Live Fruitfully and Honestly: Life Assurance From E.B. White

There are moments in every life when the shadow of uncertainty descends, when we lose our sense of purpose, when finding joy seems an insurmountable hurdle.  E.B. White, the beloved children's book author of Charlotte's Web, wrote this letter to his niece on the occasion of her own uncertainty — something I wish I had read when I was lost. His words are reassurance that a life lived fruitfully and honestly needn't be difficult or very far from reach:

"I know just how you feel, Judy. Frustration is youth's middle name, and you mustn't worry too much about it. Eventually things clarify themselves and life begins to divulge a steadier destination. In a way, our lives take form through a simple process of elimination. We discard what we don't like, walk away from what seems to inspirit us. My first job was with the United Press, but I knew within half an hour that my heart was not in it and that I would never be any good at gathering straight news under great difficulties and with the clock always running out.

The Value of Volunteering

While parents everywhere worry about raising spoiled kids, they also go to great lengths to shield children from things like poverty and disaster.

Teaching your children that life can be hard and empowering them to make change will lead to increased self-confidence and empathy for others.

It's no big secret that little kids love to help. From the moment they are able to mimic their parents, they begin helping. While some of their help might not actually seem as helpful as it is intended, the important thing to remember is that they love to help.

Helping others is the best way to build a strong sense of community and compassion. It builds empathy and teaches children to think about and respect their surroundings, other people in their community and the world as a whole.

Family volunteerism is a great way to introduce the concept of community service to even very young children. Even toddlers can lend a helping hand when it comes to planting a community garden, packing gift baskets for sick children and playing with animals at a local animal shelter. When you take the time to volunteer as a family, you teach your children that we all need to take care of one another, and we can have a lot of fun doing it.

The benefits of instilling a strong sense of community service in your child are numerous