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I think I may have shirts printed for the entire family: "We survived Break Free of TV Week."

My older daughter, a proud kindergartener, pledged to "Break Free of TV" for one full week last week - part of a school sponsored effort to get families spending more time together.

I saw the panic in my wife's face when she considered missing an episode of "Grey's Anatomy" as I verbalized my concern over not knowing what happened on "American Idol." We gave each other the "yep, that's right" wink and nod as we declared 8pm bed time would be firm that week.

Shame on us for not seeing "Break Free of TV Week" for what it really was - a chance for us to be good parents. Sure, we cheated and watched while the girls snoozed, but more entertaining than the taboo tune-ins every night were the fun moments we shared as a family.

We started Friday night with a family bingo night at school. We actually got home from work on time to be there. And it was fun. All week long, we read stories, painted pictures, went for walks, played board games, sang songs and made up jokes. I was aschooled in the fine art of those pattern clapping games to songs like "Miss Mary Mack" and "A Sailor Went to Sea Sea Sea." And my older daughter plays a mean game of Tic-Tac-Toe. We even busted out the camcorder for the first time in months to capture my youngest getting carried away with a story about a little girl who was in the forest and rescued a baby kitten during a snowstorm. We created memories because we were tuned in to one another, not to the TV.

My kids didn't once ask to watch TV at all that week. Not one time. And here's what I realized: kids are only interested in what you serve up. Like lollipops, bubble gum and soda (all on the "no way no how" list in our house), TV is something kids only want if you offer it in the first place. My wife and I realized we use the TV as a way to distract the kids when we get home from work so we have some sanity as we prep dinner, review the mail and throw in a load of laundry.

But truth be told, I found more sanity, more perspective and more reward as a dad in the last week than I have in a long time.