Teaching My Kids About Technology
Andriel asked me what I do at work. “I work with computers” wasn’t cutting it anymore.
So I tried to explain AI to a kid who thinks Siri is magic.
The Conversation
“Dad, do computers think?”
“Not like you think. They’re really good at patterns.”
“What’s a pattern?”
“You know how you can tell it’s going to rain by looking at clouds? Computers do something similar, but with numbers.”
“That’s boring.”
Fair point.
What I Actually Want Them to Learn
Not coding. Not yet. The fundamentals:
Critical thinking. Not everything online is true. Question sources. Verify information.
Privacy awareness. What you share online stays online. Forever.
Healthy boundaries. Technology is a tool. You control it, not the other way around.
Creation over consumption. Make things with technology. Don’t just scroll.
How We’re Doing It
Screen Time Rules
Not zero screens. That’s unrealistic and unnecessary. But intentional screens.
- No screens during meals
- No screens in bedrooms
- Screen time comes after outdoor time
- Creating things (drawing, coding games) counts differently from watching
Age-Appropriate Coding
My daughter tried Scratch last month. Made a cat dance. She was thrilled.
It’s not about becoming a programmer. It’s about understanding that technology is made by people, not magic.
Conversations About AI
“Alexa, play my favorite song.”
“How does Alexa know your favorite song?”
Teaching them to ask these questions now, before they stop being curious.
The Tension
I build AI systems. I know what these technologies can do. The manipulation. The addiction patterns. The data collection.
And I hand my kid a tablet.
The tension is real. I can’t protect them from technology. They’ll live in a world soaked in it.
So I teach them to swim instead of building walls.
What I’ve Learned
Model the behavior. If I’m always on my phone, no rule I set matters.
Make it a conversation. Not lectures. Questions and discussions.
Respect their curiosity. “Why does YouTube know what I want to watch?” is a great question. Answer it honestly.
Be honest about my own struggles. “Dad checks his phone too much too. We’re both working on it.”
The Goal
Raise kids who use technology intentionally. Who create more than they consume. Who question what they see online.
Kids who control their devices, not the other way around.
We’re not there yet. But we’re having the right conversations.
That’s a start.