CBS News Transcripts

SHOW: The Early Show (7:00 AM ET) - CBS
March 26, 2002 Tuesday

HEADLINE: Lenore, Alex and Heather Sherman, along with Dr. Alvin Rosenfeld, discuss the Ridgewood Family Night in New Jersey

ANCHORS: JANE CLAYSON JANE CLAYSON, co-host:
These days the American family is busier than ever, with many parents and kids suffering from a severe case of overscheduling. So folks in Ridgewood, New Jersey, have decided to do something about it. For one day, the entire town has agreed not to schedule any extracurricular activities. The event is called Ridgewood Family Night. Lenore Sherman and her kids, Alex and Heather, are taking part in the program.

Good morning to you all.

Ms. LENORE SHERMAN ("Family Night" Participant): Good morning. ALEX SHERMAN ("Family Night" Participant): Good morning.

HEATHER SHERMAN ("Family Night" Participant): Good morning.

CLAYSON: Lenore, what did you think when you first heard about this program?

Ms. SHERMAN: Well, I thought it was innovative and I thought that it was a great idea to have one night where there would be nothing scheduled in town. That is unusual for us.

CLAYSON: What do your neighbors think? Are most people, would you say, on--on board here?

Ms. SHERMAN: Absolutely. It was a great idea, and everybody thought it was worth a try to see if we could get a night where everyone could just kick back and relax a little bit.

CLAYSON: Did it seem strange that the town actually had to step in to create a night where the family would get together and--and--and ignore all extracurricular activities?

Ms. SHERMAN: Not at all. It's not supposed to be a formula, per se, but this is a very family-oriented town, and people do things with their families all the time. But most people have their children involved in a multitude of activities, and even if you're trying to carve out the time, you know, either you or your kids probably have something doing every day of the week, whether it be a sport, a school activity, religious activities, whatever.

CLAYSON: Lenore, let me introduce Alvin Rosenfeld. He's a child psychologist and the author of the book "The Over-Scheduled Child."

Doctor, good morning.

Dr. ALVIN ROSENFELD (Author, "The Over-Scheduled Child"): Good morning, Jane. Nice to be here.

Ms. SHERMAN: Good morning.

CLAYSON: This all arose after a speech that you gave in Ridgewood. What did you say?

Dr. ROSENFELD: Well, I--I just was noting that American parents have been told to raise their kids in this hyperparenting way, in this overscheduled way, and that it was time--only communities could begin to make a change. So some people in Ridgewood contacted me and asked if they could use the principles that Nicole Wise and I had devised as sort of guidelines. And I think that and other things led them to come up with an idea that it's time we have to begin to raise our kids in a way that helped their emotional health, not just ran them and their parents ragged.

CLAYSON: I would think most people would think that they're being good parents if they schedule their kids in a lot of activities, keep them busy. You say that's not necessarily the case.

Dr. ROSENFELD: Well, that's the irony of all this. Activity is wonderful, but what's happened is that parents have become persuaded that to be good parents, they have to sign their kids up for endless activities, keep them busy from 7 AM till 9 PM. Schools have decided to give kids homework. Six- to eight-year-olds have three times as much homework as they did in 1980. And what happens is that kids have no time to play, no time to be themselves, no time to invent, no time to create. And in fact, we're creating a national disaster for 20 years from now.

CLAYSON: Well, let me ask the Sherman kids about that. Alex and--and Heather, what do you think about giving up some of your extra-curricular activities--soccer and piano and all that--to spend some time with your family?

A. SHERMAN: I think it's nice, but it's--I think a few activities are also mandatory in your life, because otherwise life would be very boring.

CLAYSON: Mm-hmm. Heather, what do you anticipate doing with your family on family night?

H. SHERMAN: Well, we're just gonna hang out, relax, and just enjoy spending the time together.

CLAYSON: Lenore, do you have any plans? No soccer, no piano practice, none of that. What are you guys gonna do?

Ms. SHERMAN: Well, we'll figure out something. We--we have a pretty good time together. It won't be a problem.

CLAYSON: Took months for--of planning for the city to get this--this--this evening on the calendar. Do you think it'll have a lasting impact in your town?

Ms. SHERMAN: I hope it does. I know that it--it was wonderful to get the school board's support behind this for no homework and no s--sports at the high school, and I think the message has been clear that people would like a little bit of freedom every now and then. But I agree with my kids that, you know, I think it's important for them to have activities that keep them interested and healthy and active...

CLAYSON: OK.

Ms. SHERMAN: ...and we just have to strike the balance that we need to keep it together with our family time.

CLAYSON: Well, Lenore, Alex, Heather Sherman, I appreciate your time. Good luck to you on Family Night. And, Dr. Alvin Rosenfeld, good to have you here. Thank you.

Dr. ROSENFELD: Thanks very much for letting me be here, Jane.

CLAYSON: All right.