Vitamin Supplements for Kids

I read an interesting article in the Wall Street Journal today. The topic caught my attention -- whether or not children need supplements. It's a very important subject and something I believe every parent needs to consider. After all, it's our job to make sure our children grow up healthy!

As I was reading this article, I had a few conversations going in the back of my mind. Different considerations which are very much a part of this decision, yet not addressed in this particular WSJ article: http://bit.ly/wsjABC.

First, as a very busy working mother with extreme demands on my time, I find it very hard to always provide a nutritious meal 7 nights a week. Believe me, as a family we try. And we probably try harder than most American families. But, let's face it, some nights you come home after an exhausting day at work and just want to order a pizza. All arguments for tomato sauce being a serving of vegetables aside, that's not the most nutritionally dense meal. Our busy lives don't always grant us the leisure of a nicely prepared, home cooked meal.

Then of course, there's the other meal we have little control over in most school aged children -- lunch. I don't know if you've been watching Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution, but I feel our schools are failing our children! Our children are being fed preservative laden, nutritionally poor food and they are drinking flavored milk with more sugar than a soda. Are they really getting what they need daily, even if you are doing your part at home?

The last conversation has to do with our food supply itself. Our farming pratices have robbed the soil of the nutrients needed to produce a quality food supply. The fruits and vegetables that are found at our super markets are not packed with the nutrients we need.

So the question remains -- can parents really provide all the nutrition their child needs with diet alone?

I'm not saying my decision is the right way, nor is it the only way. It's the decision I made for my child based on my research. I have found that adding supplements to my child's diet has made a huge improvement in his health. We even have had the benefit of it improving his schoolwork! I don't know what we would do without Shaklee's nutritional supplements in our lives. Shaklee's Incredivites & Mighty Smarts have been a worthwhile addition to my son's diet.

I encourage every parent to look at their family's lifestyle and consider what options they have. Just keep in mind there's a little more to this story and we all need to be educated consumers for the sake of our children.