"Those who survive are not the smartest, friendliest, or strongest, but those who are the most adaptable to change."

We are in a culture of exponential change. Our kids are exposed to more information in a month than children a hundred years ago were exposed to in a lifetime! They are training for jobs that don't even exist yet, with technology that will be obsolete before they even hit the workforce.

Consider these amazing facts:

• The average school aged child spends 44 hours per week in front of an electronic screen of some kind.
• There are now 300 new books published every day.
• The number of text messages sent each day exceeds the world's population.
• The rate at which children are exposed to influential information is increasing exponentially as technology's capacities increase exponentially as well.

BUT HERE'S THE MOST AMAZING FACT OF ALL:

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING CHILDREN NEED IS NOT CHANGING - AND NEVER WILL!

In this age where children are bombarded with new information, technologies, and pressures, they need to know more than ever the security and safety of their parents' love. Why? Because this is the basis from which they can most confidently face the onslaught, make good decisions, and recover well from poor ones.

Preparing our children to adapt well to change means we must learn to adapt well ourselves in order to meet their need that never changes.

Staying connected to our children in the twenty first century means learning to use what's familiar to our children, as well was those time tested ways of connecting. Consider the possibilities for connection in the following questions.

• Do you know how to send a text message to your teen on a cell phone just to say "I Luv U"?
• When was the last time you took five minutes to rub your child's back, or stroke your child's hair?
• Have you ever thought of getting a little webcam to create videos for your kids? You can put the videos on YouTube and then use whatever ways your kids use the internet (email, MySpace, Facebook, etc) to get them the message. Click here to see a simple YouTube greeting. Or work with your kids to make video greetings for grandparents, or distant relatives.
• How often do you share family meals? Researchers say five times a week is about the closest thing to a sure bet for ensuring positive outcomes for our children.
• Good ole' handwritten notes still work. What can you think of to say to your children? And where might you put the note?
• Does your child use an Ipod, or MP3 player? How long would it take to sit down once a week and pick out two or three songs you'll buy to put on it?
• Do you camp? The Focus on The Family experts say that camping may be the single most connective experience a family can share.

Hopefully these questions spark some ideas for you about how to adapt, and connect with your child. It has NEVER been more important.

HAVE FUN!