When I told a friend that Mars uses AI tools regularly — at his age — I got the look. The one that says “you’re ruining your child.”
I’ve gotten used to it.
A Brief History of Educational Panic
Let me take you through a quick timeline:
- 1500s — “If children can read books themselves, they won’t need teachers.” (They still need teachers.)
- 1970s — “Calculators will destroy mathematical thinking.” (They didn’t.)
- 2000s — “The internet will make children unable to think deeply.” (Some of the deepest thinkers I know grew up online.)
- 2020s — “AI will make children unable to think at all.”
See the pattern?
Every generation encounters a tool that could replace effort. And every generation discovers that the tool, when used well, amplifies ability instead.
How Mars Uses AI
Here’s what a typical day looks like:
Morning: Mars has a question about volcanoes. We ask an AI assistant to explain how magma chambers work. The AI gives a clear explanation. Mars draws his own diagram. He asks follow-up questions. The AI answers. Mars argues with one of the answers. (He’s sometimes right.)
Afternoon: Mars is building a story about a robot who lives on Mars (the planet, not him — though he finds this hilarious). He uses AI to help him brainstorm plot ideas. He rejects most of them. He picks one and modifies it. The story is entirely his.
Evening: We reflect. What did you learn? What surprised you? What do you want to explore tomorrow?
The Real Danger
The danger isn’t AI. The danger is passive consumption. And that’s true of any technology — TV, social media, even books if you never discuss what you read.
The antidote is the same as it’s always been:
- Engagement — Don’t just consume, create
- Conversation — Talk about what you learned
- Critical thinking — Ask “is this true?” and “why?”
AI doesn’t remove the need for these skills. It makes them more important than ever.
What I Tell Other Parents
When parents ask me about AI and kids, I say three things:
- Use it together. AI shouldn’t be a babysitter. It should be a tool you explore alongside your child.
- Model skepticism. Show your child that AI can be wrong. Teach them to question and verify.
- Focus on creation. The child who uses AI to create — stories, art, experiments — is learning. The child who uses AI to avoid thinking isn’t.
The tool is neutral. The parenting isn’t.
