Description of technique for limiting kids' TV-time:
In our house, the hours from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. are "the witching hours". The kids are home from school, they're just finishing up their homework or in need of a break, while I'm trying to get supper on the table. What's a parent to do? Turn on some music! Taking turns, of course, siblings can have fun listening and dancing to their favorite CD (especially if they know it's the one their brothers or sisters really don't like!) Or if your kids are learning an instrument in school, make this the time to get everyone together for band practice. Or, in our case, we were lucky enough to inherit some blow-up instruments from a party we had all been to. My kids really love to go to town pretending to be the rock star of their choice using microphones, keyboards and sunglasses as props.

Appropriate age group(s):
Preschool on up

Other suggestions or comments:
If you can, in between stirring the veggies and making the salad, take a few minutes and get it all recorded on the video camera!