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

Emily Oster, a Brown professor of economics, applies data-driven analysis and business school frameworks to parenting decisions during the elementary school years. The book addresses major questions parents face during this period: selecting the right school and timing, promoting healthy eating, deciding on sports involvement, and fostering children's independence. It also covers day-to-day family logistics. Unlike the frequent decisions required in infant parenting, elementary-age decisions occur less often but carry longer-lasting consequences. Oster argues that making these decisions effectively is less about finding a single correct answer and more about adopting the right decision-making approach. Drawing on her experience as a business school professor at the University of Chicago, she demonstrates how thoughtful business processes can reduce stress and clarity in family decision-making. The book treats parenting as a full-time job requiring deliberate management practices rather than reactive, stress-driven choices.