Mama Rock's Rules: Ten Lessons for Raising a Houseful of Successful Children - Hardcover

Rock, Rose; Graham, Valerie

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0061536121 ISBN 13: 9780061536120

Publisher: William Morrow, 2008

Synopsis

"To be a parent is and should be a calling. There is absolutely nothing as great, challenging, or rewarding as raising a child." So says Über-mom Rose Rock, who has raised 10 children in addition to caring for 17 foster children in her 40-plus years as a mother.

As a mother who does not shy away from the hard conversations, Rose isn't afraid to present strong ideas about boundaries, discipline, choices, and consequences—and she tells it like it is. In Mama Rock's Rules, Rose shares the funny and highly practical lessons she learned both as a parent and an educator, while offering strategies for teaching a child to be self-reliant in this world.

Written with a kicky blend of maternal spirituality and a "don't mess with me or you won't get old" sense of authority, the book spotlights 10 vital rules, each tackling a specific parenting issue. From "I Am Your Mama, Not Your Friend," which helps parents regain their authority and establish respectful relationships with their children, to "Don't Lie Down with Anything You Don't Want to Live with Forever," which takes a different approach to the often tricky conversation about sex, each topic is lovingly explained and bolstered by stories from Rose Rock's own childhood and parenting experiences. We will also hear from her own kids, as they share memories and anecdotes about what it was like to grow up in the Rock household.

Rose's heartfelt and no-nonsense advice—delivered with a dose of wit and homespun humor—will resonate with thousands of parents and will inspire them to teach their kids right, whether their brood is one child or ten.

About this title

About the Authors

Rose Rock has worked as a teacher and has operated preschools and day care centers in New York City and South Carolina for the past seventeen years. She is a sought-after speaker and is also the host of the weekly radio program The Mom Show in Myrtle Beach, SC.

Valerie Graham a graduate of Harvard University, is a writer, magazine editor, and society columnist. The mother of three children and the grandmother of four, she lives in Myrtle Beach, SC.

From the Back Cover

"To be a parent is and should be a calling. There is absolutely nothing as great, challenging, or rewarding as raising a child." So says Über-mom Rose Rock, who has raised 10 children in addition to caring for 17 foster children in her 40-plus years as a mother.

As a mother who does not shy away from the hard conversations, Rose isn't afraid to present strong ideas about boundaries, discipline, choices, and consequences—and she tells it like it is. In Mama Rock's Rules, Rose shares the funny and highly practical lessons she learned both as a parent and an educator, while offering strategies for teaching a child to be self-reliant in this world.

Written with a kicky blend of maternal spirituality and a "don't mess with me or you won't get old" sense of authority, the book spotlights 10 vital rules, each tackling a specific parenting issue. From "I Am Your Mama, Not Your Friend," which helps parents regain their authority and establish respectful relationships with their children, to "Don't Lie Down with Anything You Don't Want to Live with Forever," which takes a different approach to the often tricky conversation about sex, each topic is lovingly explained and bolstered by stories from Rose Rock's own childhood and parenting experiences. We will also hear from her own kids, as they share memories and anecdotes about what it was like to grow up in the Rock household.

Rose's heartfelt and no-nonsense advice—delivered with a dose of wit and homespun humor—will resonate with thousands of parents and will inspire them to teach their kids right, whether their brood is one child or ten.

Reviews

Starred Review. Much more than Chris Rock's mom, first-time author and radio show host (The Mom Show) Rock has been a special needs school teacher, a preschool administrator, a mother of 10 and a foster mother of 17. Rock begins simply, and significantly, with her own mother's advice: "Being a parent is not about being right, it's about doing right." Rock believes in the absolute authority of parents ("Some parents tell me... their kids' bedrooms are off limits. Are you kidding me?") but also in the need for those parents to be "steadfast role models." Divided into chapters like "I Am Your Mama, Not Your Friend," "No Child Really Wants to be Left Alone," and "Feed Them and They Will Tell You Everything," Rose's rules are sensible and well illustrated, embracing traditional values like discipline, everyday spirituality and togetherness. With the help of editor and columnist Graham (who works with Rock on The Mom Show), Rock weaves practical advice and reminiscence without a hitch. Asides from her children buttress the text, providing perspective on their mom's parenting methods and their own, but fans of comedian Chris Rock (who provides a foreword) won't find an inside scoop here. Instead, they'll find a smart, relatable and empowering approach to parenting that's been proven effective many times over.
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Edition details

• Publisher: William Morrow
• Publication date: 2008
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0061536121
• ISBN 13: 9780061536120
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 256