It's a philosophy that cares for both parent and child

The Need To Know Parent philosophy came from the successful book, The New Parents' Guide to Surviving The First Eight Weeks. The idea is that you don't need to know everything that could happen. You only need to know what you need to know when you need to know it.

Need-to-know parenting means trusting that you're incredible at figuring things out when problems actually arise. It means recognizing that the internet exists, Amazon ships fast, and your baby will tell you what they need. Most of what you're worrying about won't happen. And if something unexpected does happen, pre-worrying wouldn't have prevented it anyway.

Early into motherhood, I shared this philosophy with a friend. I was feeling guilty for not approaching parenthood with my typical girl-scout level of preparedness. I asked her, "Do you think this makes me a bad mom? Or at least an unprepared mom?"

This friend had her baby unexpectedly at 28 weeks. She spent significant time in the NICU with her son after he was born. Surely, she wouldn't agree with this philosophy.

But instead, she said something that has stuck with me: "Why worry twice? Things can always go wrong, but worrying now won't stop the future from happening. Sometimes being a little naive as a parent gives you permission to enjoy the present rather than constantly catastrophizing the future."

And that's really it. Being a need-to-know parent allows you to stay in the present moment with your child.

About The Author

Meet Molly Morgan

Molly Morgan holds degrees in Psychology and Neuroscience from Harvard University and a degree in Education from Boston College. As a former teacher and now a mom, she was surprised at how unprepared she felt going into motherhood, given her background. Despite her extensive training in child development, she found herself overwhelmed by the noise of conflicting parenting advice and the pressure to “do it all perfectly.”

This experience inspired her to write the book she wished she’d had during pregnancy—one that cuts through the fear-mongering and turns down the volume on parenting anxiety. Molly coined the concept of the “need-to-know parent,” a framework for balancing the anxiety of new parenting with the necessary basics of keeping your baby alive. Her approach is refreshingly honest: she doesn’t promise to help you thrive or raise the “perfect” child. Instead, she offers practical, science-informed guidance on exactly what you need to know, exactly when you need to know it—helping you survive the first eight weeks, trust your instincts, and show up as the parent you actually want to be, not the one Instagram tells you to be.

Through her blend of psychological insight, educational expertise, and hard-won parenting experience, Molly helps overwhelmed parents-to-be focus on what truly matters: building a strong foundation with their baby while protecting their own mental health. She lives in Rhode Island with her family, where she continues to practice the imperfect, joyful art of parenting one day at a time.

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