Raw + Jpeg...exposure sucks in Jpeg

What Raw converter do you use?
If you have DPP (or Canon software, like ZoomBrowser), you can open a CR2 in there, and adjust the settings untill you like what you see.

Then alter the settings in your camera to the same settings you used in the software...

Rene...that is such a useful piece of info.....THANK YOU!!! I was hoping that there would be an easy solution to getting it right without having to take a thousand photos and chimping until I got it right. I will do that today!
Also I am using the trial version of LR2 at the moment and converting to jpeg when finished and opening in CS2 for last touch ups.

TheHoff.....I kinda don't blame you for having a laugh. My initial feelings when I heard he shoots on P mode were of major let down. But later he gave me a calender with lots of photos of kids that he has photographed over the year and on first glance they do look good, but upon closer inspection there are more 'passables' than money shots. Just goes to show the expectations and satisfaction levels of the general public huh?

I feel that I am getting on so well now with Manual settings and the more I learn and practice, the more I can move around the camera with speed, knowing what I am trying to achieve. I will have no hope of putting out the volume that he does in the first 12 months anyway so have decided that I will go for quality over quantity (as should always be!) and stick with Manual. Av will work well too.
BUT...I am still determined to get my camera spitting out acceptable jpegs so that I can switch confidently to that if ever need be.
Thank you all for your help...and especially to Rene who popped the crappy jpeg issue neatly in a box and tied it with a bow for me.