Book Review: Parking Lot Rules

Tom Sturges, Parking Lot Rules & 75 Other Ideas for Raising Amazing Children, Ballantine Books, 2008

I subscribe to Best Life magazine. There was a book review in the June/July issue (I think) of a child raising guide. Now normally, I wouldn’t read a book like that, because of these kind of books just don’t seem to make too much sense to me. But this one caught my attention, so I bought it.

The first rule, the title rule, immediately grabbed my attention. The Parking Lot Rule. It basically states that when you get out of the car after parking or come back to the car, your children should be right next to you at all times. No lagging behind or being distracted by something else. As you approach, call out “Parking Lot Rules” and your children will know to stay by you side. It would also work if you are walking anywhere and you want them immediately by your side. Just say “Parking Lot Rules” and they know the deal.

This is a simple yet ingenious concept. God forbid, my children run away from me in the parking lot and get hurt. I have been doing this for about 3 months now and it works like a charm with my 2 ½ year old son. The only issue now is when we are out of the parking lot, he no longer wants to hold my hand.

Check the book out and learn some other good ideas, such as the Bon Jovi Rule (No hands to the face), the 90 % rule (to get them to tell the truth), and the Yes, not What rule (communication). They all make such simple sense.