The Family Firm

A Data-Driven Guide to Better Decision Making in the Early School Years (The ParentData Series, Book 3)

By: Emily Oster

Narrated by: Emily Oster

The instant New York Times best seller!

“Emily Oster dives into the data on parenting issues, cuts through the clutter, and gives families the bottom line to help them make better decisions.” (Good Morning America)

“A targeted mini-MBA program designed to help moms and dads establish best practices for day-to-day operations." (The Washington Post)

From the bestselling author of Expecting Better and Cribsheet, the next step in data driven parenting from economist Emily Oster.

In The Family Firm, Brown professor of economics and mom of two Emily Oster offers a classic business school framework for data-driven parents to think more deliberately about the key issues of the elementary years: school, health, extracurricular activities, and more.

Unlike the hourly challenges of infant parenting, the big questions in this age come up less frequently. But we live with the consequences of our decisions for much longer. What's the right kind of school and at what age should a particular kid start? How do you encourage a healthy diet? Should kids play a sport and how seriously? How do you think smartly about encouraging children's independence? Along with these bigger questions, Oster investigates how to navigate the complexity of day-to-day family logistics.

Making these decisions is less about finding the specific answer and more about taking the right approach. Parents of this age are often still working in baby mode, which is to say, under stress and on the fly. That is a classic management problem, and Oster takes a page from her time as a business school professor at the University of Chicago to show us that thoughtful business process can help smooth out tough family decisions.

The Family Firm is a smart and winning guide to how to think clearly - and with less ambient stress - about the key decisions of the elementary school years.

Parenting is a full-time job. It's time we start treating it like one.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2021 Emily Oster (P)2021 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“A targeted mini-MBA program designed to help moms and dads establish best practices for day-to-day operations.... Because this is an Oster book, there’s data scattered everywhere — on the development of reading skills by age, on the concussion risks of playing soccer, on the benefits of dipping Brussels sprouts in sweetened cream cheese. It’s all presented in the breezy, skeptical style that’s made Oster’s work a must-read for parents who don’t have the time to investigate Finnish studies about integrating extracurriculars into the school day.” (The Washington Post)

“Emily Oster dives into the data on parenting issues, cuts through the clutter, and gives families the bottom line to help them make better decisions. Her books on pregnancy and toddlers skyrocketed her to parenting-world fame, and now she’s back, crunching the numbers on topics that keep parents with school-age kids up at night.” (Good Morning America)

“Oster is a self-described data nerd, a delightful contrarian who dared question the status quo, shush the shamers and tell parents what made sense.” (The New York Times Book Review)

Where is the pdf?

Love her and the book. Very, very useful and usable tips- helps with big picture! Where the heck is the pdf?!! Help!!

Absolutely love her books. So informative and easy to understand. Also it makes a big difference when the author reads it hersel

Absolutely love her books. So informative and easy to understand. Also it makes a big difference when the author reads it hersel

PDF is missing

Great resource… and I love her narration… but where is the pdf she’s talking about?

Really helpful! Will read it every few years

This book gives great insight into the various choices parents have to make over several years. I’m going to read it again every 2 or 3 years since the advice covers a broad range of ages and topics that will become more relevant as my kids grow up.

Love the standardizing the way you make your parenting decisions

Like all her books and work, I love Emily Order’s focus on data to inform decision making. I especially appreciated her focus in this book on establishing a mission/vision for the family and making family decisions in light of an overarching goal rather than just the facts at hand. That was the biggest “Ah Ha!” Of this book for me.

Thank you Emily!

Data driven and enjoyable

Emily Oster is amazing. She approaches important, parenting questions that are on every parent’s mind and breaks them down and presents the data and a framework for making these decisions. And she does it in a way that is so enjoyable to read/listen to. 

Good intel

Overall, Emily sister delivers again for a new phase of parenting. The only feedback I have is that the mission statement suggestion is over the top.

Highly recommend

This is an Excellent book. A rational way to handle decisions as a parent. Highly recommend.

Great book, terrible voice

Love all of these books but this narrator has an abrasive, pitchy voice and sharp reading style. Hard to listen without cringing.

Excellent Decision-Making Resource for a Complex Parenting Phase

I love this book and Oster’s process so much. I’m so glad I bought this as opposed to borrowing from a library, as I know I will be consulting this content again in the future!