I was raised in a family that instilled solid values and an appreciation for spending time together. My dad and I used to go to the beach if my mom had to work on the weekend. Long drives, trips to get ice cream and plenty of sports (to play and watch) filled our Saturdays.

As I've gotten older and life has become more complicated, with kids and a family, making the decision to detach from the world (for one day a week) has been difficult. When we moved back to NJ three months ago, Cary and I decided to get serious and take Sundays as a "no work" day. A piece of our decision was to avoid shopping on what we call "family days".

It has taken a lot of self control and some planning but we're getting the hang of it, slowly but surely. We play games, read books and spend quality time together. By the time Monday rolls around, I'm totally relaxed and ready to roll.

Scott Young has a thoughtful piece about consumerism and the roll it plays in this process of detachment. How has your family succeeded when it comes to hitting the pause button on shopping? In which ways has a day off added quality to your life?