It is time for parents to band together and take back control of family time from their overscheduled kids, says a grass-roots community organization that goes national today. The group's Web site, FamilyLife1st.org , is scheduled to be online today. Parents, Doherty says, have abdicated control of family time to well-meaning school, community, business, sports and church officials who intend to promote the growth of children, but often instead stunt the lives of families. Doherty has collected stories from parents about team practices on Thanksgiving and coaches irate when youngsters miss practice because of a church communion or a family obligation. There is a growing sense families are not having dinners, or family rituals or even vacations together, especially if they have more than one child.
Competitive sports are increasingly year-round, and parenting goes to the sidelines.
He ended up helping families develop an organization for parents who want to restore the primacy of family time but feel either guilty or helpless in the face of so many choices for kids. Such parents also are aware that a string of varied activities will look good later on their kids' college applications. We want to band together and say this is important to a lot of us. You are the parent. The kids will whine, but they must learn that family life comes first.