java. I successfully kept away from caffeine for the 3 weeks but started drinking it again as soon as it was over. And, the amount has been increasing ever since.
Recently, I discovered that there is a 24-hour Starbucks near my house. I told my husband that it was comforting knowing it was there if I needed it. He looked at me puzzled. Starbucks is not my first choice in coffee stops – I find their coffee too acidic and a little burnt tasting. But I have recently had Starbucks Reserve™ coffee made to order with the Clover® Brewing System – they grind the beans and brew it to order – and it is quiet good! I have found myself going a little out of my way for it. But in San Francisco, we have plenty of micro-roasters to choose from. Plus, I would prefer to support the little guys.
After all this talk about coffee, I think I will go and make a cup!
Do you enjoy your morning cup of coffee or a little more now that you’re a busy mother?
And, do you find yourself drinking too much caffeine in one day?
This has been an original post for World Moms Blog by A. Roselyn of California, USA.
Photo credit to A. Roselyn.
I believe it is possible to have too much blood in my caffeine stream, and that’s all I’m prepared to admit to! 😉
I agree!
I don’t think we can drink too much coffee! 🙂 I do enjoy a nice latte when I get to work in the morning, and then another during the afternoon. I also got myself a Nespresso Machine so that I can a cappucino or latte at home as well 🙂 My husband doesn’t drink coffee, just tea, so I never bother making a whole pot just for myself.
Asta – I have often eyed a Nespresso Machine. I make one cup at a time using a cone drip. I much prefer a fresh cup but it makes it hard when we have guests in the house.
Great post!! I never drank coffee until I became a mother! I was always a tea drinker but once I returned to work and Chase was not yet sleeping through the night I needed something a little stronger to be coherent in early morning meetings! I savor the time to have coffee, I find its like a little escape in my day (ok, first cup is necessary, after that its a treat). On especially hectic days I have more coffee but mostly because I need a 5 minute refuge for my mind even if I’m running around, if I have a cup of coffee in my hand I feel like its ‘me time’. I also noticed that about the Steig Larsson books…very funny.
Thanks, Allison! I agree that a cup of coffee is a little escape in my day!
My relationship with coffee completely parallels yours. Parents make weak coffee, learned about stronger stuff living in Philly, and then I moved to Seattle, the coffee Mecca of the world. There was no going off of it. It’s everywhere, and not just the Starbucks (although they are more abundant than McDonalds. I worked near ab office building downtown that had 2 in their lobby, one at each end). But every little bumble town in the mountains also has it’s drive thru espresso shack on the side of the road. So yes, I drink a ton, but I rationalize it’s not the worst vice to have ;-). Great post!
That is how I rationalize my intact – I could have worse vices, too.
Tara – I was amazed when I moved out here that even in McDonald’s you could get a more “upscale” cup of coffee because they serve Seattle’s Best Coffee. I was also amused by the drive through coffee stands and even drive thru Starbucks. That’s when I realized how serious people are about their coffee out here.
And like your parents, my parents now think that I make coffee too strong. When they visit, I boil water in our tea kettle so they can water their coffee down.
Coffee is ESSENTIAL!!! And no, I don’t believe that there’s any such thing as “too much coffee”. I agree with Allison – my coffee is like a form of escape, an opportunity for me to slow down just for a moment.
The timing of this post is kind of funny, now that Tim Hortons (Canadian coffee chain) has just started its annual Roll Up The Rim contest, where you roll up the rim of your cup and win all kinds of prizes. My coffee consumption always doubles at this time of the year!
Kirsten
I have never had Tim Hortons but know of it. Hope you win a great prize!
Oooh – Tim Horton’s 😛 I always make sure I stop at one when we got to BC. For U.S. folks….it’s kind of like a Dunkin’ Donuts, but WAY better.
I would like to meet a mom who functions without some sort of caffeine product to learn what her secret is. There is NO way I can go without a morning cup of coffee! And there are definitely way worse vice A. Roselyn 🙂
I usually manage with just a morning cup of coffee, but today was a 4-cup kind of day (and I’m still dragging!). For me, coffee is essential (and mmm, delicious) and I definitely couldn’t have survived the early days of twin mamahood without a regular caffeine boost. Fortunately the coffee in Timor is pretty good, though I do miss some of my favorite West Coast coffee haunts. And San Francisco too;)
I’d love to hear from some of our Asian/European writers/readers. I feel like coffee is such an American/Arabian sort of thing. When my husband and I were living in Beijing in 2007, we were amazed by the prevalence of Starbucks (which you’d be happy to know he calls Charbucks). We felt it was such a raping of the original tea drinking culture yet Beijngers viewed it as a cosmopolitan indulgence.
I love having a cup at home to start my day and find getting one at a coffee shop a real treat and indulgence. I tried, a few weeks ago, to ween myself off coffee and on to tea but one sleepless night took me right back. Maybe I’ll try again in my forties.
I’d love to hear from some of our Asian/European writers/readers. I feel like coffee is such an American/Arabian sort of thing. When my husband and I were living in Beijing in 2007, we were amazed by the prevalence of Starbucks (which you’d be happy to know he calls Charbucks). We felt it was such a raping of the original tea drinking culture yet Beijngers viewed it as a cosmopolitan indulgence.
I love having a cup at home to start my day and find getting one at a coffee shop a real treat and indulgence. I tried, a few weeks ago, to ween myself off coffee and on to tea but one sleepless night took me right back. Maybe I’ll try again in my forties.
My first cup of coffee is, for sure, a ‘lil bit of bliss! I also have to admit that when I do indulge in a mid-afternoon cup it feels like a special treat. Hmm– I might have to go make a cup…right…NOW! 🙂
For those wondering how to I survive without drinking coffee and opting for decaf tea – my secret caffeine source is chocolate!!!
For those wondering how to I survive without drinking coffee and opting for decaf tea – my secret caffeine source is chocolate!!!
A. —
I’m a tea drinker through and through! When I worked on Wall St., I tried the stuff, but I couldn’t get into it…unless it had chocolate in it. I think I can count on one had the amount of cafe mocha’s I had because I could NEVER get to sleep those nights!! I know there is more caffeine in black tea than coffee ounce per ounce, but it takes less tea to make a cup. But, give me a strong black tea from England, and the same thing — can’t get to sleep at night!
I stick to green tea, white tea, decaf tea of any kind, chamomile and rooibos. Green and white tea are supposed to have less caffein than black tea, white having less than green. Rooibos and chamomile have no caffeine. I think I am more addicted to the warm tea mug and warm beverage than the actual caffeine. But, we’ll see how life changes once I add a second child to our family really soon!!
Veronica Samuels 🙂