Cribsheet
by Emily Oster
An economist reviews the actual evidence on the early-years decisions, breastfeeding, sleep training, co-sleeping, daycare, screens, potty training, and finds most of it weaker and less alarming than parents are told. She shows how to weigh data against your own preferences. Calming and empowering.
Read it if…
you are drowning in contradictory advice and want to see the data yourself.
Skip it if…
you want to be told what to do; Oster tells you how to decide.
Three things you will actually use
- Most early decisions matter less than claimed.
- Weigh evidence against your family's preferences.
- Guilt is usually not warranted by data.
Do this first
Read the chapter on your current worry and note how strong the evidence actually is.
Our verdict
Calming, rigorous, freeing.
Compare with other Parenting books
Browse all Parenting book reviews or get the free Reality Code Cheat Sheet.
As an Amazon Associate, WisdomDeck earns from qualifying purchases. Links marked “Click to see” go to Amazon. We are not paid for opinions, prices and availability are not shown here and change on Amazon, and we never see your purchase details. Nothing here is medical, legal or financial advice.