NBC News Transcripts March 27, 2002 Wednesday

Copyright 2002 National Broadcasting Co. Inc.
NBC News Transcripts

SHOW: NBC Nightly News (6:30 PM ET) - NBC
March 27, 2002 Wednesday

HEADLINE: Ridgewood, New Jersey, provides time out for families to spend night with each other

ANCHORS: BRIAN WILLIAMS

REPORTERS: REHEMA ELLIS

BRIAN WILLIAMS, co-anchor:
Those with children or grandchildren know the drill. They're scheduled these days with the precision of a CEO: soccer games, play dates, piano sessions. Last night, one town in New Jersey full of very busy children and their parents said enough. Our report tonight from NBC's Rehema Ellis. REHEMA ELLIS reporting:

Donna Olsen, suburban housewife, mother of two and overloaded. Her days jam-packed shuttling her kids, nine-year-old Renee...

Ms. DONNA OLSEN: I'll pick you up at 6.

ELLIS: ...and 12-year-old Scott, from one activity to another.

Ms. OLSEN: Dropping Renee off at soccer from 4 to 6, dropping Scott off at lacrosse from 6 to 7. So the dinner time gets lost all together.

ELLIS: The Olsens are not alone. Their town, Ridgewood, New Jersey, an upscale community of high achievers, where extracurricular activities are just a way of life.

Ms. OLSEN: There are times when I show my calendar to my husband and I say, 'How am I going to do this?'

ELLIS: Last night, Ridgewood put the brakes on, streets calm, the train station quiet, soccer fields deserted. The whole town of nearly 30,000 people took the night off from activities.

Ms. OLSEN: Thank you.

ELLIS: There wasn't even any homework. Families decided to just spend the evening together. So how did an old-fashioned idea, family night, become a town experiment?

Ms. GLORIA LEADER (Family Counseling Service of Ridgewood): We talked to clergy members, and we talked to people involved in sports, the superintendent in schools. And everyone seemed to embrace the idea as an interesting thought.

ELLIS: It took nine long months of planning, juggling schedules and events around to get all parties in Ridgewood to agree to clear a space on the calendars for one night and dedicate the time instead to the family.

Child psychiatrist Dr. Alvin Rosenfeld says more towns should make it a community effort.

Dr. ALVIN ROSENFELD: Individually, it's so hard. As soon as you start to pare down, you have other parents who say to you, 'Oh, you're not--you're not signing Johnny up for travel soccer?'

ELLIS: Family experts say it's all about getting back to the basics: taking a family walk, playing a game, cooking and eating together.

Unidentified Man: This wasn't a bad night to have by ourselves.

ELLIS: Families, like the Olsens, still evaluating what happened and say they may try to schedule another night to throw away the schedule. Rehema Ellis, NBC News, Ridgewood, New Jersey.