ParentData with Emily Oster ParentData

There are many, many wonderful things about parenting boys. There are also challenges that seem disproportionate. Boys often develop language later than girls. More boys than girls are held back in school entry. Girls do better in school at nearly all levels, and are significantly more likely to attend college. Yet this doesn’t get the kind of attention that it might if the genders were reversed. Today on ParentData, we're joined by Richard Reeves. Richard is the president of the American Institute for Boys and Men, which aims to both identify and combat the challenges facing boys and men today. We talk about the challenges boys face in school, male executive function, how standardized testing affects boys and girls differently, why those adolescent backpacks are so gross, and how true gender equality requires everyone to thrive.Subscribe to ParentData.org for free access to new articles every week on data-driven pregnancy and parenting.

CNN anchor Abby Philip asks how to keep her kid in bed all night.Subscribe to ParentData.org for free access to new articles every week on data-driven pregnancy and parenting.

Reading Rainbow. Reading is FUNdamental! Hooked on Phonics. We grew up steeped in a culture that encouraged reading. And in the past couple of years many U.S. states have embraced legislation about how kids are taught to read in school. The phrase that you may have heard is “science of reading,” as in “let’s make sure schools are using reading curricula based on science.” But what does that actually mean? And how would you, as a parent, know if your school was doing it?Today on ParentData, we're joined by journalist Emily Hanford, the host of the excellent podcast, Sold a Story. The topic of its first season was how reading is taught in American schools, and, for a lot of parents, it opened their eyes to the fact that there isn’t just one way to teach reading and that many schools weren’t doing it right. We talk about what the science says about the right approaches to reading, and then, more practically, about how parents can evaluate their own kids’ learning and whether the legislation we’re seeing is doing any good.Subscribe to ParentData.org for free access to new articles every week on data-driven pregnancy and parenting.

Comedian and NPR mainstay Ophira Eisenberg wrestles with changing her kid’s school, and how to clean slime.Subscribe to ParentData.org for free access to new articles every week on data-driven pregnancy and parenting.

We’ve been hearing a lot about the teen mental health crisis — and there is no question that on a number of metrics, teens do seem to be struggling more than they have in the past. But is it really that bad? Is there a chance we’re overreacting to normal teenage feelings?Today on ParentData, we’re joined by Dr. Mathilde Ross, a psychiatrist at Boston University. Her view is, yes, sometimes we are overreacting. And more to the point, she thinks sometimes parents are the problem. We talk today about what she’s seeing in college kids, how parents can choose to step back, and how to embrace independence, in both your 17-year-old and 7-year-old.Subscribe to ParentData.org for free access to new articles every week on data-driven pregnancy and parenting.

Have you ever panic-Googled a parenting question late at night? If so, you’re not alone. Most of us turn to that little search bar whenever fear or confusion strikes. On these ParentData mini-episodes, starting today, you’ll hear from some familiar names about the questions keeping them up at night, and how data can help.First up: actress Claire Holt and the difference between night terrors and nightmares (hopefully not about vampires).