How one unexpected parental moment led to rethinking how we talk to kids about AI, the addiction we don’t see coming, and the importance of asking better questions
Hey Dhani - I think the concept behind your newsletter is great, and really important, and I've learnt a lot from your other posts. I just wanted to say that this part really resonated with me today though - 'I finally made peace with all these pieces of my life. Not because everything became perfect, but because I stopped fighting what was. And for the first time in eight years, I had space—emotional space, mental space—to give beyond the four walls of our home.' Acceptance of our son's Down Syndrome, and later diagnosed autism, in a way that I'm not trying to fight the likely reality of our future, has been the healthiest thing for me. Not easy, but healthy! And certainly has freed up mental space for other things. Thank you for sharing x
Alys, thank you for sharing about you and your little one 🤍 I would love to high five you because it’s so real. Weird how the simplest (not the easiest though) mindset change can really affect us. Things are still hard but the weight of it change. Would love to share stories with you!
This brings up a lot of questions I haven't thought of yet. I'm also a parent but my kids are too young for internet (except YouTube kids). This raised concerns i hadn't considered yet. I like your acronym style, it's a good teaching tool and well definitely help people remember your tips. Another teaching tool I recognized and liked is the use of relatable age appropriate metaphors that show how to explain it to kids. (I may also have a teaching degree but don't tell anyone 🤫)
I hadn’t thought about AI from a child rearing perspective, always seems to be a new challenge for parents these days. What hit me in this piece, is the dopamine response you discussed. Its next level now with AI, it’s nearly a perfect active listener…it keeps asking me questions…and I keep answering. Great job Dhani!
I love this! This is a question that you tackled so insightfully. It is extremely important that kids, being one myself, are aware of how AI works when they use it. I just subscribed and hope you’ll check out my page as well!
Wow I didn’t expect a kid being one of my reader 🤍 thank you for the kind words. I just subscribed to support you too! Btw it seems like you click follow vs subscribe, which is not a problem. But if you are keen to get updates, please consider the latter 🙏
This means a lot! I appreciate the thorough explanation and even more appreciative of the offer to chat. I will take up on that offer if you don’t mind! 🙏🙏
Couldn’t figure out how to DM you, Nagh! Curious if you’d be willing to share how you approach AI at home as I’m compiling the different ways tech forward parents approach this😇
Woah, I love this thorough response! I agree with what you are saying but there are a few things that struck me.
Like the 1st point: learning looks different now. Makes me think further that learning will be different later. How do I focus on what remains the same around learning so we can help our kids now?
The phone dilema. I’m still on the camp of delay personal phone or smart device as long as I can. It’s okay to be in a different social network, the in person one. But what if it’s school related and affects their learning? I’m still mulling over that.
Then, the trying not to impose pace nor the world that once was is quite profound.
Honestly, I didn’t think you would be so generous in sharing and I’m pleasantly surprised so I took a bit of time to digest it. Thanks again for sharing, Nagh! 🙏
Hey Dhani - I think the concept behind your newsletter is great, and really important, and I've learnt a lot from your other posts. I just wanted to say that this part really resonated with me today though - 'I finally made peace with all these pieces of my life. Not because everything became perfect, but because I stopped fighting what was. And for the first time in eight years, I had space—emotional space, mental space—to give beyond the four walls of our home.' Acceptance of our son's Down Syndrome, and later diagnosed autism, in a way that I'm not trying to fight the likely reality of our future, has been the healthiest thing for me. Not easy, but healthy! And certainly has freed up mental space for other things. Thank you for sharing x
Alys, thank you for sharing about you and your little one 🤍 I would love to high five you because it’s so real. Weird how the simplest (not the easiest though) mindset change can really affect us. Things are still hard but the weight of it change. Would love to share stories with you!
Yes, anytime 😀
This brings up a lot of questions I haven't thought of yet. I'm also a parent but my kids are too young for internet (except YouTube kids). This raised concerns i hadn't considered yet. I like your acronym style, it's a good teaching tool and well definitely help people remember your tips. Another teaching tool I recognized and liked is the use of relatable age appropriate metaphors that show how to explain it to kids. (I may also have a teaching degree but don't tell anyone 🤫)
🥹these are kind words that I needed today! I’m so glad this resonated. Ohh I’m no teacher so it’s truly the best compliment 🙏
You could have fooled me honestly. It comes off very educated in how to educate.
I wish! Just a nerd who loves knowledge 🤓
I hadn’t thought about AI from a child rearing perspective, always seems to be a new challenge for parents these days. What hit me in this piece, is the dopamine response you discussed. Its next level now with AI, it’s nearly a perfect active listener…it keeps asking me questions…and I keep answering. Great job Dhani!
Thank you, Kevin! Each parenting era has its own struggles I supposed. I’m just “lucky” enough to be in this AI era.
You nailed it! GenAI’s training has been to mimic that active listening skill that people respond to. It’s a hard skill for real humans to learn💡
You might enjoy this piece Dhani…https://kevinguiney.substack.com/p/preschool-pirates-and-the-shipwrecked
I certainly enjoyed reading it, Kevin! Thanks for sharing it with me 🙏
I love this! This is a question that you tackled so insightfully. It is extremely important that kids, being one myself, are aware of how AI works when they use it. I just subscribed and hope you’ll check out my page as well!
Wow I didn’t expect a kid being one of my reader 🤍 thank you for the kind words. I just subscribed to support you too! Btw it seems like you click follow vs subscribe, which is not a problem. But if you are keen to get updates, please consider the latter 🙏
Subscribed!
This means a lot! I appreciate the thorough explanation and even more appreciative of the offer to chat. I will take up on that offer if you don’t mind! 🙏🙏
Couldn’t figure out how to DM you, Nagh! Curious if you’d be willing to share how you approach AI at home as I’m compiling the different ways tech forward parents approach this😇
Woah, I love this thorough response! I agree with what you are saying but there are a few things that struck me.
Like the 1st point: learning looks different now. Makes me think further that learning will be different later. How do I focus on what remains the same around learning so we can help our kids now?
The phone dilema. I’m still on the camp of delay personal phone or smart device as long as I can. It’s okay to be in a different social network, the in person one. But what if it’s school related and affects their learning? I’m still mulling over that.
Then, the trying not to impose pace nor the world that once was is quite profound.
Honestly, I didn’t think you would be so generous in sharing and I’m pleasantly surprised so I took a bit of time to digest it. Thanks again for sharing, Nagh! 🙏