For the last two decades, I've worked closely with infants, toddlers, preschoolers and their parents—listening, guiding and supporting families and their young children. I've connected with so many parents through my social media account, texts, calls, and leading moms' groups. When we have open, honest and vulnerable conversations—no matter who you are as a parent—that's how we connect, learn and grow.
We also discover so much about ourselves and how that plays into our parenting. That's why I created We Didn't Turn Out Ok—a podcast where you'll hear real conversations about challenges we face in parenting, hear how we uncover the roadblocks, often from our own stuff, and listen to how we work through what's often keeping us stuck. There will be professionals in the field, noteworthy guests and everyone in between.
Using my own parenting journey and approach—combined with research-backed best practices—I am determined to help us all move forward from our areas of where we "didn't turn out ok." Every guest will be sharing openly and honestly knowing that it will help them grow as a parent but will also help all of you listening.
Welcome to We Didn't Turn Out Ok.
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For the last two decades, I've worked closely with infants, toddlers, preschoolers and their parents—listening, guiding and supporting families and their young children. I've connected with so many parents through my social media account, texts, calls, and leading moms' groups. When we have open, honest and vulnerable conversations—no matter who you are as a parent—that's how we connect, learn and grow.
We also discover so much about ourselves and how that plays into our parenting. That's why I created We Didn't Turn Out Ok—a podcast where you'll hear real conversations about challenges we face in parenting, hear how we uncover the roadblocks, often from our own stuff, and listen to how we work through what's often keeping us stuck. There will be professionals in the field, noteworthy guests and everyone in between.
Using my own parenting journey and approach—combined with research-backed best practices—I am determined to help us all move forward from our areas of where we "didn't turn out ok." Every guest will be sharing openly and honestly knowing that it will help them grow as a parent but will also help all of you listening.
Welcome to We Didn't Turn Out Ok.
24: Parenting without Panic, Emily Oster on Tech, Routines and more
We Didn't Turn Out OK with Jennie Monness
48 minutes
4 months ago
24: Parenting without Panic, Emily Oster on Tech, Routines and more
This episode is really special to me. I got to sit down with Emily Oster — someone whose work has been a constant companion in my parenting journey. Emily is an economist, bestselling author, and professor at Brown University who has become a trusted voice for parents looking to make informed, grounded decisions. You might know her from her books Expecting Better, Cribsheet, The Family Firm, and The Unexpected. Her work takes complicated data and turns it into something we can actually use — not to be perfect, but to feel less lost and more confident in how we parent. I first found Emily when I was thinking about getting pregnant and searching (desperately) for trustworthy information on whether it was okay to stay on my Zoloft. Her calm, rational, and deeply human voice stood out immediately. She didn’t just share the data — she helped me feel like I wasn’t alone in trying to figure it all out.
Meeting her in person was surreal, and also… so normal. She’s a mom, just like us, and she’s as down-to-earth as she is brilliant. In this conversation, I got to ask the questions that have been on my mind for years — and her answers did not disappoint.
We talked about:
Kids and technology — what the data actually says, how to think about screen time, and when kids might be ready for things like phones. (Her “frontal lobe” metaphor changed how I think about it.)
Routines — why they matter not just for our kids, but for us. Emily shared how having routines early on (even just for sanity) laid the foundation for flexibility later on.
“Hurried Child Syndrome" — the eye rolly term that has scared us all since it started trending on instagram, Emily shares the difference between rushing through life and pushing kids ahead too fast, and how slowing down has helped her kids take more ownership in the mornings.
The power of saying no — how her family protects their weekends, talks through what really matters, and why sometimes skipping a birthday party is exactly what everyone needs.
At the end, I asked Emily if there was one parenting hill she’d die on — and her answer honestly surprised me. She reminds us that no single choice makes or breaks our kids. What matters most is what makes your family happy and work well together.
This episode felt like the kind of conversation I needed as a parent — grounding, smart, and totally freeing. I’m so excited to share it with you.
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We Didn't Turn Out OK with Jennie Monness
For the last two decades, I've worked closely with infants, toddlers, preschoolers and their parents—listening, guiding and supporting families and their young children. I've connected with so many parents through my social media account, texts, calls, and leading moms' groups. When we have open, honest and vulnerable conversations—no matter who you are as a parent—that's how we connect, learn and grow.
We also discover so much about ourselves and how that plays into our parenting. That's why I created We Didn't Turn Out Ok—a podcast where you'll hear real conversations about challenges we face in parenting, hear how we uncover the roadblocks, often from our own stuff, and listen to how we work through what's often keeping us stuck. There will be professionals in the field, noteworthy guests and everyone in between.
Using my own parenting journey and approach—combined with research-backed best practices—I am determined to help us all move forward from our areas of where we "didn't turn out ok." Every guest will be sharing openly and honestly knowing that it will help them grow as a parent but will also help all of you listening.
Welcome to We Didn't Turn Out Ok.
