Big Daddy’s Rules by Steve Schirripa

Big Daddy’s Rules by Steve Schirripa is a funny and honest account of the author’s life raising two girls. Known for his acting skills as being a tough guy, Steve Schirripa shows readers that he can give excellent advice to parents out there, too.

Book Description

“What happens when a world-famous tough guy takes on the toughest job of all— becoming a father?

Welcome to the world of the Big Daddy.

Steve Schirripa is known for his star turns on The Sopranos and The Secret Life of the American Teenager, but in his own life he’s the father of two daughters of his own—and a self-confessed human volcano. In Big Daddy’s Rules, Schirripa tells all and brings a welcome dose of old-school advice (and new-school humor) to the parenting wars. “You’re not there to be a friend,” Schirripa says bluntly. “You’re there to be a dad.”

Schirripa serves up the heartwarming and hilarious stories of how he and his wife navigated the wild waters of parenthood: from the moment the tough guy’s heart melted when he held his first-born in his arms to what he felt (and did) the time he caught someone looking at his teenage daughter’s butt.

He lays out all the rules for being a Big Daddy— someone who is strong, devoted, and always looking out for his kids’ best interests, even when that means not being the coolest dad on the block. Overprotective? Maybe. Willing to tone it down? Absolutely not. Big Daddy’s Rules is filled with tales of his over-the-top yet heartfelt parenting style—confronting bad teachers, staring down boyfriends, and explaining just how crazy you’re allowed to get if you catch your kid drinking (hint: really, really crazy).

With a mixture of street-smart bravado and self-effacing humor, Schirripa pulls no punches as he delivers his no-bull stance on what it takes to raise kids today. He’s uproariously funny, but Schirripa isn’t just cracking jokes here; this is also a call to action for dads to return to common-sense parenting and reclaim their role as protector and holder of values to be passed down. ” – Big Daddy’s Rules

My Thoughts

Big Daddy’s Rules is written by an actor of one of my all-time favorite TV series - The Sopranos. I was really excited to read this book, because even though I don’t have kids, I am at that age where a lot of other people my age have kids, and certain things that parents and kids do annoys the (insert curse word here) outta me, too.

First of all, I have to admit, Steve Schirripa is truly funny. I honestly didn’t know he was this hilarious. He also writes very well. The entire book is easy and fun to read. I found myself laughing out loud and agreeing with a huge percentage of what he comments on.

This is a great book for all parents out there to read, and hopefully they’ll learn a thing or two from it, so Steve Schirripa won’t consider them one of those parents who need to be slapped. I highly recommend it.

* Thank you to the publisher of Big Daddy’s Rules, Touchstone, for providing me with a copy of this book for review. All opinions expressed are my own.