Debunking the Biggest Parenting Myths with Emily Oster

#183: Economist Emily Oster uses data to challenge and debunk common parenting beliefs and shares data-driven strategies for parents to make more informed and confident decisions. We also cover data on polarizing topics like sleep training, breastfeeding, private vs. public school education, and more.

Emily Oster is a professor of economics at Brown University and a NYT best-selling author of four books—Expecting Better, Cribsheet, The Family Firm, and The Unexpected. She's also a the founder of ParentData, a data-driven guide to pregnancy, parenting and more.

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Resources Mentioned

Emily Oster: ParentData | Instagram

• Expecting Better: Why the Conventional Pregnancy Wisdom Is Wrong--and What You Really Need to Know
• Cribsheet: A Data-Driven Guide to Better, More Relaxed Parenting, from Birth to Preschool
• The Family Firm: A Data-Driven Guide to Better Decision Making in the Early School Years
• The Unexpected: Navigating Pregnancy During and After Complications
• Is There a Best Method for Sleep Training?
• 5 Pregnancy Myths
• A Different Way to Look at Screen Time

Cochrane Reviews

1-2-3 Magic by Thomas W. Phelan

The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt

Full Show Notes 

(00:00) Introduction

(01:44) The Shocking Amount of Misleading Data Around Parenting

(04:17) Ways to Incorporate Data in Decision Making

(10:05) Why There’s So Much Pressure to Be “Perfect” Parents

(11:57) The Good Enough Approach vs. The Perfect Approach

(14:57) How Important Is It for Parents to Prioritize Themselves?

(19:47) The Most Shocking Myths and Misconceptions

(22:52) The Reason for an Abundance of Caution Around Pregnancies

(26:12) The Polarizing Data Around Sleep Training

(30:17) How to Approach Data and Reliable Sources

(32:08) The Role of Cultural Norms and Traditions in Parenting Advice

(36:33) How to Navigate Pushback on Advice

(37:29) Making Complicated or Difficult Decisions

(40:50) The Impact of Primary Education: Private vs. Public

(44:19) Why It’s Important to Build Resilience in Older Kids

(46:32) Managing Screen Time and Technology

(49:48) One Key Takeaway for Anyone Who Wants to Be a Parent

(51:25) Where to Find Emily

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