We also hate weeds in our garden. A couple of years ago, my husband rigged up a drip system for our plants. That way, only the plant gets the water, not all the dirt around it (hence the weeds). It was fairly inexpensive, but a little time consuming figuring out where to plant, how long to make the drip tubes, etc. But, it has been worth it. We even did a little "map" of our garden, so we know how far apart to plant the veggies so that we can use the same drip tube system each year. We have had great success with that. Sometimes there are a few weeds that pop up because of rain, etc, but they are few and far between. I would also second the response of having your kids help plant. It gives them a sense of accomplishment, and will help with their work ethic. Our daughter (just turned 5), has been helping us in our garden since she was 2. We will be letting our 21 month old son help us this summer too. What kid doesn't love to get dirty! Good luck & enjoy whatever you end up with!!