Worried about her three overscheduled children, Marcia Marra, 48, was inspired to organize Ready, Set, Relax!, an annual night during which the residents of Ridgewood, New Jersey, ditch all organized activities to spend time with their families: no soccer games, no PTA meetings, no homework. To coordinate a no-activities night in your town, follow Marra’s blueprint below. For more information, go to www.readysetrelax.org.

Step 1: Form a Planning Committee

(a) Invite 10 to 15 people, ideally representing:

Each school in your community

The townwide PTA

The local sports council

The local religious leaders’ association

A local marketing agency (this helps with the production of materials)

Two high school students

Anyone else involved with an influential community organization in your town, such as scouting, a youth council, or the mayor’s office. The most important consideration is to invite participants who want to be there. “The one thing we say to people when selecting committee members,” Marra explains, “is to make sure that they believe in this issue.”

(b) Mail out a packet of information to each committee member. This should include a meeting agenda (see Step 2), articles and websites related to overscheduling, and other resources.

Step 2: Hold Your First Meeting

(a) Discuss the issue of overscheduling and the idea of a family night. What are everyone’s concerns, ideas, suggestions?

(b) Write a mission statement to make sure you’re all on the same page.

(c) Talk about fund-raising.

Step 3: Set the Date

(a) Check every community calendar to make sure there are as few conflicts as possible. “We pick the week that’s the least busy,” Marra says of her hometown. “That’s the end of March. The sports season is changing, and it’s not a holiday.” The purpose of the event, she explains, is to get as many people thinking about the issue of overscheduling as possible, not to give them one more thing to juggle during their busiest seasons.

(b) Give your group six to nine months to promote the event.

(c) Get the date out ASAP! Put it on every community calendar and send out “save the date” notices, either by distributing them through the schools or the mail.

Step 4: Get Community Support

(a) Meet with every group or individual you need support from to make this night happen. For instance, talk to the superintendent of schools about a district-wide “no homework night,” or the youth sports council about holding off on practices and games for one evening.

(b) Explain the goals of Ready, Set, Relax!, hear their ideas, then let them know what you specifically need from them.

Step 5: Remain Flexible

(a) Listen to ideas and feedback from the community.

(b) Adjust your plans and dates if you need to. Your night will be successful only if your community is behind you.

Step 6: Develop a Written Schedule

(a) Figure out what needs to be done by what date. Some things to put on your timeline include:

Printing materials

Mailing “save the date” information

Fund-raising needs and goals

Publicity and press-release distribution

Step 7: Implement Your Plan and Enjoy the Night!

Step 8: Evaluate

(a) Give parents and kids a chance to voice their thoughts, comments, reactions, and ideas for next year’s Ready, Set, Relax! night.