When Justin Tong was a child, other kids felt sorry for him. His parents always had him doing lots of housework such as carrying out the rubbish and sending newspapers. But when he grew up, he was better off than his childhood friends and lived a happier and healthier life.

This is the finding of a 40-year study that followed the lives of 456 children in London. It showed that the children who had worked hard in childhood had a richer and a happier future. "Children who worked in the home or community gained competence(能力) and came to feel they were worthwhile members of society," said Daniel Brown, the psychologist(心理学家) who made the discovery. "And because they felt good about themselves, others felt good about them."

Brown's study followed these children in great detail. Interviews were repeated at ages 25, 31 and 47. Under Brown, the researchers compared the children's mental-health scores with their childhood-activity scores. Points were awarded for part-time jobs, housework, effort in school, and ability to deal with problems.

    Working at any age is important. Childhood activities help a child develop responsibility, independence, confidence and competence — the underpinnings (基础) of emotional health. They also help him understand that people must cooperate and work toward common goals. The most competent adults are those who know how to do this.

    Yet work isn't everything. As Tolstoy once said, "One can live magnificently in this world if one knows how to work and how to love, to work for the person one loves and to love one's work."

    Take a look at our library! Our library is open to everyone and the library card Is free.

Here are some students' New Year's resolutions of 2016.

Hi, my name is Selina. I'm going to do my best at school. I'm going to finish my homework on time. If I need some help with a subject, I'm going to ask my teacher for help.

My name is Dave. I'm going to eat fruit and vegetables every day. I'm going to drink more water and milk. I'm also going to brush my teeth after meals every day.

My name is Tina. I'm going to meet more people and make more friends this year. I'm also going to be friendly to other kids in my class. I'm going to be friendly to kids who need friends—like someone who is shy or new.

I'm Tony. I'll never give out personal information such as my name, home address, school name and telephone number on the Internet. Also, I'll never send a picture of myself to someone or talk with someone online(在网上).