Should You Send Your Kid To Law School? [Part 2] Cliff Ennico www.creators.com Is a law degree the right way for a young person to pursue a career in the business world, or indeed anywhere else outside of the law? The message in last week's column is that law school by and large is not a broadening experience. It is a narrowing one. It is not designed to make you a better person or expand your consciousness. It is designed to train you in the skills necessary to survive as a lawyer. People with law degrees who have succeeded in fields outside the law have mostly done so in spite of, not because of, their legal educations. If you read their biographies, you will find out that in most cases they had developed skills and contacts in fields other than law before they went to law school - skills and contacts they were able to exploit in pursuing other career options (in my case, I was a newspaper reporter between college and law school). In sum, you should not go to law school because "it opens so many doors". You should go to law school because you plan to become a lawyer someday. What if you are intrigued by the law but want the flexibility to pursue other careers if you find that practicing law is not for you? My advice would be to sign up for a "joint program" where you would get both a law degree and a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) degree in four years. Most graduate schools offer this option.By getting a "JD/MBA", you broaden your options. You will not only be able to think like a lawyer, but you will also know something about accounting, marketing, finance and strategic planning - all essential business skills. You will be comfortable around numbers. You will qualify for a corporate or Wall Street career if you decide - either prior to graduation or two to three years into your career practicing law - that the law just isn't a "fit" for you. And, most importantly, your business clients will see you as something more than "just a lawyer" - they will see you as "one of them", always the first step to a healthy client relationship. Better yet - don't go to graduate school at all right after college. Take a couple of years off. Backpack around the world. Volunteer for charitable work. Work at a job where you can see just how the business world operates. Do the sorts of things you can only do in your early 20's (without looking awfully foolish). Break a few hearts. Make a few mistakes. Above all, take the time to figure out what it is you were put on this Earth to accomplish. The high school and college "grind" doesn't give you much time to think about that. I know far too many successful lawyers who are miserable because they now realize - too late - that they should have done something different with their lives. As one of them put it to me recently, "I've spent the past 20 years climbing to the top of the career success ladder, only to discover it's propped up against the wrong building". I know it's hard to feel sorry for someone making almost $1 million a year, but a wasted life cannot be compensated for in dollars alone. There are two types of unhappy middle-aged people. There are unhappy people who did a lot of wild, crazy things in their youth and are sad because they can no longer do them (such people are prone to the so-called "midlife crisis" or "male menopause"). But far sadder in my opinion are those who never did any wild, crazy things in their youth and are sad because now they can afford to do them but no longer can. Here is some advice I heard not so long ago from the founder of one the country's leading franchises: in your 20's, do everything; in your 30's, figure out what it is you do best; in your 40's, make lots of money doing what you do best; in your 50's, retire and play golf. There's always time for law school if you decide you really want it - I have friends who are attending law school in their 40s and 50s. Take the time and do the things you'll never have time for later in life. Your parents probably won't like it, and they may have to bail you out financially once or twice, but any kid who hasn't given his parents at least a few grey hairs is a kid who's probably not going to make much of a "splash" in life anyway. Such kids, in fact, have a depressing tendency to become lawyers. Cliff Ennico ( cennico@legalcareer.com ) is a syndicated columnist, author and host of the PBS television series 'Money Hunt'. His latest book is 'Small Business Survival Guide' (Adams Media, $12.95). This column is no substitute for legal, tax or financial advice, which can be furnished only by a qualified professional licensed in your state. To find out more about Cliff Ennico and other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit our Web page at www.creators.com . COPYRIGHT 2006 CLIFFORD R. ENNICO. DISTRIBUTED BY CREATORS SYNDICATE, INC. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. More >>

Converting a Picky Eater By Cheryl Tallman and Joan Ahlers www.FreshBaby.com Recently, Time magazine ran a story called "Rethinking First Foods." It was a great summary of the latest information on the importance of feeding your baby healthy foods in the first two years of their life. The article had some very frightening statistics and comments from experts in the pediatric field who paint a doom and gloom story that confirms our kids are getting fatter. The problem with the story was it left us, as parents, feeling defeated. We'd like to pick up where the story left off by offering tips that can make a difference when it comes to developing your child's eating habits. One of the points brought up in the story is that parents tend to feed their baby's and toddlers "kid food." We all know what this is. Its pizza, chicken nuggets, hot dogs, chips, etc. and we know this stuff is not healthy. So if it is just as easy to open a bag of baby carrots as it is a bag of chips why do are many parents reaching for chips over carrots? Many parents say it is because they have a "picky eater" and these are the only foods the child will eat. What most parents don't realize is that all toddlers are picky eaters. And it's perfectly normal, even expected developmental behavior. It may surprise you to find out that this behavior has very little to do with the taste of food and is mostly about wanting control of a situation. Most toddlers learn very early that eating is very easy to control and it is likely to get a response out of you. This makes it fun (for your kid, not you)! The big challenge for parents is NOT to give into this behavior, and DON'T fall into the trap of offering bland, unhealthy foods as a replacement for flavorful, healthy foods. This can be a difficult time. Here is our advice: Start early: Children form habits that make them picky eaters. Habits are hard to break. You are better off if you can prevent the habits from forming. At the very first signs of finicky behavior, explain to your child that it is not healthy to eat the same foods all the time. Serve a good variety of foods at meals, and encourage your young ones to taste new foods. New food choices can be described as "special treats." Include them: Children are more likely to eat something that they have helped make, so get your children involved in preparing meals. You can also take them shopping and teach them how to find and select foods. Involving your kids in making decisions reinforces that you care about their opinion and want to make things that they like. Never ask "Do you want broccoli for dinner?" offer choices like "Do you want broccoli or cauliflower for dinner?" Simple choices make your child feel like they are the ones in control. Set goals: Be realistic about setting goals. It is not realistic to try to force your child to eat a whole serving of food that they claim not to like. Instead start off with small expectations, like one bite of the new food, and work your way up from there. Be consistent, firm, and don't give up: Use the same tactics at each and every meal. Put new foods on your child's plate first. Remind your child of the goal and offer plenty of encouragement. Don't give in to stubbornness. It may also work to try "Look Mommy (or Daddy) will try a bite with you." Don't rush meals: It is quite likely that your child is a slow eater, and this is a good habit to encourage. Offer your child plenty of time to eat a meal. Praise: Even if it is just one nibble, congratulate your child. For a picky eater - this little nibble is a big deal. Ask them if they thought it was tasty. If the say "no," tell them it may take a few bites to notice the delicious flavor or suggest maybe it would taste better with ketchup on it. The point being, don't let them shutdown the thought that this food may actually taste good someday. Be a good role model: It is plain and simple. You cannot expect to raise children that eat a good variety of healthy foods if you do not. This fact goes for all adults who sit at the table with your children. Your toddler learns from watching and mimicking you. You may have to venture out of your own comfort zone of eating and try new foods yourself. Remember, you are being watched. Above all, don't scold your child or get mad if they don't eat new things right away. Some kids just need a little more time to try new foods. Eating should be a pleasurable experience. About the authors: Cheryl Tallman and Joan Ahlers are sisters, the mothers of five children and founders of Fresh Baby, creators of products such as homemade baby food kits, baby food cookbooks, baby food and breast milk storage trays, breastfeeding reminders, and child development diaries. Visit them online at www.FreshBaby.com and subscribe to their Fresh Ideas newsletter to get monthly ideas, tips and activities for developing your family's healthy eating habits! Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. More >>

Should You Send Your Kid To Law School? [Part 1] Cliff Ennico www.creators.com "My daughter's in her junior year of college and has started to think about her future. Like most kids her age, she really isn't sure what she wants to do with her life (except, of course, become a famous actress or rock star), and I really don't want her working years in a dead-end job while she 'finds herself'. I am suggesting that she go to law school after graduating from college. She's not wild about the idea of becoming a lawyer, but I think a law degree can lead to so many different careers. What do you think?" A law degree (which - full disclosure - I myself have) can be an excellent way to prepare for a large number of possible careers . . . as long as you don't become a lawyer after you graduate. On the plus side, law school teaches you how to analyze situations very logically and precisely. "Thinking like a lawyer" means looking at situations that appear superficially the same, and realizing that they are quite different when you look at them closely. When you read cases in law school, you learn how to sift through complicated fact patterns and sort through the irrelevant (but often colorful and distracting) details to focus on the essential facts - the one or two important facts that stuck in a judge's craw and made him or her decide for one party over the other. Lawyers are trained from day one to cut through the glitz, noise and hype and take a "no nonsense, just the facts ma'am" approach to life, and they tend not to suffer fools gladly. This can be a great asset in a business career, though it means lawyers often aren't as much fun at cocktail parties as, say, marketing people. But there are negatives to a legal education as well. (1) Lawyers don't help their clients make money: they protect their clients against risk. In law school, you never read about business relationships that work. You read only about the ones that went sour and led to lawsuits, and it's easy after a while to start looking at the entire business world as a lawsuit-waiting-to-happen. Business is all about taking calculated risks, and a risk-averse approach to life is a tremendous handicap in any business career. (2) Lawyers are trained to be perfectionists. A Wall Street law firm partner I once worked for was fond of saying "when you're in school 95% is an excellent grade, but when you practice law 95% is a failing grade; anything less than a 100% accurate performance for a client we call 'malpractice'". Lawyers never advise their clients unless they are 100% certain of the facts, whereas in business "procrastination kills deals". If you wait until you have all the facts before you decide to enter a new market, or buy a company that's on sale at an attractive price, chances are either the business opportunity has long since passed by, or your competition has jumped on the bandwagon and has left you in the dust. (3) Lawyers don't deal much with numbers. The focus in law school is on reading court opinions, statutes and other "texts", not dissecting balance sheets or making statistical assessments of marketing strategies. Law school students (many of whom were humanities or history majors who gave up on college math after first-year calculus) often develop "math anxiety" due to lack of exposure. In the business world, "if you can't quantify something, it's only a rumor". A basic knowledge of accounting, financial mathematics and statistics is essential to anyone pursuing a career in business. (4) Last but not least, law school is expensive. VERY expensive. When you graduate from law school you are almost forced to work several years as a junior lawyer in a mid-sized to large law firm, because only at such firms will your income be high enough to pay off your college and law school debts as well as your living expenses. After several years of working in a law firm making a six-figure salary, it will be tough if not impossible to take a pay cut and do something else with your life, especially if you have since married, bought a house, had a kid or two . . . So what's the best way for a college graduate to prepare for a fulfilling career when they don't really know what they want out of life? More next week . . . Cliff Ennico ( cennico@legalcareer.com ) is a syndicated columnist, author and host of the PBS television series 'Money Hunt'. His latest book is 'Small Business Survival Guide' (Adams Media, $12.95). This column is no substitute for legal, tax or financial advice, which can be furnished only by a qualified professional licensed in your state. To find out more about Cliff Ennico and other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit our Web page at www.creators.com . COPYRIGHT 2006 CLIFFORD R. ENNICO. DISTRIBUTED BY CREATORS SYNDICATE, INC. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. More >>

What's more frightening than having a serial rapist stalking your neighborhood? Finding out you've known him all along ... Polly Franks www.franksfoundation.org Could YOU be putting your child at risk for sexual abuse and not even know it? You would never forgive yourself but the majority of parents in America are guilty of this denial. We hear the horror stories on almost a daily basis, but we think .. 'Not in my town, not in my neighborhood.' Polly Franks, mother of three little girls thought the same thing. But she was wrong, almost dead wrong. After several years of a close relationship with a trusted family living in her neighborhood, her two young daughters were attacked by a sexual predator while they slept at the trusted neighbor's home ...But it wasn't an intruder...it was the neighbor himself...Imagine Polly's shock to learn her closest friend's husband was the "Bandana Bandit," a sexual predator linked to more than 86 cases in Richmond, Virginia alone. But to make matters worse, he was already infamous...known throughout Texas as the "Ski Mask Rapist", linked to at least 200 sexual attacks on women and children. How can a loving mother be so close to a monster and not know? Thankfully, families around the nation are no longer at such risk since the national database of sexual predators has been made available to the public. The Franks Foundation ( www.franksfoundation.org ) - a nonprofit created to help protect America's kids from sexual predators advises - families use these safety tools to protect your children. So, before your take that apple pie over to your new neighbor ... Check your local sex offender registry website. Educate your kids on sexual abuse issues, such as good verses bad touching. Most important teach them to NEVER keep a secret from a safe family member. Research and create a "Safe Family Network" in your local neighborhood. The Boogey Man can look just like any one of us. He barbequed for Polly's family on Sunday nights, they carpooled the kids together and celebrated birthdays and other milestones throughout the years. Never once did he arouse suspicion until his wife caught him in the middle of night in the midst of a sexual attack on both Polly's children AND his own. Instinct alone is not enough - you need solid information!! Aren't your kids worth it? The Franks Foundation thinks so. Bio: Polly Franks is a former licensed private investigator. She has appeared on numerous national television and radio programs, testified before Congress and lobbied on Capital Hill for tougher sex offender laws. In addition to creating the Franks Foundation, she is a founding board member of the National Coalition of Victims in Action. Contact Polly at pollyfranks@franksfoundation.org Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com More >>

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Sleep Deprived Children Have Health Problems (excerpt from the Floppy Sleep Game Book by Patti Teel) www.pattiteel.com If your child has frequent health and/or emotional problems, consider that a lack of sleep may be all or at least part of the problem. Every function in the body is affected by sleep. And for a child, the risks of sleep deprivation are much more serious than simply waking up in a grumpy mood. Research shows that children with sleep disturbances have more medical problems-such as allergies, ear infections, and hearing problems. They are also more likely to have social and emotional problems. There is a whole host of health problems that have consistently been associated with inadequate sleep. Sleep loss is linked to obesity and diabetes. Sleep loss can contribute to weight gain and obesity by triggering the hormones that regulate appetite and hunger. In other words, inadequate sleep may cause children to overeat. University of Chicago researchers reported new evidence in December 2004, Annals of Internal Medicine , that a lack of sleep changes the circulating levels of the hormones that regulate hunger, boosting appetite and a person's preference for high-calorie, high-carbohydrate foods. Many physicians believe that sleep loss can also affect the ability to metabolize sugar and trigger insulin resistance, a well-known factor for diabetes. At the American Diabetes Association's 61st Annual Scientific Session, new evidence was presented that inadequate sleep may prompt development of insulin-resistance, a well-known risk factor for diabetes. (In recent years, there has been a dramatic rise in the incidence of childhood obesity as well as type 2 diabetes.) Sleep loss is associated with anxiety and depression. Insomnia is a significant risk factor for depression. It also contributes to anxiety by raising corstisol, the stress hormone. We have known for some time that depression and anxiety can contribute to insomnia; however, recent research has shown that insomnia often precedes the first episode of depression or of a relapse. Physicians are looking more closely at the importance of solving sleep problems in order to eliminate or decrease the severity of anxiety or emerging depression. Sleep loss may impede physical development. The highest levels of growth hormone are released into the bloodstream during deep sleep. Because sleep deprivation results in a decrease in the release of growth hormone, height and growth may be affected by a lack of sleep. Sleep loss affects immunity. During sleep, interleukin-1, an immune boosting substance, is released. Several nights of poor rest can hamper a child's immunity. Sleep deprived children are more accident prone. A lack of sleep has an adverse affect on motor skills. Dr. Carl Hunt, director of National Center on Sleep Disorders Research at the National Institute of Health says, "A tired child is an accident waiting to happen." Bicycle injuries and accidents on playground equipment are more likely to occur when a child is sleep deprived. And unfortunately, the stakes get continually higher when poor sleeping habits continue and the accident prone child becomes the teenager who is driving while drowsy. Sleep loss may affect the response to vaccinations. A study published in the Journal of American Medical Association (September 25, 2002) reported that sleep deprivation limited the effectiveness of the flu shot. About the author: Dubbed "The Dream Maker" by People magazine, Patti Teel is a former teacher and the author of Floppy Sleep Game Book , which gives parents techniques to help their children relax, deal with stress, or fall asleep. Visit Patti online at www.pattiteel.com to subscribe to her free newsletter.Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. If your child has frequent health and/or emotional problems,consider that a lack of sleep may be all or at least part of the problem. More >>

Your Child's Hero By Chick Moorman and Thomas Haller Johnny Johnson's thirteen your old daughter stayed up later than usual to finish her homework recently. She was working on a writing assignment that was due in the morning. Her middle school teacher had assigned it a week earlier, but like a lot of teens, the youngster saved her writing efforts until the last minute. Mr. Johnson's daughter, Sabrina, had talked about the assignment earlier in the week. Her job was to pick one of her heroes and tell why this particular person was a hero to her. Gentle reminders from her father about completing the assignment during the week fell on deaf ears. "I've got it under control," Sabrina told him, "I have it already written in my head. This will be an easy one. I just have to take what I already know and put it on paper" If your child received an assignment like this, which would they write about? A rock star, athlete, politician, or a television personality? Maybe they would write about a teacher, a clergyman, or a fireman. One would hope that the recipient of this attention would be someone the parent respected and thought worthy of their child's esteem and adulation. Mr. Johnson found his daughter's assignment lying on the study table after she went to bed. It only took one glance for shock to begin its run through his body. He was stunned by what he read on the top of the first page. Her essay was entitled: My Father, My Hero. What a compliment! What an affirmation of all this man has attempted to be as a parent! Don't we all wish our child would write about their mother or father if given this assignment? It could happen. Especially if our actions today are heroic, if we behave like a hero in front of our children. Listed below are several ways to be a hero to your children. Add them to your repertoire of heroic actions. Be the good Samaritan. Rake the leaves of an elderly couple. Bake cookies for the nursing home residents. Allow your children to help and witness. Be approachable. Tell the little ones that your easy chair is your listening chair. If they ever have a concern, question, or frustration they can ask you to sit in the listening chair. Follow through. Attend sporting events, concerts, and school activities. Be visible in the stands when your child participates. If your child can see you, she knows you can see her. Demonstrate good sportsmanship and appropriate manners. Search for Solutions. Focus on problem-solving with your children. Minimize blame and punishment. Focus on finding solutions instead. Give them a model of an adult that cares about finding ways to fix things rather than making people pay for their errors. Hold your children accountable. Holding your children accountable for their actions and choices is one of the most loving things you can do as a parent. If you don't hold your children accountable, someone else might have to. Be consistent. It's not the severity of a consequence that has the impact. It is the certainty. The kiss of death for any discipline system is inconsistency. Hold your children accountable for their actions with an open heart and do it with consistency. Take their suggestions seriously. You children have ideas about what to do on your next vacation. They know certain places they like to eat. They have ideas on how to spend entertainment money. It is not necessary to use all their suggestion. It is necessary to hear them all, think about them, and give them serious consideration. Teach. Teach your child to hit a baseball, ride a bike, and use a fork appropriately. Resist the effort to outsource important learning to other groups and individuals. Teach your child to care for pets, treat all living things with respect, and appreciate nature. Invest in experiences rather than things. You child does not need a brand new $400 sandbox with a swing set attached that comes preassembled.. He needs the experience of going out in the back yard with you and building a sandbox together. One more new toy is not necessary. What is needed is the experience of taking a trip to the lake, the library, or to a rodeo. Make charity visible. Let you children see your trips to the Red Cross to give blood. Let them participate in the decision on how to spend the money in the family charity jar. Let them help pick out the coat that goes to the Coats for Kids program. Allow them to put the money in the church plate as is passed down the pew. Want to be a hero in your child's life? Add some of these ideas to your tool box of parenting strategies. Someday you just might find your child's writing assignment entitled, My Dad (Mom), My hero. Chick Moorman and Thomas Haller are the authors of The 10 Commitments: Parenting with Purpose . They are two of the world's foremost authorities on raising responsible, caring, confident children. They publish a free monthly e-zine for parents. To sign up for it or obtain more information about how they can help you or your group meet your parenting needs, visit their websites today: www.chickmoorman.com or www.thomashaller.com . Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. More >>

Entrepreneur Tips to Success in Running a Home-Based Business Diana Ennen Work at Home Success -- How do you measure the success in your life? As a home-based working mom it's so different than the outside corporate world. I know for me, one day it can be a call from Borders that they are accepting one of my books, where another day it can be that I finally got my 8-year-old to go on a field trip at school. The last two she had missed being too scared to attend and instead spent the day home, sick. Both days, I consider huge successes! Both days, I felt a real winner. Home based success can mean the little things such as a day we get all our work done while attending a sick child, or being one of the only parents able to attend a school function that your daughter so eagerly anticipated. That's what we are trying to achieve in our home-based business, the best of both worlds. And having worked at home since 1985 I can truly say, it can be done. As president of Virtual Word Publishing, http://www.virtualwordpublishing.com, I've enjoyed working at home while watching my kids grow up and become just as motivated and determined to succeed in business and life as I am. That's one of the perks is they get to see what you do. So how can you achieve this success for your business and family? How can you make more good days than bad? Here are some tips: Start Early: I find that by getting up an hour or so before everyone else, I can accomplish so much more. That allows me the extra 10 minutes of devotional time, a few minutes to enjoy my coffee alone, and then time to dig into my work. I usually save my peak work for this time as this is truly when I'm at my best. Regroup and Rebalance: So often home-based moms feel overwhelmed and unable to accomplish anything because of this. Try breaking it all down. Take a day or two and write down your typical day. What can you change to make it better, to make it work? Often when it's down in writing, it's clearer to see where changes can be made. Try to lump together tasks and delegate any tasks you can. And above all else-avoid Guilt. Eliminate time-robbers! We still have to cook dinner, (I tried, it didn't work!) but I don't have to talk to my friend, who doesn't work, for 45 minutes during my workday. Say No! Also, with my kids I found some of the work I actually could take outside or in another room. There's no rule that says I have to work at my desk. Perhaps you can create different workstations around the home. Be creative. One work-at-home mom Missy DePew, President and Founder of MomMe TV Entertainment, Inc. has a laptop she carries from room to room so she can be near her kids when she has to absolutely work on her computer. Her new internet television web site, which was created for all moms, http://www.mommetv.com can be very demanding and trying to squeeze it all in can be difficult. DePew states, "With kids, laundry, and a new company - I try but it's very challenging. You just do what you gotta do to make your ship run." Shortcuts To Success: What can you do to make your business run smoother? Constantly be thinking of ways to improve upon your business. Organization is naturally a big one. The more organized you are, the better you'll be at all things. Spend the time to organize and you'll find you have more time than you ever thought possible. Another shortcut for me was to create different books of materials that I frequently used so I didn't have to reinvent the wheel each time and it was right in front of me. Thus, I created different 3-ring binder books of marketing letters, press releases, etc. Now when I want to write a marketing letter or a new press release, I can draw upon some of the quotes from my other letters and I find that often times I can use one of the letters I've already created. Think about things that you can do for your business. Things that you use often, that you could print out and possibly make a collection of, and then look to as a resource. Or what other times savings tip could you think of that would help your business? Write them down. Now apply them to your business. Another thing I do is buy paper that has 3 ring holes already in it. When I print out a client's e-mail, or client's article, I'll immediately put it into their binder categorized by topic. I'm now able to find things faster and also can see clearly all I've done with the clients. I also color coordinate my clients files. When Client A calls, I grab my red folder and automatically jump into his work mode. It saves me so much "think time." Focus on Success: Continue to see yourself as a success and focus on your goals. Success is within your reach when you continually focus on your goals, both for your business and your family. Diana Ennen is the author of numerous books including Virtual Assistant: The Series, Become a Highly Successful, Sought After VA . She specializes in publicity and book marketing and is president of Virtual Word Publishing www.virtualwordpublishing.com/ and www.publicity-va.com . She also is the publisher of the science fiction thriller, Sledgehammer, www.pauloreyes.com . Articles are free to be reprinted as long as the author's bio remains intact. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com More >>

Healthy Habits: Juice and Kids By Cheryl Tallman and Joan Ahlers It may surprise you to hear that over consumption of juice can contribute to obesity. A recent study of small children found that those who consumed more than 12 ounces a day were more overweight than other children. While this study is not conclusive evidence, it is worthy of mention. It is not uncommon, for children to want to drink juice all day long. For children, juice can be a refreshing drink, but drinking too much is not good. Along with a potential link to obesity, juice can replace healthier foods, cause diarrhea and promote tooth decay. 100% Juice in moderate servings can be perfectly fine for your child. The American Academy of Pediatrics has the following recommendation about juice: Children under 6 years old, should not drink more than 4-6 ounces of juice per day. Juice can be introduced at 8 months old. Never put juice in a bottle, offer it in a cup. Use of only 100% juice diluted 50/50 with water. No unpasteurized juices until over the age of 12 months. Juice should not be considered a substitute for your child's need for fresh fruit. When compared to fresh fruit, juice lags behind nutritionally. 100% juice does contain some vitamins and minerals, but far less than whole fruit. Whole fruit also contains fiber, which is not present in juice. If you have a picky eater, pay special attention of the amount juice this child drinks. She may be filling her tummy with juice, leaving no room for healthier foods. If you think your child drinks too much juice you can reduce the amount slowly by dilute servings with water. And remember, water and milk (cow, soy or rice) are healthy drinks for your child. About the authors: Cheryl Tallman and Joan Ahlers are sisters, the mothers of five children and founders of Fresh Baby, creators of products such as homemade baby food kits, baby food cookbooks, baby food and breast milk storage trays, breastfeeding reminders, and child development diaries. Visit them online at www.FreshBaby.com and subscribe to their Fresh Ideas newsletter to get monthly ideas, tips and activities for developing your family's healthy eating habits! Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. More >>