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Parentonomics: An Economist Dad Looks at Parenting
What every parent needs to know about negotiating, incentives, outsourcing, and other strategies to solve the economic management problem that is parenting. Like any new parent, Joshua Gans felt joy mixed with anxiety upon the birth of his first child. Who was this blanket-swaddled small person and what did she want? Unlike most parents, however, Gans is an economist, and he began to apply the tools of his trade to raising his children. He saw his new life as one big economic management problem—and if economics helped him think about parenting, parenting illuminated certain economic principles. Parentonomics is the entertaining, enlightening, and often hilarious fruit of his “research.” Incentives, Gans shows us, are as risky in parenting as in business. An older sister who is recruited to help toilet train her younger brother for a share in the reward given for each successful visit to the bathroom, for example, could give the trainee drinks of water to make the rewards more frequent. (Economics later offered another, better toilet training outsourcing. For their third child, Gans and his wife put it in the hands of professionals—the day care providers.) Gans gives us the parentonomic view of delivery (if the mother shares her pain by yelling at the father, doesn't it really create more aggregate pain?), sleep (the screams of a baby are like an “I'll stop screaming if you give me attention”), food (a question of marketing), travel (“the best thing you can say about traveling with children is that they are worse than baggage”), punishment (and threat credibility), birthday party time management, and more. if you're reading Parentonomics in the presence of other people, you'll be unable to keep yourself from reading the funny parts out loud. And if you're reading it late at night and wake a child with your laughter—well, you'll have some guidelines for negotiating a return to bed.
252 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2008
8 people are currently reading
232 people want to read
About the author
Joshua Gans
35 books20 followersJoshua Gans is a Professor of Strategic Management and holder of the Jeffrey S. Skoll Chair of Technical Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the Rotman School of Management, the University of Toronto (with a cross-appointment in the Department of Economics). Joshua is also Chief Economist of the University of Toronto's Creative Destruction Lab.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
August 6, 2011
I was so looking forward to reading this book, so maybe I damned it with too high expectations. While I appreciate the economic viewpoint of parenting, I disagreed with many of his interpretations/conclusions. The thing about econ is that you have to start with base assumptions about people, and I found some of his disturbing. There are many things that are fine to discuss in aggregate, but parenting specific, individual children based on generalizations is not one of them. I have done graduate work in econ as well as worked with children and their families, and while the concept of this book was cute I would not recommend it to anyone that I thought would take it too seriously.
May 14, 2011
I think another reviewer already pointed out that the book is neither a good parenting book nor a good economics book. However, if you go into reading this thinking you'll learn about parenting or economics, you'll be just as disappointed. I enjoyed the book much more when I put those desires aside and just enjoyed it for what it was: anecdotal stories about a family.
August 17, 2011
Hilarious and at the same time prepares one for parenting challenges :-) Enjoyed reading it. There are times when you want to read certain passages aloud to your spouse.
January 13, 2022
Was not what I was expecting. In the last chapter the author notes, that he "hasn't focused on the monetary costs [of parenting] at all" which was honestly, exactly what I was hoping for in this book. More of an assessment of what we choose to spend money on (or don't) and whether or not that makes sense. Something more along the lines of"Dr. what Scroogenomics: Why You Shouldn't Buy Presents for the Holidays does for gifts. However, I don't feel like it quite lived up to the hype of the book blurb either "Dr. Spock meets Freakonomics" rather the book was more a series of personal perspectives and anecdotes rather than presenting interesting or counterintutive data, or even providing useful advice. Many of the factors that seemed to truly puzzle the author seemed to be easily explained by human psychology.
If you're looking for a bumbling dad's analytical opinions on trying to bribe his children into behaving as desired, then this might be slightly amusing. As for me, wasn't quite what I was looking for.
If you're looking for a bumbling dad's analytical opinions on trying to bribe his children into behaving as desired, then this might be slightly amusing. As for me, wasn't quite what I was looking for.
October 10, 2015
Gans, J. (2009). Parentonomics: An economist dad looks at parenting. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press.
I've never mind laughed so hard since reading #NeilHumphreys!
"Within months, a big event is going to occur. You only have to look around the room to get a sense of foreboding that accompanies a ticking time bomb." - on birthing classes
My wife: No leh.
Me: That's 'cos you were the time bomb.
"An anesthetist came by, and Mommy happily submitted to what seemed to be spinal surgery. She then fell asleep, leaving me to enjoy dinner in peace. I came away from that experience thinking that no time was too soon for drugs in labor. Perhaps at the onset of pregnancy." - on epidurals, p. 16
"I started asking the obstetrician trivia questions. What's the most deliveries you've done in a day? What's your largest baby? And so on. He was into it, but the midwives weren't. They were horrified. They could not believe how unsupportive I was. Indeed, 3.5 years later, we arrived at the same maternity ward for Child No. 3. My wife would introduce me: This is my husband, Joshua. Yes, we know him, came the contemptuous reply. It must've been thousands of babies later, and I was still infamous, my picture adorning their coffee room wall or dartboard." - on husbands being the designated comforter, pp. 17-18
"In the birth video, the baby was delivered. The narrator continued: And now Daddy can play a role. He is handed scissors and cuts the cord. My eyes rolled. This hardly looked like an important role. It was tokenism at best. To me, what also appeared pretty simple was the 'catching' job the obstetrician did. The baby came out; it was caught; everyone as relieved. Hardly rocket science. It was time for me to step up and propose something real tondo. Something necessary, involving potential risk, that I could actually savour as an important life moment. I wanted to catch." - on giving dads a more important role in childbirth, p. 19
"In my mind, sleep is a negotiation. We want sleep, and the baby wants attention. There is an inherent conflict here. The screams of a baby are like an offer: I'll stop screaming of you give me attention. And it's not a vague offer. Give the baby attention, and they crying stops. After only a few tries, a little baby can train its parents nicely." - on the value of sleep, p. 26
"When they're told it's time for the diaper to go, the expression on their face says it all. They appreciate the beauty and function of the design. Perhaps they also suspect teacher they'll be wearing one in 70 years' time. Why deny them in the interim?" - on weaning children off diapers, p. 56
"It is where all the correspondence we get, and potentially have to deal with, goes. Birthday invites, catalogs, bills, court summonses, and other stuff goes there. Everyone knows that if something is out in the pile of death, it'll never be seen again. If the children see us putting an invitation in the pile, they scream: "Nooooo! Not there!" They know their social life is doomed." - on how mail is sorted, p. 81
"For Child No. 1, there's no such thing as mere stuff she doesn't potentially need. She can construct a case to save every last thing from eviction.
"What's this?"
"It's the cover from a pen."
"Why do you need it?"
"In case I find the pen."
"Didn't we throw out the pen last year 'cos it had no cover?"
"No, that was another pen. I can also use it as a small cup." - on hoarding, p. 83
"A number of common sayings refer to lice. Calling someone a nitwit is saying they've the intelligence of a louse egg (nit). Getting down to the nitty-gritty and nit-picking refers to the detailed work in removing nits. Describing someone as lousy implies they've lice." - on lice-inspired vocabulary, p. 84
"Ow, you're pulling!"
"I'm just trying to get through these knots to the scalp. And if you'd stop moving your head up and look down, that would help."
"But I can't see the TV."
"Well, I need to be able to see. Now just sit tight and behave yourself."
"I want to do something else. How much longer will it be?"
"It'll be over when it's over. Look, we have to do this. Don't you wanna go to work tomorrow?" - on getting rid of lice, p. 85
"I heard about that. How are you coping?" In a tone that suggests the funeral was yesterday.
"Do the kids understand what's happened?" Yes, their mummy has gone to a better place - a spa resort.
"What're you doing for food?" I'm dangling the two year old as bait outside to see what we can catch.
- on the mother being away, p. 114
Car seats maximizes the chances of a "no child injury" crash by 1.6%; there're myriad more effective ways to reduce accidents. - p. 130
"I'm standing here with my eyes closed, thinking of a suitable punishment. If by the time I open my eyes, you haven't done X, I'll tell you what it is." - p. 140
"My attitude toward playing games with children is simple: I play to win. I see no need to coddle my children in game playing. If they want that, they can go elsewhere, say, to their mother." - p. 162
"#ClubPenguin - like other games before it - has taken in my kids' mother. She too is obsessed with getting further in it. The entire family is now on ice." - p. 168
Tupperware parties for kids' birthdays - p. 174-5
Reward effort, not performance - p. 191
I've never mind laughed so hard since reading #NeilHumphreys!
"Within months, a big event is going to occur. You only have to look around the room to get a sense of foreboding that accompanies a ticking time bomb." - on birthing classes
My wife: No leh.
Me: That's 'cos you were the time bomb.
"An anesthetist came by, and Mommy happily submitted to what seemed to be spinal surgery. She then fell asleep, leaving me to enjoy dinner in peace. I came away from that experience thinking that no time was too soon for drugs in labor. Perhaps at the onset of pregnancy." - on epidurals, p. 16
"I started asking the obstetrician trivia questions. What's the most deliveries you've done in a day? What's your largest baby? And so on. He was into it, but the midwives weren't. They were horrified. They could not believe how unsupportive I was. Indeed, 3.5 years later, we arrived at the same maternity ward for Child No. 3. My wife would introduce me: This is my husband, Joshua. Yes, we know him, came the contemptuous reply. It must've been thousands of babies later, and I was still infamous, my picture adorning their coffee room wall or dartboard." - on husbands being the designated comforter, pp. 17-18
"In the birth video, the baby was delivered. The narrator continued: And now Daddy can play a role. He is handed scissors and cuts the cord. My eyes rolled. This hardly looked like an important role. It was tokenism at best. To me, what also appeared pretty simple was the 'catching' job the obstetrician did. The baby came out; it was caught; everyone as relieved. Hardly rocket science. It was time for me to step up and propose something real tondo. Something necessary, involving potential risk, that I could actually savour as an important life moment. I wanted to catch." - on giving dads a more important role in childbirth, p. 19
"In my mind, sleep is a negotiation. We want sleep, and the baby wants attention. There is an inherent conflict here. The screams of a baby are like an offer: I'll stop screaming of you give me attention. And it's not a vague offer. Give the baby attention, and they crying stops. After only a few tries, a little baby can train its parents nicely." - on the value of sleep, p. 26
"When they're told it's time for the diaper to go, the expression on their face says it all. They appreciate the beauty and function of the design. Perhaps they also suspect teacher they'll be wearing one in 70 years' time. Why deny them in the interim?" - on weaning children off diapers, p. 56
"It is where all the correspondence we get, and potentially have to deal with, goes. Birthday invites, catalogs, bills, court summonses, and other stuff goes there. Everyone knows that if something is out in the pile of death, it'll never be seen again. If the children see us putting an invitation in the pile, they scream: "Nooooo! Not there!" They know their social life is doomed." - on how mail is sorted, p. 81
"For Child No. 1, there's no such thing as mere stuff she doesn't potentially need. She can construct a case to save every last thing from eviction.
"What's this?"
"It's the cover from a pen."
"Why do you need it?"
"In case I find the pen."
"Didn't we throw out the pen last year 'cos it had no cover?"
"No, that was another pen. I can also use it as a small cup." - on hoarding, p. 83
"A number of common sayings refer to lice. Calling someone a nitwit is saying they've the intelligence of a louse egg (nit). Getting down to the nitty-gritty and nit-picking refers to the detailed work in removing nits. Describing someone as lousy implies they've lice." - on lice-inspired vocabulary, p. 84
"Ow, you're pulling!"
"I'm just trying to get through these knots to the scalp. And if you'd stop moving your head up and look down, that would help."
"But I can't see the TV."
"Well, I need to be able to see. Now just sit tight and behave yourself."
"I want to do something else. How much longer will it be?"
"It'll be over when it's over. Look, we have to do this. Don't you wanna go to work tomorrow?" - on getting rid of lice, p. 85
"I heard about that. How are you coping?" In a tone that suggests the funeral was yesterday.
"Do the kids understand what's happened?" Yes, their mummy has gone to a better place - a spa resort.
"What're you doing for food?" I'm dangling the two year old as bait outside to see what we can catch.
- on the mother being away, p. 114
Car seats maximizes the chances of a "no child injury" crash by 1.6%; there're myriad more effective ways to reduce accidents. - p. 130
"I'm standing here with my eyes closed, thinking of a suitable punishment. If by the time I open my eyes, you haven't done X, I'll tell you what it is." - p. 140
"My attitude toward playing games with children is simple: I play to win. I see no need to coddle my children in game playing. If they want that, they can go elsewhere, say, to their mother." - p. 162
"#ClubPenguin - like other games before it - has taken in my kids' mother. She too is obsessed with getting further in it. The entire family is now on ice." - p. 168
Tupperware parties for kids' birthdays - p. 174-5
Reward effort, not performance - p. 191
March 5, 2018
I read this years ago when my children were little and I felt I ought to read parenting books but couldn’t get into them. This was a very interesting alternative. A nice balance of humour and information, and very readable.
June 19, 2009
Joshua Gans's blog Game Theorist was first called to my attention on Freakonomics. It's a blog that accounts his attempts to use the principles of economics to get his children to do what he wants (i.e., "parenting"). It's very well written, so I eagerly anticipated the arrival of his book Parentonomics, which, I must say, took its sweet times getting to a library in Maryland (one contributing factor is that the author is Australian, and apparently such things matter, even though they do in fact speak English in Australia).
As a result, I had been following the blog for over a year by the time I read the book, so I was a little disappointed to note that I had already read much of the book, which was either a rehash of his blog, or his blog has been publishing excerpts from the book while I was waiting for it to arrive. (This was very similar to my experience seeing DisneyNature's Earth after seeing only a couple of episodes of the BBC's Planet Earth, of which it was apparently a rehash.)
But if you haven't likewise been reading his blog, this book is certainly worth reading.
I'm not entirely sure it meets its stated goals, though. In the introduction, he says that the goal of his book is to teach the principles of economics using concrete examples from an easily relatable topic, i.e., parenting. For example, how can you use incentives to get your children to eat healthy food? And while he does talk about incentives in regard to eating, toilet training, and punishment, most of the rest of the book is, in fact, just a memoir of parenting, and not especially economics-related. It's cute that Child No. 1 is a pack rat, but I'm not really sure what that has to do with economics.
As a result, I had been following the blog for over a year by the time I read the book, so I was a little disappointed to note that I had already read much of the book, which was either a rehash of his blog, or his blog has been publishing excerpts from the book while I was waiting for it to arrive. (This was very similar to my experience seeing DisneyNature's Earth after seeing only a couple of episodes of the BBC's Planet Earth, of which it was apparently a rehash.)
But if you haven't likewise been reading his blog, this book is certainly worth reading.
I'm not entirely sure it meets its stated goals, though. In the introduction, he says that the goal of his book is to teach the principles of economics using concrete examples from an easily relatable topic, i.e., parenting. For example, how can you use incentives to get your children to eat healthy food? And while he does talk about incentives in regard to eating, toilet training, and punishment, most of the rest of the book is, in fact, just a memoir of parenting, and not especially economics-related. It's cute that Child No. 1 is a pack rat, but I'm not really sure what that has to do with economics.
November 19, 2008
An interesting idea - applying economic theory to parenting - and hopefully watching the hilarious results... Check out http://gametheorist.blogspot.com/ for the blog that spawned the book.
Really the idea of applying economic theory to everyday issues was done a couple of years ago by Steven Levitt in Freakonomics...
Applying economic theory to parenting is likely to lead to some different parenting styles (and lets face it if it doesn't then there isn't much of a book). Maybe as a result Joshua's parenting style, and views on many issues (breastfeeding, childcare, importance of literacy, dealing with crying, etc) does not gel with mine.
So it is critical that the book is funny to keep me reading. Was it funny enough? Well I got through the whole book, just. But I feel that to be truely hillarious the economic theory would need to be applied to the nth degree - which it wasn't in the book because the book reflected what Joshua claimed to actually have done - and lets face it the nth degree if played out in reality would probably have lead to child abuse charges!
For books based on blogs regarding amusing stories about parenting from a Dad's perspective I would be recommending "From Here to Paternity" by Sacha Molitorisz (http://blogs.smh.com.au/lifestyle/who...)
Really the idea of applying economic theory to everyday issues was done a couple of years ago by Steven Levitt in Freakonomics...
Applying economic theory to parenting is likely to lead to some different parenting styles (and lets face it if it doesn't then there isn't much of a book). Maybe as a result Joshua's parenting style, and views on many issues (breastfeeding, childcare, importance of literacy, dealing with crying, etc) does not gel with mine.
So it is critical that the book is funny to keep me reading. Was it funny enough? Well I got through the whole book, just. But I feel that to be truely hillarious the economic theory would need to be applied to the nth degree - which it wasn't in the book because the book reflected what Joshua claimed to actually have done - and lets face it the nth degree if played out in reality would probably have lead to child abuse charges!
For books based on blogs regarding amusing stories about parenting from a Dad's perspective I would be recommending "From Here to Paternity" by Sacha Molitorisz (http://blogs.smh.com.au/lifestyle/who...)
July 4, 2010
Parentonomics é um livro escrito por Joshua Gans, economista de profissão, casado e pai de 3 filhos. Até aqui nada de invulgar, um em muitos milhões, se não fosse pelo facto de que este PAI e ECONOMISTA decidiu criar um blogue onde expôs como criar os seus filhos de acordo as filosofias da economia. E para quem pensa que a economia é enfadonha e complicada, quando mais aplicar ao universo da parentalidade, irá aprender maneiras perspicazes e engraçadas de resolver conflitos que sucedem desde a etapa inicial da preparação para o parto, percorrendo todas as etapas do crescimento das crianças, com um humor demarcado que leva o autor a prender o leitor na leitura, de um livro que começou como um blogue!
Recomendado para todos, especialmente para pais, futuros pais…e de quem cuida de crianças!
tinkerbell
Recomendado para todos, especialmente para pais, futuros pais…e de quem cuida de crianças!
tinkerbell
March 4, 2015
When my mom saw I was reading this, she thought I was pregnant. It was really hard to convince her that I was ONLY reading it because it sounded interesting on NPR and I like applied economics.
I was expecting Freakonomics with baby anecdotes, and it didn't especially deliver on that front. There were some pretty hilarious child stories, such as how Child No. 1 won't start eating her dessert until everybody else is finished so that there will never be a time when somebody else has more dessert than she does.
One valuable economic child-training tip was to make sweets and TV something desirable. The more your children want them, the more concessions you'll be able to drag out of them in exchange for 30 minutes of TV or a fun-sized snickers bar.
I was expecting Freakonomics with baby anecdotes, and it didn't especially deliver on that front. There were some pretty hilarious child stories, such as how Child No. 1 won't start eating her dessert until everybody else is finished so that there will never be a time when somebody else has more dessert than she does.
One valuable economic child-training tip was to make sweets and TV something desirable. The more your children want them, the more concessions you'll be able to drag out of them in exchange for 30 minutes of TV or a fun-sized snickers bar.
July 1, 2013
A fantastic example of the saying, "If the only tool you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail." While the book is entertaining at times, the overuse of economic theories and the somewhat aggressive tone he takes towards his oldest child really makes the read quite awkward, and the lessons learned very shallow (and oriented only towards his specific situation.)
In the end, the parenting insights are more based on his feelings than on real economic theory, and the economic discussions are so shallow as to feel like the editor forced them into the writing.
In the end, the parenting insights are more based on his feelings than on real economic theory, and the economic discussions are so shallow as to feel like the editor forced them into the writing.
October 31, 2012
This book had sound economic concepts and sound parenting stories. Some were funny. It just didn't weave them together in a fully cohesive way. I wish he'd had a stronger editor or more content. I did enjoy the funny stories and footnotes and I love how his parenting stories resonate with humor.
June 18, 2011
Love his blog, but a mediocre book. One amusement: the young daughter demanded a tupperware party for her birthday, wanting to do what she'd seen her mother do. They ended up making money on the party.
October 23, 2015
This is a really fun read for a mutually-suffering parent with a refreshingly light look at the hardest business in town! Great humour and insight, into both parenting and economic thought! This book is a good “investment” of fun.
October 12, 2014
This book relates the experiences of a dad of 3 and his strategies to deal with things like, eating, playing, learning, ...
It is a really funny book.
I also found it very interesting how it sheds light on the parenting matters from an economic viewpoint.
Highly recommended.
It is a really funny book.
I also found it very interesting how it sheds light on the parenting matters from an economic viewpoint.
Highly recommended.
May 4, 2010
Not bad so far but not a good economics book or a good parenting book. Interesting stories of parenting with an economics twist.
OK I have given up. Probably won't finish it.
OK I have given up. Probably won't finish it.
August 15, 2009
This was totally awesome! It really made me think about parenting and just totally cracked me up. Definitely a great read!!
August 28, 2009
Quick, humorous read. Covers pretty much the same material as his blog, http://gametheorist.blogspot.com/
November 2, 2009
This was entertaining to me as an economist and parent. I'm not sure if it actually brings any insight into parenting for non-economists
November 11, 2010
Very funny & well written, gives a slightly different, but quite logical angle to parenting. :D
September 12, 2012
Fun but lightweight.
March 25, 2013
This book is a fun take on parenting but as it comes from a blog still reads a bit like one.
November 10, 2013
Anecdotal, shallow and unfunny.
March 11, 2014
Funny mix of parenting reflections and economic theory that makes good sense
January 31, 2015
I enjoyed reading this book that contains many fun stories. However:
- not to be considered as parenting advise;
- no science, only anecdotes;
- the comparison to Freakonomics is a bad one.
- not to be considered as parenting advise;
- no science, only anecdotes;
- the comparison to Freakonomics is a bad one.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews