Raising AI-Ready Kids — Resources

Get Started in Five Minutes

Every tool below is free. You don't need to pay for anything, download software, or know a line of code. Pick one, create an account, and type a question. That's it.

ChatGPT — chatgpt.com The most widely used AI chatbot and the one your child's classmates are most likely using. If you only try one tool, make it this one.

Claude — claude.ai Made by Anthropic. Known for nuanced, conversational responses. Worth trying alongside ChatGPT to see how different tools handle the same question — that comparison is a great exercise to do with your child.

Google Gemini — gemini.google.com Already built into Google Search, Docs, and Gmail. Your family is encountering it whether you realize it or not.

Microsoft Copilot — copilot.microsoft.com Integrated into Microsoft 365. If your child's school uses Microsoft products, they may already have access through their school account.

Your first prompt: "Explain [something your child is studying] as if I were a smart adult who just never got a clear explanation." Then see what comes back. You're already learning.

Try These with Your Kids

These are a handful of favorites from the book's full prompt collection. Sit down together, pick one, and see what happens.

The Fact Checker (Ages 8+) Ask AI a question you already know the answer to. See if it gets it right. Then ask it something you're less sure about and try to verify the answer together. Builds the habit of not trusting AI blindly.

The Study Buddy (Ages 10+) "I'm studying [subject] for a test. Ask me ten questions to test what I know. After each answer, tell me if I'm right and explain why." Shows AI as a learning tool, not an answer machine.

The Revision Coach (Ages 12+) "Here's a paragraph I wrote. Don't rewrite it. Tell me what's working, what could be stronger, and ask me two questions that would help me improve it myself." Keeps your child in the driver's seat.

The Career Explorer (Ages 13+) "What does a [profession] actually do on a typical day? What skills do they need? How is AI changing their work?" Makes the "why does this matter" concrete.

The "Who Wrote This?" Game (All Ages) Write a short paragraph about a topic. Have AI write one too. Read both aloud and see if family members can guess which is which. Low-stakes, fun, and surprisingly revealing.

The book includes more prompts plus four detailed parent-child experiments you can do together.

What to Watch For

Not every red flag means something is wrong, and not every green flag means everything is fine. But patterns tell a story. Use these to guide conversations, not accusations.

In Your Child's Behavior

Green Flags ✔

• Openly discusses how they used AI

• Can walk you through their reasoning

• Shows drafts and process willingly

• Asks permission or checks before using AI

• Tries work independently before turning to AI

• Questions or fact-checks AI outputs

Red Flags ⚠

• Can't explain their own work

• Sudden, unexplained style or quality changes

• Avoids showing how work was done

• Defensive when asked about AI use

• Opens AI before opening the assignment

• Treats AI output as automatically correct

In School Communications

Green Flags ✔

• "We're developing AI literacy"

• Clear examples of appropriate and inappropriate use

• Focus on teaching ethical use

• Teachers trained on AI integration

• Policy distinguishes between AI as tool vs. replacement

Red Flags ⚠

• "We have an AI problem"

• Vague rules like "use AI responsibly" with no specifics

• Focus solely on detection and punishment

• Contradictory rules across teachers

• "If it feels like cheating, it probably is" as the only guidance

The "Is This Ethical?" Decision Tree

Five questions. Thirty seconds. Works for any assignment in any classroom. Print it, save it to your child's phone, or tape it near where they do homework.

Step 1: Did I attempt the work myself first? Step 2: Is AI helping me think, or thinking for me? Step 3: Could I explain this work without AI in front of me? Step 4: Would I be comfortable telling my teacher how I used AI? Step 5: Does this match my teacher's or school's expectations?

If the answer is yes at every step — proceed with confidence.

DOWNLOAD THE PRINTABLE DECISION TREE (PDF)

Letter Template: Talking to Your Child's School About AI

Concerned about your school's AI policy but not sure how to bring it up without sounding like a complaint? This customizable letter template walks you through it. Bracketed guidance shows you what to personalize and why each section matters.

The approach: start with empathy, be specific rather than emotional, bring observations rather than just opinions, offer alternatives rather than just criticism, and volunteer to help.

Works for emails to administrators, follow-up after parent nights, or as preparation before requesting a meeting.

DOWNLOAD THE LETTER TEMPLATE

The Family AI Agreement

A one-page, customizable agreement your family can fill out, sign, and revisit as AI tools and your child's maturity evolve. Covers your family's values around AI, transparency expectations, age-appropriate boundaries, and what happens when someone crosses a line (spoiler: it's a conversation, not a punishment).

Built to be reviewed quarterly or each semester — because what works for a ten-year-old won't work for a sixteen-year-old, and what works today may not work in six months.

Enter your email to download the Family AI Agreement template.

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This field moves fast. These were verified as of February 2026 and are updated periodically.

Staying Current on AI in Education

Common Sense Media — AI Initiative (commonsensemedia.org/ai) The trusted name in family tech guidance now rates AI tools for kid-safety and publishes parent guides on generative AI. If you already use them for movie ratings, extend that trust to their AI resources.

AI for Education (aiforeducation.io) One of the most parent-accessible sites available. Free "AI in Education 101 for Parents" cheat sheet, a webinar for families, a free two-hour course for educators, and a state-by-state tracker showing where your state stands on AI guidance.

Brookings Center for Universal Education (brookings.edu/projects/brookings-global-task-force-on-ai-in-education) Their January 2026 report on AI and students is the most comprehensive global study to date. Dense reading, but invaluable if you want research to support your advocacy with schools.

For Educators and Advocates

TeachAI — AI Guidance for Schools Toolkit (teachai.org/toolkit) A collaboration between Code.org, ISTE, and other education organizations. If your school needs a framework for AI policy, this is the resource to share with administrators.

U.S. Department of Education AI Guidance (ed.gov/about/ed-overview/artificial-intelligence-ai-guidance) Formal federal guidance on AI in schools, emphasizing parent engagement and responsible integration. Useful when a school claims there's no direction on this topic.

Day of AI / MIT RAISE (dayofai.org) Free K–12 AI literacy curriculum developed by MIT. Lessons organized by age group, designed for people with no tech background. Parents can use these at home; teachers will find ready-made lessons.

Professional Organizations

aiEDU — The AI Education Project (aiedu.org) Free classroom resources for grades 7–12, plus parent-specific guides including conversation starters for families and information about how AI collects and uses children's data.

ISTE — International Society for Technology in Education (iste.org) The leading professional organization for educators and technology. Their AI resources include responsible use policy templates for elementary and secondary schools.

Recommended Resources

These resources are companions to Raising AI-Ready Kids: A Parent's Guide to Preparation Over Panic — At Home and at School by Russell E. Williams. Available on Amazon.

Have a resource suggestion or found a broken link? Reach out at hello@russellewilliams.com.

This page was last updated February 2026.

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