by Ari Yares | Feb 17, 2026 | Parents as Systems, Preventive Parenting, Start Here, The Innovative Dad Blog
Nothing dramatic is happening. One child is arguing about shoes. Another is asking a question I missed the first time. I’m trying to get dinner started while keeping track of the things that still need to happen before anyone gets in the shower. I can feel myself...
by Ari Yares | Feb 9, 2026 | Jewish Time & Structure
Nothing dramatic is happening. Dinner is half-finished. Homework is still open. Bedtime is coming. No one is in crisis—but the clock is getting louder. You can feel the margin disappearing. No one woke up planning to argue. No one feels especially emotional. And yet,...
by Ari Yares | Feb 2, 2026 | The Innovative Dad Blog
Many parents tell me they want the same thing: “I want my child to take more responsibility.” They say it about homework, chores, follow-through, emotional regulation, and independence. And they usually say it with a layer of exhaustion underneath. What they’re really...
by Ari Yares | Jan 27, 2026 | The Innovative Dad Blog
When parents describe blowups at home, they often say the same thing:“It came out of nowhere.” A child melts down over something small.A teen explodes after seeming fine all day.A routine moment suddenly turns intense, fast. The usual conclusion is that the emotion is...
by Ari Yares | Jan 20, 2026 | The Innovative Dad Blog
Most parenting problems don’t start with misbehavior. They start with something quieter: a routine that once held things together no longer does. A school year ends.A new schedule begins.A child enters a new developmental stage.A parent’s availability shifts. Nothing...
by Ari Yares | Jan 13, 2026 | The Innovative Dad Blog
This week, my oldest finishes high school. There will be a ceremony, some pictures, and a quiet sense that something important has shifted. Not all at once, and not always in ways that are obvious—but enough to notice that we’re standing at a threshold. A lot has been...
by Ari Yares | Jan 12, 2026 | The Innovative Dad Blog
Talking with teens can feel surprisingly hard. Parents often describe trying to connect only to be met with silence, sarcasm, or one-word answers. Questions like “How was your day?” or “What’s going on?” are technically answered — but emotionally empty. If this sounds...
by Ari Yares | Dec 23, 2025 | The Innovative Dad Blog
Throughout this series, we’ve explored how children discover interests, experiment with passions, and navigate the ups and downs that come with learning something new. One theme runs through all of it: Children thrive when they believe they have the potential to grow....
by Ari Yares | Dec 16, 2025 | The Innovative Dad Blog
In our previous posts, we explored how children begin to discover their interests and how curiosity fuels passion. But anyone who has watched a child explore knows that the journey isn’t always smooth. Interests change.Motivation dips.Frustration shows up. A child who...
by Ari Yares | Dec 9, 2025 | The Innovative Dad Blog
As we explored in my last post, passion rarely appears all at once. More often, it grows through curiosity, experimentation, and a safe, supportive environment. This week, let’s get practical. Here is a hands-on Passion-Exploration Toolkit filled with simple,...
