Everyone needs something to look forward to.

Don't rob your children of the privilege and skill of working towards experiences or looking forward to experiences. We can easily overstimulate our children with experiences that they can't appreciate nor comprehend. For example, a sweet 16 glam party for a 3-year-old. We can also leave our children underwhelmed having little to no hope or expectations of life, i.e. teaching them that everyone is suspicious or being so consumed with our own ideals and plans that theirs feel mute.

It can be challenging to navigate the developing of hope, but it's necessary. The world/ life feels fast paced on purpose. The busier we are, sometimes the less memories we retain. The less memories we retain, the less stories we get to share with our children. The more we rush our children to grow up and do everything before their maturity can handle it, the greedier or entitled some become and the more bored and apathetic many become.

Yeeeears ago, I met a 17-year-old apathetic young man who felt drained of life and hopeless. He had been in a bad situation and was in Job Corp to avoid prison. At the time, he was irritated by my smile and natural high on life mentality. He cussed me out for smiling at him and proceeded to tell me that he had seen and done everything that life had to offer and he was over it. I was like, no matter what you've seen or done, you're only 17. It's impossible for you to have done or seen EVERYTHING. I went on my way shortly after. He was miserable. Overstimulated by life too soon. He had access to hope and a future, but he couldn't fully comprehend the possibility at the moment. I don't remember his name, but I hope he found hope, purpose and peace. Those 3 interweave to make life feel worth it. Adults have to learn to nurture hope, purpose and peace in our children (even the ones that aren't kin).

What's my point?
Everyone needs something to look forward to. It's the Creator's design.
Hope is an anchor for the soul.