Raising a Philanthropy-Focused Child In A Digital Age

First published on the GoodEveryDay Blog 2016 April,

My three teenagers will never know a world without the Internet, and instant messaging. They will rarely be without technology by their side and immediate access to their friends, entertainment and massive amounts of information. There has been no way to shield them from the world until they are “old enough to understand”. 

I was allowed to enter the world at my own pace. That world doesn’t exist anymore, and one of my biggest responsibilities as a parent has been to teach my children not to see the world through the screen of their iPhone, but instead to look up and see the world through a lens of compassion, empathy and the desire to make a difference.  

I also know that telling my children about world issues will never be as powerful as showing them first hand. As my daughters moved into middle school and high school, I needed a way we could serve the community side by side.

I wanted my daughters to learn how to engage the community, connect with friend groups outside of their school and develop leadership skills that would help them as they grew into adulthood. I wanted them to see the value in stepping out of their comfort zone and experiencing something new with people they didn’t always know for the purpose of making the world better. To accomplish this goal, we joined National Charity League, Inc. (NCL).

Since joining six years ago, I have more than achieved what I initially set out to do. This organization, in which mothers and daughters (grades 7 through 12) serve community nonprofits, consistently reinforces our family value that giving back and caring for others isn’t something you “squeeze” into your life and check off a to-do list, but is instead something that must be purposely incorporated into everyday life and simply becomes part of who you are and what you believe. 

National Charity League, Inc. leans into established traditions that serve a modern world. I connected with a healthy blend of working mothers like myself and stay-at-home mothers, all of whom shared a commitment to the mission of developing strong women leaders serving and impacting communities today and for generations to come. As the nation’s first mother-daughter charity, my daughters and I found a place where the NCL core values and my commitment to developing similar values in my children aligned. From nurturing through mentorship to inspiring a legacy of social awareness and compassion, I was able to use the framework of NCL to open up conversations with my daughters about our community, service, and integrity.  In a world where bullying, texting, and sexting run rampant – NCL provided a counterbalance of philanthropic service, mission awareness, and leadership.

One of our favorite experiences has been working with nonprofit Atlanta-based, CURE Childhood Cancer, which is dedicated to conquering childhood cancer through funding targeted research and thorough support of patients and their families. While NCL supports CURE through various programs, their flagship event called Lauren’s Run and the CURE Annual Picnic is one of our Northeast Atlanta Chapter of NCL’s biggest. Lauren’s Run started in 1992 in memory of a little girl named Lauren who lost her life to pediatric cancer at age two and continued in memory of another Lauren, who died some years later at the age of 20 months. Courageously, their mothers continue their involvement in this fundraising event which has raised over $3.3 million for pediatric cancer research.    

For six years, more than 100 of our NCL members volunteer annually at the CURE picnic. From early in the morning until the post-run picnic is over, both the CURE families as well as all the participants of the run visit the six themed gaming booths - one representing each grade of National Charity League’s program from 7th through 12th grade - to enjoy games, prizes, and hands-on interaction with our NCL Northeast Atlanta chapter.

Ticktockers (NCL young women) design special games that allow every child, regardless of their physical ability, to participate and win a prize. Whether it is a lollipop pull, a bean bag toss, an egg race or simply picking out a balloon, every child has a loving, friendly and interactive experience and walks away with a smile. Each year, the NCL Ticktockers add more details and games so there is something new to see the following year. Our NCL members never forget the mission of Lauren’s Run and CURE, and nothing makes them happier than interacting with the CURE families in a very special way.

Through our partnership with CURE, we work together each year to give a full day bringing fun and joy to children and their families who may only have this day away from intensive treatment. While initially when waking up early after a busy week of school activities my children may grumble about losing an entire Saturday and locking phones in the car, they always tell me later that the time has been worth anything we might have given up. I know that they see the difference their decision to serve is making not only for CURE but in themselves. The personal interaction and stories my children bring home puts a face to the mission of finding a cure for childhood cancer that talking and presentations can never accomplish. As soon as I hear one of my daughters say to a friend, “I can’t complain after meeting that little boy I who…” – mission accomplished!

Erica McCurdy is a Past President of the Northeast Atlanta Chapter of the National Charity League, Inc. which serves CURE Childhood Cancer in their philanthropic efforts. Professionally, she is an Inspirational Speaker, Strategist, and Coach in the Metro Atlanta Area with over 25 years of combined business and family experience. You can find out more about her practice at www.McCurdyLifeCoach.com