The Innovative Dad
A psychologist’s blog about raising and educating children through the lens innovation.
Understanding Choice vs. No-Choice: Nurturing Independence and Structure
In the intricate dance of parenting, one of the subtle yet significant factors is understanding when to offer choices and when to set clear boundaries. Choice and no-choice activities play pivotal roles in shaping a child's development, fostering independence, and...
The Family Dinner: How Spending More Time at the Dinner Table Can Encourage Kids to Eat Healthier
As parents, we often struggle to ensure that our children eat healthily. In today's fast-paced world, it is common for children to be busy with extracurricular activities or to eat on-the-go. However, research has shown that spending more time at the dinner table can...
How to Use Popular Board and Card Games to Support Emotional Regulation
Learning emotional regulation is serious business, but it doesn’t have to be boring! This post explores how board and card games can be a fun and effective way to teach kids how to manage their emotions in healthy ways.
How to Use Co-Regulation with Children Who Are Having Difficulty with Self-Regulation
As parents or caregivers, we all want our children to develop strong self-regulation skills that enable them to manage their emotions and behavior effectively. However, some children struggle with self-regulation, and this can lead to challenging behaviors and...
5 Years Out: Reflections on Talking to Kids about Cancer
Talking to children about a loved one’s cancer diagnosis can feel overwhelming. But remember, age-appropriate honesty is key! Just like putting together a puzzle, clear communication helps them understand the situation and feel more secure.
Chocolate Angel Pie
There are a couple variations on this pie. Most call for Cream of Tartar. Ingredients: For crust: 4 egg whites, at room temperature1 cup plus 2 tbsps sugar1 tsp potato starch1 tsp distilled white vinegar3/4 tsp Vanilla extract Filling: 2 ounces unsweetened...
Menus for Passover
Passover is right around the corner and I've been trying to figure out what we're serving this year. For us, it's the first time that we're hosting a seder in a while, something that the pandemic put off. The challenge this year is creating a menu that captures the...
Sweet and Sour Meatballs
Sometimes the simple meals are the ones that everyone eats. Meatballs are pretty much a hit in our family all year long and this recipe can be used for Passover too! Ingredients 2 pounds of ground turkey, chicken, or beef (can be mixed together) 12 ounces of mushrooms...
Kosher for Passover (or anytime) Sorbet
It's not Passover in our house unless there is sorbet. This simple, yet elegant dessert cleanses the pallet and serves as a delightful lingering taste before the Afikomen is discovered. It works well with any fruit juice, but our favorite is mango. If you haven't...