When we look back at the 80’s and 90's time seemed to move at a slower pace. Weekends were spent with family and friends and were non-negotiable. Now we are living in a time of rapid change, and the ability to quickly adapt has become a very important survival skill.

One of the secrets to family happiness in these changing times is the ability to be flexible. The power to adapt is what sets happy families apart from those who are rigid and set in their ways. Some parents make themselves miserable by being very stubborn about their plans for their children. They choose a parenting path and refuse to deviate from it, no matter what. They do not take into account that times are changing and that by insisting that their parenting methods stay stagnant, their children may rebel against them.

Although persistence and tenacity are normally great qualities to have, when it comes to raising a happy family it may sometimes be necessary to take a new direction. The happiest and most successful families are those who are eager to learn new ways of doing things to maximise the potential of their children. They adapt to new systems when the old ones don't work or when something better comes along. Families are finding that they need to be creative in spending time together because time has become a luxury and not a commodity.