by Ari Yares | Jul 9, 2026 | Parents as Systems, Preventive Parenting
Every summer, the same thing happens. School ends. The structure disappears. Parents look around at six or eight or ten unscheduled weeks and do what comes naturally: they start filling the space. The activity schedule. The camp. The playdates. The plan. The goal is...
by Ari Yares | May 19, 2026 | Preventive Parenting
A child gets off the bus, walks through the door, and falls apart. Not because anything bad happened. Not because of the homework that’s coming or the sibling who said something wrong. It just happens. The child who was reportedly fine at school is now crying...
by Ari Yares | Mar 10, 2026 | Parents as Systems, Preventive Parenting
Why Screen Time Limits Usually Fail (And What Actually Helps) “You have 30 more minutes,” someone calls from the kitchen. No one argues. Thirty minutes pass, and everything falls apart. The argument is not really about the phone. Instead, it is about the...
by Ari Yares | Mar 1, 2026 | Preventive Parenting, Wicked Parenting Problems
“I didn’t know Roblox had chat.” I hear that often. Or, “I thought it was just a game.” Or, “I didn’t realize someone could screenshot that.” Most parents are not careless. They are busy. They see the surface of a platform. The game. The photo app. The messaging tool....
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...