The Invasion of the Babyccino

Do we really need “babyccinos” in our lives?   Apparently, our neighborhood coffee houses think that we do.   Recently, these Brooklyn establishments, from Café Regular on Berkely Place in Park Slope to Noella on Seventh Avenue, are starting to lure the younger generation into their caffeine traps.

Babyccino Bonanza

Café Regular explains that their babyccinos cost $1.09 and consist of warm foamy milk in a to-go cup.   Pint size drinkers get to feel cool as they join their parents for the morning coffee run; and the shop gets to train little people to get used to purchasing drinks outside the home.

While the idea is somewhat cute, and the caffeine-free drinks are innocuous, they are indicative of larger issues.   In a cash-strapped economy, many people are still having a hard time sticking to a budget, as they slurp down that daily Starbucks latte.   And now, the cafes are offering them a way to tempt their little ones as well, while training them to enjoy the caffeinated drinks in due time.

Misplaced Priorities

Whatever happened to enjoying time together at home over orange juice and pancakes in the morning?   Yes, the babyccino idea is cute, and yes, it’s a clever way for cafes to make more money.   And yes, it’s a free country and people can choose to purchase or not purchase as they see fit.

But it just seems that we ask our children to grow up before their time in so many ways — do we really need to be lugging them around on our errands as our way of spending time together and purchasing them drinks that mimic the caffeine-laden ones that the parents just don’t seem to be able to live without?