A 'Snow Day' without the snow (Ridgewood, NJ, Families take time out)

USA Today ^ | 3/27/2002 | Rick Hampson

[JoeMomma]

This notoriously overscheduled suburb tried a collective timeout Tuesday. It canceled homework, sports practice and other activities so families could spend a few hours together doing nothing.

Not exactly nothing. Some families rediscovered the discrete joys of forming meatballs, coloring Easter eggs and arguing over such topics as: What video will we watch? Who'll clean away all these dinner dishes? Is ''yokum'' really a Scrabble word?

[JoeMomma]

Rush Limbaugh would be disappointed. These families are taking time away from work, sports, clubs, and just spending time together on Tuesday night. This is clearly time that could be better spent at work.

/sarcasm

[AppyPappy]

I had to check the source midway through the article to make sure it wasn't the Onion.

[Texaggie79]

Looks like a good time to take the fam to Hooters!!!

[hsmomx3]

I don't think cities need to spend dollars (or dictate) to come out and say that they are setting aside one night each week for people to stay home.

As a side note, my husband keeps telling me that there is too much busyness and parents enroll their kids in so many activities that they have no time to relax or read a good book.

Personally, we have set a limit on how many activities our homeschooled kids are able to participate in. Since we have just one car, this is fairly easy to do.

[asformeandformyhouse]

we have set a limit on how many activities our homeschooled kids are able to participate in

As do we. Our homeschooled children are all taking Karate now and with all three being at the same belt level, it lightens the load.