1) Earn it. Before you approach your parents about a curfew extension, set a track record of meeting the curfew you have. (Think you can prove how much you “need” an extension by coming home after hours? Wrong-o.) This shows you’re willing to play by the rules and are responsible enough to stay out without getting into trouble (which is what they’re worried about). If you prove that you’re trustworthy, you can argue that it’s better for you to “fly free” when you’re still under their wing. This idea works great if you’re going off to college soon. Say, “I’ll be setting my own curfew when I’m away. I’m ready to handle that responsibility, but I’d like to have a test run to make sure I can handle anything that comes up. It’s better that I learn how to deal with tricky situations now than when I’m miles and miles away, right?” You can also show responsibility by researching your town's curfew laws and arming yourself with printouts from municipal Websites that might answer any questions your parents have about teen curfew laws. (If your town does have a curfew, there's not much your parents can do — sorry!)

2) Wait for the right moment. Catch your parents when they’re relaxed and feeling good about family time. Maybe that’s when they’re driving you home from your piano lesson, or maybe it’s after dinner (after you’ve helped them clean up, perhaps?) — the point is to catch them when they’re in a good mood, and not distracted.

3) Get them to empathize — or not. Are your parents always saying, “Back when I was your age...” and then giving an example of how well behaved they were? If so, ask them to remember what it was like when they were teenagers. They’ll recall evenings spent with friends drinking sodas and will (hopefully!) get that your reasons for wanting a later curfew are innocent. But if other relatives are always tsk-tsking about your mom's or dad’s “wild years,” forget this tactic — it’ll backfire. Empathy can also work if you're smart about the everybody-else-does-it tactic. Saying, "But everybody has a later curfew than I do!" will sound like whining. But if you can give specific examples of friends they like — extra points if your parents know those friends' parents — whose curfews are later, they may soften up.

4) Start small. Suggest a semester system — each term, you get to stay out, say, 15 or 30 minutes later. If this is your first time asking, go for 15 minutes and then in six months, propose that you get an automatic 30-minute extension each semester. Also, you can test the waters by asking for extensions for specific occasions — homecoming, prom, a concert of your favorite band. They’ll be more likely to give it a shot if they know you’re somewhere specific instead of just out and about.

5) Be thankful. If they budge on even the slightest extension, show gratitude. If you're driving their car, refill the tank as often as you can and change the radio back to your parents’ station when you’re done. Come home early every so often instead of always pushing your curfew to the last second. Also, volunteer to call at a certain time — like the hour of your old curfew — to check in. It’ll equate “curfew extension” with “good things” in their head, which will work for you when you ask for another next time!