The Family Firm

By Emily Oster

The Family Firm applies a structured, business-inspired approach to the decisions families face during the elementary school years. Economist Emily Oster combines research and data with practical decision-making tools to help parents think more deliberately about questions involving school, health, extracurricular activities, independence, and everyday family logistics.

Rather than prescribing one right answer, the book encourages families to identify their priorities, evaluate the available information, and create systems that make decisions and day-to-day life feel more manageable. It can be especially useful as parenting shifts from the immediate demands of the baby and toddler years to bigger decisions that may have longer-term implications.