I want you to project an image of self-confidence without being hostile. Give directions instead of making requests. Establish and maintain your parental rights to the same decent treatment that you give your kids. The kind of information that I want you to give your kids when you’re assuming control is simple direction. For instance, if your kid is supposed to be in his room doing his homework and he’s down in the basement, the question to ask him is, "Where are you supposed to be?” And if he says, "In my room,” the response is, "Go there.” Not, "Why aren’t you there already? Why are you out of your room?” Just "Where are you supposed to be? Go there.” Or, "What are you supposed to be doing right now? Do it.” Very simple statements that give an air that you’re in control. You don’t justify yourself, you don’t explain yourself, you don’t ask your kid for explanations—because I’ll be honest with you, we ask kids "why” and then when they tell us, we say, "It sounds like an excuse.” We don’t ask kids for excuses. If we don’t ask them for excuses, there’s a good chance we won’t get excuses.