For parents figuring it out
Raise kids who can think clearly in an AI world
Practical frameworks to help your children use AI without becoming dependent on it. Curious, confident, and ready for anything.
I'm not here to encourage AI use with kids. I'm here because your kids will encounter AI whether you want them to or not. I'd rather they learn the right habits from you than the wrong ones on their own.
From a father of two boys (ages 13 & 6) navigating this together
AI is here. Schools aren't ready. What do we do?
Your kids can now get instant answers to any question, essays written in seconds, and homework "help" that does everything for them.
The promise is incredible - AI could unleash creativity like never before. But the risk is real: cognitive erosion, learned helplessness, and kids who can't think without a chatbot.
The schools are still figuring it out. You can't wait.
"The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled."
- Plutarch The 80% Rule
Write First
Your child writes 80% of their work themselves - struggling, thinking, creating.
AI Critiques
Then they ask AI for feedback, not answers. "What's weak here? What am I missing?"
They Improve
They revise based on feedback. The thinking stays theirs. The growth is real.
AI is a Kind Machine
AI is always patient, never moody, and endlessly positive. It makes your child feel safe and supported in ways no teacher or parent can match.
The problem? Real growth requires friction. Mistakes that sting. Honest feedback that doesn't feel good. AI removes that discomfort by design.
Children may turn to AI not just for answers, but for affirmations - and constant affirmation flattens growth.
Read: The Kind Machine vs The Honest Teacher →"Both the teacher and AI had the same goal - to help my son do better. But one gave feedback and the other gave comfort."
- From the newsletter
Start based on your child's age
AI Activities That Build Thinking
Curiosity Deep Dives
Turn any topic into an exploration by asking AI the questions nobody else thinks to ask.
Learn moreWhat Would You Build?
Teach kids to think like builders, not consumers - imagining what they could create with AI as a tool.
Learn moreThe Human Connection
Compare AI advice to human connection - discovering why empathy matters more than perfect words.
Learn moreAI voice cloning can now copy anyone in 30 seconds
Your child could receive a call that sounds exactly like you - or vice versa. Every family needs a verification protocol. We've created a simple one.
Get the Family Safety ProtocolFather of two. Figuring this out alongside you.
I have two boys - one is 13, deep in the AI homework era, and one is 6, still building his foundation. Every framework I share here, I'm testing at home first.
I wrote The Kind Machine: Raising Kids Who Can Think in the Age of AI because I couldn't find the guide I needed. So I built it.
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