AI...Should children use it?

Hey Reader,

It would be easy to turn a conversation about AI and homeschooling into an argument.

Should children use it?

Should they avoid it?

Is it an incredible learning tool, or is it going to ruin education forever?

During our recent homeschool roundtable, we tried to ask a more useful question:

What skill might a child miss the opportunity to build when technology does the work?

An adult who already knows how to write can use AI to brainstorm ideas, organize information, or polish a draft.

But a child who is still learning to write needs opportunities to wrestle with the process.

They need to practice organizing their thoughts.

They need to decide what they actually want to say.

They need to form an argument, revise a confusing sentence, and discover that the first draft does not have to be perfect.

When AI produces the finished paragraph, the child may complete the assignment without developing all the thinking and communication skills hidden inside it.

The same principle applies to calculators, answer websites, automated lessons, and other technology.

A calculator can be a wonderful tool.

But if a child has not yet developed number sense or learned the foundational process, it may allow them to arrive at an answer without understanding how they got there.

An online program may make a lesson more engaging and accessible.

But if it replaces a conversation your child needed to have, some of the most valuable learning may disappear.

The goal is not to avoid every tool.

The goal is to know what the tool is helping with, and what it may be replacing.

Before introducing a new tool, we can pause and ask:

• Has my child built the foundational skill yet?
• Is this supporting the learning process, or bypassing it?
• Does it increase curiosity, creativity, or understanding?
• Is it replacing a conversation or connection that would have been more valuable?
• Does it add enough to justify what it removes?

That last question matters because human connection is one of homeschooling’s greatest strengths.

You can notice the puzzled expression that tells you your child does not understand.

You can ask a follow-up question when an unexpected interest appears.

You can listen as your child works through an idea and help them recognize what they are trying to say.

Technology can do many impressive things.

But it cannot replace every part of learning that happens between two people.

You do not have to predict the future of education.

You do not need a perfect family policy for every new tool that appears.

You only need to pause long enough to notice what your child needs from this learning experience today.

We discussed AI, online learning, human connection, and several other homeschool trends during our recent roundtable.

Watch the full conversation here:

​[WATCH THE HOMESCHOOL TRENDS VIDEO]​

Then hit reply and tell me:

Do you think AI belongs in a homeschool?

I would genuinely love to hear where you are landing right now.

P.S. Technology does not have to be all good or all bad. Discernment helps us decide when it is adding something valuable, and when it may be quietly taking something important away.

Reader, you are the most important part of my job. You are not interrupting my day when asking a question, replying to an email, or reaching out for support. I am honored to offer your help as you homeschool.