About Gia & Laura
Developed by parenting expert Gia Gambaro Blount, Good To Go is a realistic, definitive approach to potty training draws from twenty years of wisdom. Meanwhile, Laura Birek, a mom and podcaster, documents her personal (and often hilarious) stories about potty-training her toddler in real time. Blount and Birek guide parents step by step through their foolproof method that features actionable tips, real-life examples, and practical strategies for everything from recognizing body cues to picking the right supplies.
By combining the science of child development with modern parenting approaches, the Good to Go method honors the natural learning process, reduces parental stress, and sets children up for potty-training success.
Gia Gambaro Blount is known as “the toddler whisperer.” She’s a child development professor, parent educator, and consultant with over 20 years of experience, and has a B.A. in Developmental Psychology and an M.A. in Early Childhood Education.
Gia is passionate about combining her academic knowledge with practical and accessible approaches to parenting. Her work has enriched the lives of countless children and helped thousands of parents through 1:1 coaching, parenting groups, and workshops. Gia’s contributions include founding the Pasadena City College Family Resource Center, serving as a board member for the North East Los Angeles Forest Schools, teaching a UCLA xOpen series, and leading a CalWORKS statewide conference. Gia co-authored the current California Department of Education Parent Education curriculum for Pasadena City College. She she teaches year-round parenting classes, covering 35 topics including potty training, tantrums and meltdowns, raising a resilient child, body safety, and more. She has been interviewed as an expert on several top parenting podcasts and is a scouted keynote speaker for preschools, family centers, and corporations.
Laura Birek is a writer and podcaster from Los Angeles. She’s had essays and reported pieces published in Parents Magazine; O, The Oprah Magazine; The Los Angeles Times; Shondaland; xoJane and more. Her book, Picture Perfect Knits, was published by Chronicle Books in 2006. Since 2018, Laura has been co-hosting the weekly podcast Big Fat Positive, named one of the best pregnancy and parenting podcasts by Refinery29, Verywell Family, and Giggle Magazine. With over three million downloads and counting, Big Fat Positive has established Laura as a trusted and influential resource for parents around the world.
In addition to her writing, Laura has performed as a storyteller and stand-up comic at Radio Picture Show, The Moth, Improv Olympic, and the Upright Citizen’s Brigade. Does anyone care about diplomas anymore? If so, they’ll be happy to hear that Laura also got a Master’s in Professional Writing from the University of Southern California and a B.A. in Literature and Theatre from Reed College. She’s also a mom to two boys, “Auggie” (6) and “Sebastian” (4).