From Screen Time to Family Time: The AI Babysitter Dilemma

Kids turning to AI friends? What parents need to know NOW

Author

Warren Schuitema
July 28, 2025

My 7-year-old asked me yesterday if she could have "an AI friend like daddy talks to." A new report shows 33% of teen users now discuss serious matters with AI chatbots instead of real people. An even more concerning trend is hitting families faster than we can figure out how to handle it. Read further to find out…

Teens are sharing personal secrets with AI companions at alarming rates: 

A new Common Sense Media study found that 24% of young AI users have already shared private information (including real names and locations) with chatbots that harvest and save this data—even after account deletion. [Source: mediapost.com/publications/article/407598]

The White House and Department of Education announced new funding priorities this week: 

Specifically for AI literacy in K-12 schools. The initiative aims to train educators on appropriate AI integration and teach students to use these tools effectively. This comes just months after President Trump's executive order on K-12 AI education. [Source: The Ed. Dept. Wants to Steer Grant Money to AI. What That Means for Schools]

Elon Musk announced "Baby Grok," an AI learning tool for children: 

Just days after the adult version of his Grok AI made headlines for generating antisemitic content! 🤯🤯 The controversial move has many parents questioning whether Silicon Valley is moving too quickly to put AI tools in front of children. [Source: gizmodo.com/elon-musks-ai-praised-hitler-now-he-wants-it-to-teach-your-kids-2000631987]

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Got questions? Just hit reply and ask. I’m happy to share more!

THIS WEEK'S POWER MOVE: 

Take your kid's AI literacy into your own hands with supervised exploration. Instead of banning AI or letting them use it freely, try sitting with your child to create stories together using ChatGPT. Ask them questions about what the AI gets right or wrong, and talk about why we should never share personal information with these systems. This builds critical thinking skills while keeping the experience social and human-centered.

BLOG ARTICLES SECTION:

BONUS SECTION: AI Family Challenge: 

This week, try having each family member (kids included) come up with one task they find boring or time-consuming. Then sit together and brainstorm if an AI tool could help with it. Maybe it's homework research, meal planning, or organizing photos. Test your ideas together and discuss what worked, what didn't, and why certain tasks still need the human touch.

CALL TO ACTION: 

Have you or your kids tried using AI companions? What boundaries have you set up at home? Join our "AI-Powered Super Parents" Facebook group to share your experience and learn from other families navigating this new territory.

Until next Monday, Warren S.

P.S. My daughter ended up getting her "AI friend"—but only when I'm sitting right next to her, asking questions together about her favorite animals. The cats (Anna and Elsa) are still suspicious of the talking computer, though.

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