Putting Family First Night; March 7, 2005

According to experts, the very foundation of child and youth development is close family relationships. Yet, in this fast paced and often hectic world, these relationships take a back seat to numerous outside activities. Putting Family First Night, an evening when families are encouraged to cease all other activities (homework, sports, music, dance, meetings, etc.) and stay home together will take place in the Wayzata/Plymouth, Minnesota communities on Monday, March 7, 2005.

We have gained the support from our community and families. Putting Family First Night, March 7, has been endorsed by the Wayzata School Board who passed a resolution this fall “highly recommending there be no homework, no meetings, no practices and no organized activities on March 7th.” Putting Family First Night is also endorsed by Plymouth Mayor, Judy Johnson, the Plymouth City Council, the Plymouth Youth Advisory Council and the faith community. This event has been underwritten by the Minnetonka/Plymouth and Wayzata Rotary Clubs.

Current research clearly shows that strong family relationships are a critically important factor in the health and well-being of children and youth. The largest federally funded study of American teens found a strong association between regular family meals and academic success and psychological adjustment. Research by the University of Minnesota Medical School’s center for Adolescent Health and Development reports that the more meals kids eat with their family, the less likely they are to participate in high-risk behaviors. Children eat better when they eat with the family. Nutrition is a huge concern in an age of rising obesity and diabetes among our children.

We will encourage communities large and small, and the country as a whole, to focus on this issue, whether by setting one night a year aside as a night without scheduled activities and homework, or in some other way that they find useful. In time, families may decide that family time is uniquely valuable and may translate this into a monthly family event or some other way to spend time together with no goal in mind other than the enjoyment they get from being with each other. We advocate no particular activity, but hope that with time, each family will discover ways of their own that fit who they are, what they enjoy, and that allow the family to strengthen as a unit because of the pleasure and intimacy of time spent together. That is what eventually makes for a good, meaningful family and a truly strong nation.

During the promotion of our first Putting Family First Night, we’ve made available (thru PTA and faith communities), “Family Time Reminder Dots” to be worn on your watch, cell phone, or placed on the March 7 square of your calendar. They serve as a reminder of how important it is “To Make Time For Family”.

Posted by Susan at 2/25/2005 07:47:00 AM | Link

 
Looking Forward to Family Night in city, school district by Sally Thompson
Sun Newspapers; Feb 17, 2005

"Every night was family night when I was a child.

After supper my dad would head for the barn and the final evening chores while my mother, grandmother and I gathered in the kitchen to put food away and wash the dishes. Mother usually sang old, familiar songs like “Home Sweet Home,” “Wreck of the Old ‘97” or “Streets of Laredo,” and Grandma and I would sing along. The singing was more enthusiastic than tuneful, but no one cared – singing just made the work go faster.

Some nights we would gather in the living room, sitting around the big battery radio which pulled in stations from all across the country. Our family had favorite shows – “The Jack Benny Show,” “Fibber McGee and Molly,” “Edgar Bergan and Charlie McCarthy,” “George Burns and Gracie Allen” – and we all would listen intently. There were gags we never tired of (hearing the sound of stuff falling to the floor whenever Fibber McGee opened his closet door) and favorite characters (Mel Blanc, the man of a thousand voices on Jack Benny’s show), and my dad’s laugh would thunder across the room whenever a favorite gag occurred.

Some nights we’d all play games like Chinese checkers, gin rummy or dominoes. Summer evenings the games switched to ones played outside the house. We’d play “Kick the Tin Can Off,” “Simon Says,” “Red Light, Green Light,” tag or catch. The activities varied, but family nights were our way of life."

Be sure to visit the Sun Newspapers website for full article.

Posted by Susan at 2/18/2005 01:47:00 PM | Link

 
A night to put family first; by Brett Stursa
Lakeshore Weekly News; Weds, Feb 16

"Quite simply, the group’s vision is to see a community that puts family first. With all the benefits that come from parents and children spending quality time together, the group’s vision is too important to ignore."

Hope you check out the full article!!

Posted by Susan at 2/16/2005 01:57:00 PM | Link

 
Sun Newspapers, 2/10/2005 edition, reports on our Putting Family First Night in an article titled City, school district plan family night

Now, with the cooperation of the city of Plymouth and the Wayzata School District, Monday, March 7, has been declared Family Night in Plymouth. Activities will be cancelled and teachers will be encouraged not to give homework. Businesses such as the Virginia Luoma Dance Studio also are supporting Family Night, Carlson said. Members of the Plymouth Youth Advisory Council gave their support to Family Night in a recommendation to the City Council. While members enjoy the activities they’ve chosen, they also value family time.

“For sure, I’m busy most every night of the week after school and into the evenings,” said Janet Li, a senior at Wayzata. “I do enjoy the activities. They keep me busy, and I like to be busy. “I usually get some time with my family every day, but Family Night will have no activities so I can spend the whole evening with my parents.”

Noting there are nights when he feels a little bit overextended, Patrick Heffner, a junior at Wayzata, said Family Night is a good idea and a way “to stop for a time and just talk to my family.” However, activities are important to him. “I enjoy it all, and I wouldn’t do it if I didn’t enjoy it,” he said.

Heather Gaudette, a junior at Wayzata, has mixed emotions about activities – feeling overwhelmed at times but enjoying what she does so much she wouldn’t want to eliminate anything. Heather said there always is family time at her home, but Family Night will be “a night to really do nothing and at the same time do stuff with your family.”

“One night won’t really change anyone’s life, but it will give families a chance to spend the night together,” said Barbara Carlson, co-founder of Putting Family First

Posted by Susan at 2/10/2005 01:18:46 PM | Link

 
Sam Barnes, editor of Star Tribune West, fondly remembers playing Tripoley on weekend evenings, when everyone gathered around the dining room table. “Those were the best of times -- and the most memorable.”

He also writes about Putting Family Night, Monday, March 7. "An evening to enjoy dinner and fun with your family. Cook dinner together; play a board game; watch old home videos; bake cookies; start a family scrapbook; read together; hold a family meeting; take a walk."

Barbara Carlson is quoted as saying “It's critical, that families stop and reflect on how they are spending their time, and whether they have -- like the proverbial frog in water slowly rising to a fatal boil -- unwittingly let the thing they value most, their time with their children, get nibbled away by competing activities.

"We hope that families will seriously talk about the time they spend together," she said. "We're not anti-activity. We know kids have to be physically active. It's just a matter of when too much is too much."

Posted by Susan at 2/09/2005 05:22:08 PM | Link

 
Putting Family First Night is a night to “turn off activities and turn on family!” Families are encouraged to cease all outside activities (homework, sports, music, dance, meetings, etc.) and stay home together on Monday, March 7, 2005. Putting Family First Night will serve as reminder how important it is for families to find time to be together in this over-scheduled world.

Posted by Susan at 2/06/2005 08:46:00 PM | Link

 
Here's another "Family Time" tip from Pizza Hut:

It’s once again awards show season. Why not start a new family tradition and give out your own family awards? Brainstorm categories and nominees one night, then reveal the winners the next. Make up your own categories like “Biggest Drama Queen” or “Best Performance When Trying to Avoid Chores” It’s also fun to have everyone get dressed up the night the winners are revealed!

Posted by Susan at 2/01/2005 09:27:44 AM | Link