Mama Rock's Rules: Ten Lessons for Raising a Houseful of Successful Children [Paperback]

Rose Rock (Author), Valerie Graham (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 7, 2009

Rose Rock—child advocate, educator, and mother of ten-plus children, including comedian Chris Rock—shares her heartfelt and no-nonsense advice on parenting

Uber-mom Rose Rock raised ten children and seventeen foster children. She did it by never shying away from hard conversations and by not being afraid to present strong ideas about boundaries, discipline, choices, and consequences. In short, Rose Rock tells it like it is.

In Mama Rock's Rules, Rock shares the funny and highly practical lessons she learned both as a parent and an educator, while offering strategies for teaching children to be self-reliant. Her advice—delivered with a dose of wit and homespun humor—will inspire you to teach your kids right, whether your brood is one child or ten.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

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.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

About the Author

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.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks; Reprint edition (April 7, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061536113
• ISBN-13: 978-0061536113
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,484,628 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mama Rock's Rules RULES!, April 10, 2008

By 

Cheryl Lage "Author-Twinspiration:Real-Life A... - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mama Rock's Rules: Ten Lessons for Raising a Houseful of Successful Children (Hardcover)

In an authoritatively accessible mama-to-mama voice, Rose Rock dispenses her road-tested rules that are sensible and sensitive, corrective and caring, logical and abundantly loving. Peppered with personal anecdotes from her own prolific parenting experience, readers currently in the throes of child-raising will undoubtedly find welcome support, direction and validation in her generously offered wisdom. Speaking for myself, I know one reading will not be enough; Mama Rock's Rules will be a return-to-over-and-over resource for me. Thank you, Rose Rock for a much-needed text -- I heartily recommend this book!

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mama Rock Rocks, April 13, 2008

By 

Adam Coyne - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mama Rock's Rules: Ten Lessons for Raising a Houseful of Successful Children (Hardcover)

As a father of two young daughters (5 and 7) I was inspired by the simple, common sense wisdom of this book. I have to confess that I first bought it out of curiosity of Chris Rock, but it's a really good parenting book that I've recommended to a few of my friends. It's a fun, well written, and easy read. I heartily encourage parents of any age to give it a look.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Superb book on how to raise children, May 18, 2008

By 

Phillips (U.S.A.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mama Rock's Rules: Ten Lessons for Raising a Houseful of Successful Children (Hardcover)

As the parent of a 5-year old I was looking for a sensible, straight-shooting book on discipline, teaching sound values and preparing a child for life as an adult. Several parents/teachers suggested 'Love and Logic'. After several unsuccessful tries to read it, I gave up. Then the local newspaper had a favorable article on Mama Rock's Rules. It was easy to read, made a LOT of sense, reinforced the lessons my parents had taught me and was fun to read. As another reviewer mentioned, this is a book to return to over and over again. I usually borrow books from the library. The classics I buy. This is a classic.