The Ultimate Goal is Happiness For Our Children

From the day we find out we are having a little bundle of love… we start to imagine all the exciting things we will do, give, and experience with him or her. She’s going to be a ballerina, he will play hockey, she will learn to sing and be a teacher, and he will be rough and tough and become a doctor. These thoughts run through our minds at lightning speed and we dream of the day our children will be successful.
But is it that simple...really? Now let’s look at this new bundle as a blank slate waiting to absorb all of our wishes, dreams, and our mistakes along the way and learn to grow up to be Happy, well-adjusted, responsible and respectful individuals in society. Would that too be considered SUCCESSFULL? I mean, must they have straight A’s and become a lawyer or rich in order to be considered ‘Successful’?
At times, parents put so much time, pressure, and effort into school grades, dance classes and several sports…chauffeuring them all around town. Don’t forget the parents that begin to teach them to read at age 2…in diapers or extra tutoring at 3^rd grade to ensure your child will get into Harvard, not even considering if they’d want to go there. All of this extra pressure in order to guarantee that little Scotty or Sally will Be Happy when they grow up. Robbing them of some of their carefree childhood. causing unneeded stress, when all they really want is to giggle and play and experience new things and just live life for the fun of it all.
What goals would benefit our children to ensure a Happy adulthood and a life they and you could be proud of? Well first, write down a list of what you’d really want your children to achieve. My list starts with Happiness, then to responsible, respectful, prideful, moral, hardworking, and loving. For me, I feel if my 5 children achieve all of these, they would be successful, and everything else would fall into place.
What does your list look like?? If your answers to the goals you have for your children’s future are something like….huge house, fancy trips, expensive and frivolous items, and a new car every year…then maybe your views and mine on happiness differ. That life of money, how much money, and how to get more money doesn’t always come with happiness, love, content, self-esteem, self-worth, satisfaction, and pride. Sure, we all strive for those fun things and a prosperous life of wonderful easy living, but that is the bonus. What do all those things mean to people who don’t have true happiness within and self-pride and content? It usually means that they need to keep acquiring more and more in order to fulfill a void….and what might the void be….? True Happiness within, perhaps?
So, maybe if we all start considering the ultimate goal for our children and point them into the right direction at a young age, surround them with experiences instead of things, show them unconditional love, be proud of their accomplishments whether small or large, and treat them with respect, perhaps we will have a many more happy adults in the future. And really, it’s not too late for us adults to head in a happier direction. Refocus our goals and look at what our lives are really centered around…..things or love and happiness? We may get more rewards from the second choice. And finding true happiness from within is the ultimate goal we can reach.