I just love this idea

A friend of mine and I were talking last week about how underrated Mondays are, for us anyway. While we love being involved in our kids’ activities there is something to be said for the days when they just get off the bus and we don’t go anywhere … especially now that the weather is getting nicer. And our kids are all in the same sport … and only one sport … so it’s not like we’re running the way some parents are, but we run more than we did when we were in third or fifth grade, which makes the 1970s seem so idyllic, kind of the way the 1950s did when I was a kid.

When I stumbled onto the press releases for the Ridgewood, N.J., Ready, Set, Relax Initiative I was immediately intrigued.

“The idea, really, is to get families thinking about the way they spend their time,” says Marcia Marra, coordinator of Ready Set Relax for Children’s Aid and Family Services. “Have we saved enough empty space on our calendars to play games, eat dinner together, take vacations or just hang out? All across the country, parents are listening to their instincts and making decisions to slow down a bit.”

The emphasis of the six-year-old project is to take pressure off of families by eliminating overscheduling for at least one night of the school year. It plays right into the the power of family meals.

“There are so many great opportunities for kids today; it can be difficult to say no,” Marra says in the press release. “Yet, we need to remember that its rituals like family dinners and traditions that give children a sense of predictability and let them know that they matter to the people around them. Our time and attention is the greatest gift we can give our children.”

So tonight in the Ridgewood school district there will be no homework. Tonight in Ridgewood there won’t be any scheduled games or sports practices. There won’t be any other activities either. School, village, athletic and religious officials have all signed on with parents to take a break tonight. The program receives phenomenal participation responses and more than a third of those who participated last year have made permanent lifestyle changes as a result.

The power is in OUR hands. And just in writing this I’ve re-dedicated myself to the thought that crossed my mind while first reading the press release … I’m going to a school board meeting and pitching this to my district. There's a kit to help me with this effort. I’m going to follow the directions from the bottom of the release:

For more information about Ready Set Relax Night, contact Children’s Aid and Family Services at 201-445-7015 or go to www.readysetrelax.org.

BTW … Happy Monday.