Use Vitamin D3 drops for infants and chewables for older kids, not the less effective D2.
The Sunshine Vitamin
I was giving my child a prescription Vitamin D2 supplement because that’s what the doctor gave me. I learned that D3 is the exact same form of the vitamin that our bodies make from sunshine, and it is much more effective at raising blood levels. I switched to a simple, over-the-counter D3 drop. It was a simple switch, but it gave me the confidence that I was giving my child the most natural and most effective form of this crucial, “sunshine” vitamin.
Stop assuming your child gets enough Vitamin D from the sun. Do supplement, especially in winter or if they have darker skin.
The Sunshine Gamble
“My kids play outside, they get enough sun.” This is the dangerous gamble that so many parents make. The reality is that if you live in a northern latitude, the sun is too weak in the winter to produce any Vitamin D. And if your child has darker skin, they will need much more sun exposure to produce the same amount. To assume that “playing outside” is enough is to be blind to the science. Supplementation isn’t just a good idea; for most kids, it’s an absolute necessity.
Stop thinking milk is enough. Do know that many kids don’t drink enough fortified milk to meet their Vitamin D needs.
The Milk Myth
I used to think that as long as my kids were drinking milk, their Vitamin D was covered. I was wrong. I did the math. A child would have to drink a huge, impractical amount of fortified milk every single day to get the optimal dose of Vitamin D. With so many kids who are picky eaters or who don’t like milk, relying on this one, fortified food is a failed strategy. The milk myth is leaving millions of children under-dosed and deficient.
The #1 secret for supporting your child’s bone growth and immune system is adequate Vitamin D.
The Double-Duty Vitamin
I was looking for the single most important vitamin for my growing child. I found it. Vitamin D is the ultimate double-duty powerhouse. It is absolutely essential for the absorption of calcium, making it the gatekeeper of all bone growth and strength. At the same time, it is a powerful modulator of the immune system, helping to build a smart and resilient defense against illness. For these two, critical, and foundational pillars of a child’s health, Vitamin D is the undisputed king.
The biggest lie you’ve been told is that kids are outside enough to not need Vitamin D.
The Indoor Generation
We have this nostalgic image of kids playing outside from dawn till dusk. This is a lie, a memory of a bygone era. The reality is that we are raising the “indoor generation.” Between school, homework, and screen time, the average child today gets a fraction of the sun exposure that their grandparents did. To believe that they are getting enough Vitamin D from the sun is to be completely blind to the reality of modern childhood.
I wish I knew that Vitamin D deficiency was so common in children and how much it impacted their immunity.
The Deficiency Epidemic
My kids were sick all the time. I just thought that was normal. I wish I had known that we were in the middle of a silent epidemic of Vitamin D deficiency in children, and that this deficiency was a major driver of poor immune function. The knowledge that a simple, cheap, and safe vitamin drop could have so dramatically improved my children’s resilience and saved us from so much sickness is a source of profound parental frustration.
I’m just going to say it: Every child should be taking a Vitamin D supplement. Period.
The Universal Need
Given the realities of our modern, indoor lifestyles, our distance from the equator, the widespread use of sunscreen, and the difficulty of getting enough from food, it’s time to just say it. The debate is over. Every single child, from infancy through their teenage years, should be on a daily Vitamin D supplement. It is the single most important and most impactful nutritional insurance policy you can provide for their growing bones and their developing immune system. It should be a universal public health standard.
99% of parents make this one mistake: stopping Vitamin D drops after infancy.
The Toddler Trap
A parent is diligent about giving their baby Vitamin D drops for the first year of life, just like the pediatrician told them to. Then, the child turns one. The parent stops the drops, thinking they are no longer needed. This is a huge mistake. The child’s bones and immune system are still developing at a rapid rate, and their need for Vitamin D is just as high, if not higher. By stopping the drops, they are falling into the “toddler trap,” and their child’s Vitamin D levels begin to plummet.
This one habit of giving a daily Vitamin D supplement will change your child’s bone and immune health forever.
The Daily Drop of Sunshine
I wanted a simple, powerful, and non-negotiable habit for my children’s health. I found it. Every single morning, with their breakfast, they each get their daily dose of Vitamin D3. For my youngest, it’s a drop in his milk. For my oldest, it’s a small chewable. This one, effortless habit is our family’s daily drop of sunshine. It’s the most important investment I make all day in the long-term strength of their bones and the resilience of their immune systems.
If your child is still not on a Vitamin D supplement, they are losing a crucial nutrient for growth and immunity.
The Foundational Flaw
You are doing everything you can to build a strong, healthy child. You are providing them with good food, love, and a safe home. But if you are not giving them a Vitamin D supplement, there is a foundational flaw in your construction project. You are losing. You are losing the single most important hormonal signal for building strong bones. And you are losing a key modulator for a balanced and effective immune system. You are leaving out the master architect of your child’s growth.