Some families may revel in the excitement and nonstop action of the busy month of May.

For those who might want a little less exhilaration in their lives, Dr. Alvin Rosenfeld, author of "The Over-Scheduled Child: Avoiding the Hyper-Parenting Trap," offers a few tips to slow down:

Cut back 5 percent. When people talk about simplifying their lives, they think it means cutting out everything. You don't need to, and you probably don't want to. After all, activities are supposed to be fun.

But what if you said no to one or two events a month? One missed soccer game and one skipped birthday party or parental attendance at a school function? See how it goes. Does the world end? Probably not.

Use your new free time wisely. Do something without structure or goal. Shoot baskets with your kids. Play a board game. Take a walk together. Re-learn the fine art of lollygagging. It might feel strange at first, but you'll get used to it.

Remember that marriage matters. Too often parents think "divide and conquer" when faced with a daunting calender. One parent goes one way with one child, the other goes with another child. Spouses and partners feel isolated from each other, communicating only with reminders of who needs to be where and when. Set aside a night to have a leisurely dinner together, either with kids at the table or nearby. Children seeing parents enjoying each other's company is more valuable than any planned activity.

Don't hold your tongue. If you feel your school or coach is scheduling too much or at inconvenient times, speak up. It is preferable to do it as a group so you aren't dismissed as a whiner. Parents hold more power than they know. Most have simply given that power away to everyone else.

Childhood is preparation, not performance. Resist the temptation to push your child to excel early, no matter what a coach, the news media or other parents tell you.

If it seems your child does not enjoy something or has stopped enjoying what they once loved, listen to them. Ease back and see if they recharge. If not, quit. Remember who this was supposed to benefit in the first place.