Parenting in the Age of AI — What Schools Can Learn

Sarah Levy
7 days ago
3 min read

My professional life is filled with conversations about AI in education. I keynote conferences. I help craft policy. I design and execute professional learning.

But at home, I’ve noticed something troubling: my kids’ are receiving virtually no official guidance and support, helping to prepare them for a world shaped by AI.

That realization left me with a choice: wait for schools to catch up, or step in myself. Like many parents, I don’t want to be the cobbler whose children have no shoes. So I’ve started building an at-home framework for guiding my kids’ AI use.

And here’s the thing: schools should pay attention, because this gap is real.

Why Parents Can’t Sit Back

AI isn’t “coming soon;” it’s here. ChatGPT, Grammarly, Canva’s Magic Write, Khan Academy’s AI tutor: our children are already encountering these tools at home, at school, and on their phones – whether they realize it or not. The risks are obvious: cheating, misinformation, bias…and that’s all before we talk about how AI can be detrimental to learning, if not used properly.

But there are opportunities. AI can support learning, spark creativity, and extend access.

Ideally, schools are implementing robust AI literacy frameworks for students and supporting them in using AI as the tool it can be. They are working with them to help identify the bias and misinformation and also create personalized GPTs to help them study for tests. They are preparing them for the professional world they will be entering, where it is estimated that 7-10% of current jobs will be replaced by totally different job, and those that don’t change as dramatically are majorly impacted by AI, leaving those without AI fluency behind.

But most schools don’t yet have policies, teacher training, or curriculum in place. That means parents are left to figure it out, often without guidance.

A Parent’s Role

At home, parents don’t need to be experts. They need to be curious guides. In practice, this looks like:

Modeling curiosity: “Let’s ask AI this question together—do we trust the answer?”
Asking questions: “When is AI a helpful tutor, and when is it doing the work for you?”
Creating activities: Fact-checking AI’s explanation of why leaves change color, or co-writing a story where the family and the AI take turns.
Setting boundaries: AI can help, but not replace. Use in shared spaces, not behind closed doors.

These strategies are simple, but they send a powerful message: AI is a tool, not a shortcut, and values matter more than convenience.

What Schools Can Learn

Here’s the irony: in the absence of school leadership, kids have stepped into the role of self-educators. They are teaching themselves how to use the different tools available to them, not always in ways that align with the goals of the schools and the families. Parents are also stepping into the role of AI educators.

That should be a wake-up call for schools. Parents don’t want AI ignored; they want it taught responsibly.

Schools can:

Provide clear policies and acceptable-use guidelines.
Train teachers to guide students’ AI use.
Integrate AI literacy into the curriculum including fact-checking, ethics, and critical thinking.
Partner with parents by sharing resources, conversation starters, and frameworks for at-home use.

The Bigger Picture

AI literacy isn’t just about technology; it’s about raising children who can think critically, act ethically, and apply wisdom in an uncertain world. That’s something both parents and schools care about deeply.

If schools don’t step in, parents must. But when schools and parents partner, students win.

Takeaway for School Leaders

Don’t wait until next year’s strategic plan to address AI. Start now by talking openly with parents, offering resources, and making space for teachers to learn. Parents are ready for this conversation. The real question is: are our schools?

The Takeaway for Parents

In my professional world, I am an educator. In my personal world, I am a mom for four. Four kids looking for guidance in this world.

Out of necessity, I’ve taken on the role of AI guide for them, and I created The Parent’s AI Playbook (and a Quick-Start Guide!) with some ideas and context for parents to start the conversation at home. Reach out, if you want it!