How do the brakes work when car is stationary?

The front wheels turn when you are in park? There should only be a little bit of play in the front wheels. You won't be able to eliminate that completely. Block the wheels with a piece of wood or tire chocks.

Welcome aboard by the way!

 

I always change wheels one side at a time, not the front and then the backs.

 

Why don't you brake the lugs lose while the car is on the ground then jack it up and you wont have to worry about the wheels turning when you finish taking the lugs off?

And lower the car back to the ground before you fully tighten the lugs. This prevents pressure on the drivetrain, and stress on the jacks that if not stable could fall if you are pulling really hard the the tire iron.

 

No wheel chocks?

I never jack up any vehicle without blocking a wheel on the opposite side.

 

I've only had to rotate my tires once, but discovered this too - the ability of the front wheels to move like this is due to the differential. So the car is in park and the front wheels can't move forward or backward together, but they can move in opposite directions at the same speed thanks to the differential. I had my SO stick her foot on the brake pedal for a few seconds while I loosened all the lug nuts, since I didn't want to drop one side of the car back down off the jack stands. You can also loosen the lug nuts on the ground, as has been mentioned. That's probably what I'll do next time, assuming I remember.

 

+1 I've always done it this way!