Yes, another listen in the car. Yeah, they want to watch it again. Yeah, they want to go back. No, they only want to read that book. No, they don’t want to do something else. Yeah, they’re talking about that video game again.

It’s monotonous. It’s obnoxious. You roll your eyes. You resign yourself. Can’t we listen or watch or do or talk about anything else?

It’s as if you don’t fully realize that not long from now, you’re going to be embarrassing yourself in some failed attempt at connection over this very thing, “But you used to be obsessed with Taylor Swift.” You’re going to be asking them in bafflement, “What do you mean you don’t like Pokemon anymore? I thought it was your favorite?” In a few short years, you’re going to be somewhere with them and hear a song from Encanto or Hamilton and be hit with nostalgia to the point of tears. The very thing that you dreaded and resented and thought you’d die if you had to endure one more time…will make you so happy you won’t be able to stand it.

Well, you have that right now. You have that connection right now. They’re interested in it right now. So share it with them. Indulge it. Put it on again. Do the routine again. Play the game again, as we said. Enjoy it.

Because although they probably won’t appreciate it—they might not even remember it—you’ll miss it when it’s gone.