My caught my tween using ChatGPT – here’s what surprised me most

(Image credit: Future)

Parenting is hard. If you are a parent yourself, you know that’s an understatement. As a Xennial, I’m among the micro-generation of people who’ve lived in both an analog and digital world.

As a kid, my TI-83 calculator was the most high-tech tool I’d ever had, yet today, my four-year-old can operate an iPhone to call family members or play games with ease.

ChatGPT-4.5 on screen — (Image credit: Future)

I knew it was a matter of time before my oldest started using AI. It was inevitable, especially because I test AI for a living. I’m frequently discussing new models and innovations at the dinner table.

So, when I caught my tween son using ChatGPT, what surprised me most was how he was using it.

ChatGPT is the New Google

Google search open on laptop — (Image credit: Unsplash)

I discovered searches such as “Can rabbits swim?” and “How many Starburst candies would it take to reach the sun?” Questions he knows I probably wouldn’t know and frankly, are so much easier answered by AI.

He isn’t using ChatGPT for school (yet), he is asking AI for answers about the stuff he is curious about, which is both a relief and a concern.

He prefers ChatGPT because he doesn’t have to search through a bunch of links to get answers. He’s very curious about the world around him and AI makes it easy to get those answers.

His prompts are the kinds of questions kids have always asked — random, wonderful, curious questions that pop into their brains and demand immediate answers.

When I asked why, he shrugged and said, “It just gives me the answer. I don’t have to click a bunch of links.”

And he’s right. To him, ChatGPT isn’t some revolutionary new technology. It’s just a better tool for finding stuff out. More direct. Less cluttered. Less work.

Relief… and a little worry

Mom hugging son AI image — (Image credit: Future)

On one hand, I’m relieved. He’s using AI in a way that mirrors the kind of discovery and exploration I remember doing at the library — only faster. On the other hand, I worry. About misinformation. About forming habits where answers are always spoon-fed instead of explored. About the lack of source attribution. About the potential for overreliance.

But mostly, I’m fascinated.

Because what I’m witnessing isn’t some dystopian future where kids are glued to AI robots. It’s something much more human: a curious kid asking questions. Wanting to know more.

Using the tools available to him. Tools I didn’t have when I was his age.

Keeping it safe

I'm of the mindset that rather than keeping AI away from my kids, I want to teach them how to use it responsibly. If you’re like me and feel comfortable with your child using AI such as ChatGPT, but want to add some safety measures, I will offer a suggestion.

This whole experience inspired me to create a customized GPT just for him — one with more guardrails in place. It filters out inappropriate topics, gives more age-appropriate explanations, and encourages curiosity with follow-up questions and fun facts.

I even added a little personality, so it feels more like a science buddy than a know-it-all adult. It’s surprisingly easy to build, and it gives me peace of mind knowing he’s engaging with AI in a safer, more intentional way.

Introducing new AI tools

Google Learn About homepage — (Image credit: Google Labs)

I also introduced my son to Google’s Learn About platform. It takes “Google it” to a new level by encouraging learners of all levels from students to lifelong learners, educators and professionals to engage in a suite of interactive tools.

The free platform has templates with answers to everything from cooking to space, or, you can use the text box in the middle of the screen to ask your own question.

The model is built to encourage curiosity with an AI conversational learning companion and deepen understanding in a personalized way.

Beyond an AI search tool, the interactive AI model answers questions — whether broad or specific — and gives answers tailored to each user’s level of knowledge.

The takeaway

Catching my son using ChatGPT wasn’t a parenting red flag — it was a moment of clarity. The tools may have changed, but curiosity hasn’t. These tools are here to say.

My job now isn’t to ban or fear these tools, but to guide my kids in ways to use them wisely. To help them ask better questions, to think critically about the answers, and to stay curious.

Because whether it’s flipping through an encyclopedia or chatting with a large language model, the heart of learning is the same.

And that, to me, is kind of beautiful.