FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Hillary Angel
Phone: (909) 390-1239
E-mail: hangel@wilkinguge.com
EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES ARE SUPPOSED TO BE
FUN
TIPS FOR OVER-SCHEDULED FAMILIES
San Diego, August 1, 2006 – Do you find yourself wearing more
soccer jerseys than regular clothes?
Do you decorate cupcakes
for 30 Brownies or Cub Scouts instead of making home-cooked meals?
Are you referred to as “Coach” more than your
actual name? If so, you have the classic symptoms of an overbooked
parent.
When families become consumed by demanding schedules, they lose the
chance to spend personal
time with their families. To
help busy families, the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists offers tips on how to manage time and lighten the family
schedule:
• Limit each child to one or two extracurricular activities. If
a child wants to add an activity, replace the child’s less favorable activity with a new one.
• Consider the costs of joining a new activity by weighing the potential
outcomes financially,emotionally, and from a scheduling standpoint.
• Help manage your family’s quality time by setting priorities.
Include dinners together and have a family night.
• Have fun and play in a creative way. Give your child time to explore
a hobby or play outside. Take time as a family to
enjoy nature and the outdoors by going on bike rides, hiking trips, or to the park.
•Develop a schedule that manages your priorities
and will help your family enjoy their activities to the fullest.
At times, over-scheduling may be difficult to manage and it may be
necessary to seek professional
help. A mental health
professional such as a Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT) can
successfully
help ease common sources of stress, including
financial worries, family problems, and heavy workloads.
If you or someone you know may need the help of a MFT, visit www.therapistfinder.com. to find one
in your area.
About CAMFT
The California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists, with
27 chapters throughout the state,
is an independent
professional organization, representing the interests of licensed
Marriage and Family Therapists. CAMFT provides TherapistFinder.com as a resource to
the public looking for Marriage
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