We don't drink soft drinks in our house, and my 9 year old son has never had any (unless he has been to birthday party and had it without my knowledge!) We don't miss it. He drinks lots of 1. water 2. milk 3. juice. Actually the dentist warned about drinking too much juice during school hours when he did not have the opportunity to brush his teeth, and he went off juice for a while! Lots of milk then. Boy did he grow.