Support your child without becoming a second tutor
Know where your child is on their AI learning journey, without reading every chat or controlling every step.
Parents don’t need to become AI experts
You don’t need to code or understand the technology behind AI. What your child needs most is a trusted adult to ask when unsure, and a few clear principles for talking about AI together — not a second tech tutor.
See the Parent Companion corner with Teacher Sulato →6 things to remember when supporting your child
Know where your child is
Know what your child is learning and at what level — no need to read every chat to feel at ease.
Have clear principles
A few simple, consistent rules — instead of judging each situation by gut feeling.
Be the person to ask
Your child knows they can come back and ask you when something feels strange, instead of coping alone.
Grow independence with age
Supervision should gradually decrease as your child grows older and more experienced.
Talk, don’t interrogate
Ask naturally about what your child is doing with AI, like a hobby — not an investigation.
Recognise effort
Praise how your child asks questions or verifies, not just the final result.
A few clear, easy-to-apply boundaries
Do
- Ask open questions about what your child is exploring with AI
- Verify an AI answer together and make it a shared habit
- Set a few clear rules and keep them consistent
Avoid
- Secretly reading your child’s entire chat history to "check up"
- Banning it completely without explaining why
- Reacting harshly when your child shares something strange — they’ll hesitate to tell you next time
The right level of support
At this age, children should use AI with or near their parents, in a shared space. Be actively involved: try together, ask together, and explain simply why verifying matters. They don’t need to decide alone yet.
At this age, teens can use AI more independently, but still need clear principles and an adult to talk to when things get tricky. Focus on critical thinking and personal responsibility rather than direct supervision.