And kids know they really have your ear. Get everyone involved in choosing how to spend your time together. Each week, each child gets 20 TV tickets. Each ticket can be used for 30 minutes of TV time. Any tickets remaining at the end of the week can be cashed in for 25 cents each.
Parents can still veto a certain program, of course.
Let your child know that he can stay up as late as he wants-as long as he's reading in bed. Encourage your child to swap books with friends. Let them see you read, and make sure that your home has plenty of reading materials. During DEAR time, everyone in the family sits down for some uninterrupted reading time. With young children, try reading to them during bath time.