AI - Parents

AI in school and everyday life – what does this mean for your child?

Like many other parents, you may be asking yourself:

Is my child now supposed to rely on AI tools to learn ?
Will AI make my child “less intelligent” – or maybe help them become smarter?
How will AI affect my child’s creativity, reading habits and habilty to think critically?
Do I now need to understand ChatGPT and similar tools?
And what about everyday life? How does AI influence leisure activities, media habits, and social interaction?

The truth is that AI is already deeply rooted in our kids daily lives – often more deeply than we realise. Whether it’s voice recognition, YouTube suggestions or auto-complete messages – AI is already part of both their school and daily life.

But AI is not a substitute for thinking – it’s a tool. And like any tool, it can be used wisely, creatively, and responsibly – or recklessly.

For children to use AI effectively, they need you – their parents.

Both school and family life play a vital role in teaching children about AI. Together, they can help children go beyond simply consuming AI to using it in thoughtful, safe, and meaningful ways.

What does this mean for you as a parent?

You don’t need to know every app or understand exactly how AI works. And you don’t need to worry that your child will only learn via ChatGPT. More important is this: stay curious, keep the conversation going – and show your values. You don’t have to be an AI expert – just be present in your child’s everyday life.

Here are some practical tips – useful both at home and at school:

Tip for parents	What it promotes	What it could look like
Show interest – even if you don’t understand everything	Trust & communication	You could say: “How do you use AI at school?” or “Can you show me how that works?”
Use AI together	Digital literacy & curiosity	Use AI Tools together: ask ChatGpt to generate a story, a funny joke, or a cooking idea and discuss the results afterwards.
Question AI responses together	Critical thinking	Go through an AI-generated answer with your child. Ask questions like: “Is that accurate? Does it sound logical?” If needed, check other sources together.
Set clear rules at home for AI use	Personal responsibility	Set clear rules together about when it’s okay to use AI for school work – and when it isn’t. For example: “You should write your own texts, but it’s fine to use AI for ideas or summaries.”
Talk about data privacy and ethics	Responsibility & awareness	Ask: “Do you know what happens to your data when you use AI?” Or: “Would you let AI write a whole essay for you – would that be fair?”
Share your own experiences and doubts	Trust & role modelling	Share your own experience: “I tried AI – and honestly, I wasn’t sure what to think at first.” It shows you’re engaging with their world and that trying new things is part of lifelong learning.
Stay in touch with the school	Cooperation	Raise the topic at parents’ evenings: “How is AI handled at our school?” Offer feedback or support if needed.