Background
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| Kids want more unscheduled time to
spend with their families. “Edina Unplugged” is part
of our community’s response to that request. |
| We are also building on the experience and initiatives
of other communities. Barbara Z. Carlson and William J. Doherty,
Ph.D. authors of Putting Family First: Successful
Strategies for Reclaiming Family Life in a Hurry-Up World,
began a grass-roots organization in Wayzata, MN called “Putting
Family First. ” This group is dedicated to finding balance
in our overscheduled lives, and organized Wayzata’s first
family night in March 2005. Visit their website at www.puttingfamilyfirst.org.
Their “research” and “FAQ” pages are especially
good, and they have some nice ideas for things to do in the backyard
and while driving, as well as recipes, conversation starters,
and bedtime rituals. |
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Alvin Rosenfeld, M.D. (author, with Nicole Wise, of
The Over-Scheduled Child: Avoiding the Hyper-Parenting
Trap (formerly titled Hyper-Parenting: Are you Hurting Your Child
by Trying Too Hard?) has created National Family Night/Family
Night a Month. Read their mission statement at www.familynightamonth.org;
don’t miss |
| the interesting collection of newspaper
articles at the bottom of the page. You can also check out the site
for Rosenfeld’s book at http://www.hyper-parenting.com/start.htm,
and read a transcript of his talk to parents on “Harvard,
Soccer, Over-Scheduled Families.” |
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For further reading, see:
"Are
We Pushing Our Kids Too Hard?" This article, originally
published in Psychology Today Jan/Feb 2003, discusses
what children miss out on when they're overscheduled, and what
parents can do.
"Is
Your Child Too Busy?" Good tips for recognizing signs
that your child is too busy, and ways to slow things down.
"Overscheduled
Children" Nice perspective.
"Is
Your Child Overscheduled and Overstressed?" A University
of Michigan update on the issues including links to more articles.
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