Opinionated by Design
Inspired by Barbra Gago episode
Barbra Gago builds opinionated products with clear principles—good defaults help everyone make better decisions, including toddlers.
I tried being a neutral parent. Just options. All day long.
"What do you want for breakfast?" My kid stares at me. I'm burning toast while he's melting down because the plate is slightly warm. Unlimited options don't feel like freedom—they feel like the cereal aisle at Whole Foods.
So I flipped the script. Now we're opinionated as hell.
Dinner's at 6. Not 5:47 because someone's "not quite hungry." Not 6:15 because bedtime negotiations haven't started yet. 6. Flat. Then I'm not cooking again—I'm not a restaurant with a late-night menu.
Homework before screens. Books and pajamas? Pick those. Everything else? Decided. My kid relaxed. Chilled out. Kids don't want to run the whole operation—they want YOU to have the point of view.
Being opinionated isn't mean. It's structure. It's freedom inside a framework instead of paralysis in the void. Why were you letting your six-year-old have the UX design meeting?
Ship it. Be opinionated by design.
