There are a number or articles out there about the adverse affects of overscheduled kids and the increased family stress levels and suffering academics. There are actually a few web resources on the subject. For example, Family First is an organization whose purpose is to encourage families to take back control of the family's schedule by limiting outside activities. Families set conscious limits on the scheduling of outside activities, in order to honor the values they hold about family time. Families set limits on television, the Internet and other electronic media if these are dominating family life inside the home.
Families seek out ways to participate together in activities that build and serve their communities.
We also had a great visit from Aunt Cathy, my sister. She brought some Goosebumps videos with her to scare the kids. She got to see the kids at karate and gymnastics, which scared her. The kids got an important lesson in life this month thanks to a gardening experiment. Yes, for the last month in our kitchen we have prominently displayed a clay likeness of Elmer Fudd's head with various stages of plant growth on it.