DEAR IDA:  My kids are overscheduled, glued to screens, and allergic to boredom. Am I the only parent trying to bring back a slower, more old-fashioned childhood? – Signed Searching for slower pace

DEAR RETIREMENT WORRIES:  Enrolling your kids in extracurricular activities has many benefits, including teaching teamwork and improving social interactions as well as building their self-confidence. Having your kids engaged in too many activities, however, can cause constant fatigue that may lead to increased physical and mental stress or difficulty focusing at school.

Freeing up your kids’ calendars can make more time for family meals, meaningful conversations, and shared downtime, which are essential for emotional well-being for all family members. The easiest way to do that is to limit each child to only one activity at a time and require breaks between when one activity ends and another begins.

You can build on your shared downtime by planning regular family activities together to pull your kids away from their screens and keep them engaged in physical activities. Invest in some old-school outdoor activities like lawn darts, a croquet set, or a badminton game. Set up a tent for backyard camping, roast some hot dogs and marshmallows, make s’mores or pop popcorn using a pot over an open fire and watch a movie together on a pop-up movie screen. You just might be surprised to learn that your kids yearn for a slower pace and more family engagement; they just don’t know how to ask for it.