Big Daddy's Rules ― Raising Daughters Is Tougher Than I Look

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 selfeffacing 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.

Steve Schirripa was a breakout star on The Sopranos. He is the New York Times bestselling author of A Goomba’s Guide to Life and currently stars on The Secret Life of the American Teenager. Schirripa also hosts Investigation Discovery’s Karma’s a Bitch! Schirripa lives in New York with his wife and two daughters.

Philip Lerman is the author of Dadditude: How a Real Man Became a Real Dad and the coauthor of several books, including No Mercy. Lerman is the former co-executive producer of America’s Most Wanted and former national editor of USA TODAY.