Rather than flailing about in the heat of the moment, the authors argue, parents should actually plan what they'll do when their kids are less than angelic. If the homework's not done, you lose TV privileges for a set amount of time. It also gives kids a chance to voice their opinions about what the rules should be and how they should be applied.
Many families post house rules in a prominent place in the household.
If parents ignore a broken curfew, for instance, house rules will cease to have any meaning and kids will ignore them.