Dads don't need any more ties for Father's Day. And they probably have enough screwdrivers. But two books by fathers give dads another set of tools they need -- ideas for raising healthy children.

In Parking Lot Rules & 75 Other Ideas for Raising Amazing Children (Ballantine, 2008, $20), author Tom Sturges breaks down his advice into easy-to-remember catch phrases along with anecdotes.

Sturges, a father of two sons, is a mentor to at-risk children and a music publishing-group executive. The goal that parents, coaches and teachers need to strive for, he says, is to be kind, respectful and encouraging.

A few of his practical tips:

• Parking lot rules: Your little kids need to be right beside you in a parking lot. ''No trailing behind. No racing ahead,'' Sturges writes. Insist that your child hold your hand to get safely to and from the car. No need to get into a debate. Simply invoke ``parking lot rules.''

• When you get upset, whisper: When communicating with your kids, avoid shouting. Parents who yell are intimidating.

• The caboose rule: When a family or group travels together, assign an adult or older child to keep up the rear and ensure that no little ones lag behind.

• The 10-second rule: Don't say the first thing that pops into your mind after your child makes a mistake. Pause for 10 seconds before you dole out discipline.

A second book, The Father's Guide to the Meaning of Life (Skyhorse, 2009, $9.95), is a collection of life-lesson essays by men's health journalist Joe Kita. He writes:

``Kids may not listen, but they certainly watch. And it's what they see -- good and bad -- that largely determines who they'll be.''

Like the author of Parking Lot Rules, Kita says parents need to pause for a few seconds before reprimanding. Also, dads need to share a child's curiosity about the world.

Kita admits that he did not immediately cherish his 8-pound, 3-ounce baby boy or know what to do at first. It wasn't love at first sight, but a love that grew as he trusted his instincts. The father of a boy and a girl, Kita prides himself on being less meddlesome than many other parents. Other advice:

• Be generous with your time, your money and your love. Be prepared to share every facet of your life with your children.

• Don't be afraid to mess up in front of your kids. If you're not perfect, your children will not feel they have to be.

• And last: ''Your children need to know that, no matter what, your love remains. It'll never be late; it'll never leave early,'' he writes. ``You are the one person they can depend on.''

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