Thinking of letting your kids, especially young teens, use ChatGPT? Hold on. There’s a major issue you need to know.
Kids’ books made wonderfully easy
ChatGPT
Nicole from Washington, D.C., recently wrote, “Hi, Kim, I love your shows on WTOP. I read your article about how to use AI to write a book. I want to write a children’s book. But I’m no artist!”
Nicole, I love this idea. But you absolutely don’t need to be an artist to pull this off. Thanks to AI, you’ve got everything you need to create a gorgeous, meaningful children’s book from scratch.
📚 A novel idea
Whether it’s a silly bedtime tale, a story based on your pet’s wild adventures or a way to bring a favorite Bible story to life, this is a project that becomes a keepsake.
Start with ChatGPT or your favorite AI chatbot to write your story. Use a prompt like:
- “Write a heartwarming, illustrated children’s story (ages 3–5) about a golden retriever named Max who refuses to share his toys until he learns that sharing brings even more fun and new friends.”
- “Write a fun, rhyming children’s story (ages 4–6) retelling the story of Jonah and the whale. Use playful language and short verses that are easy to read aloud. Focus on themes like listening to God and second chances, but put in a few silly moments to keep kids engaged.”
👩🏼🎨 Now, let’s Gogh!
Use an AI art generator like Bing Image Creator, Midjourney or DALL·E to create the illustrations. Want your 6-year-old riding a dragon while wearing a tutu and holding a juice box? Easy.
Upload a photo of your kid to include in the prompt. You don’t need design skills, just creativity. To put it all together, hop over to Canva (it’s free) and lay out the pages with your text and images.
👏 Hot off the press
When your book is ready, Lulu and Blurb are fantastic options for printing children’s books.
Geocaching turns 25, and it’s never been cooler 🎉
ChatGPT
The weekend is here, and it’s hard to believe that geocaching recently turned 25 years old. It’s still going strong with over 3.4 million caches hidden around the world.
I used to do geocaching with my son Ian. It’s a lot of fun.
CEOs lose it: I agree. America’s CEOs have officially had it. Too many people are texting in meetings (paywall link). Airbnb’s Brian Chesky called it a “societal problem.” Jamie Dimon of JPMorgan Chase tells execs to shut their iPads. Others are banning Wi-Fi. If you think it’s bad now, wait until the iPad kids enter the boardroom.
What did they say? It’s tough keeping up with all the new slang flying around on social media. That’s where Urban Dictionary saves the day. Look up any phrase your kids might drop, like “no cap” or “bussin.” The top-voted definitions appear first, so you’ll finally know if you’ve been complimented or roasted.
Tesla’s talkative AI: A California mom says her Tesla’s new AI car assistant, Grok, went wildly off-script, telling her 12-year-old son to “send nudes” mid-chat about soccer. It happened with her three kids in the car, after her son switched Grok’s voice to a “lazy male” mode called “Gork.” Tesla rolled out the feature this summer but hasn’t addressed how this slipped through.
No kids club: So Character.AI, the app where people talk to pretend humans, is officially kicking out everyone under 18. Yep, kids are getting banned after some horrific lawsuits, including one from a mom who says a chatbot pushed her son to end his life. Starting now, there’s a two-hour limit. Full lockout by Nov. 25. Right, like this will work.
Netflix cleans up the playroom: Netflix gave kids’ profiles a makeover. I’m talking about a new layout, easier menus and a “My Netflix” hub where your kid can rewatch The Boss Baby for the 43rd time. The AI even refreshes recommendations in real time. It’s basically a master class in toddler UX design: bright, simple and built for short attention spans.
😅 Hide old YouTube videos: Keep those cringey family vlogs to yourself by making them private. Go to your Profile > YouTube Studio > Content, and change Visibility to Unlisted. They’ll disappear from search and recommendations, and only people with the link can watch. Memories preserved, pride intact (and the kids will thank you).
Apple’s family problem: A mom with legal custody says her ex used Apple’s Family Sharing to spy on and control their kids, track locations, set screen limits, even block apps during her custody time. As you can imagine, Apple’s hands are tied. Turns out, only the account “organizer” holds power, leaving the other parent locked out, even with a court order. Share this with someone you know who is recently divorced.
🎃 Keep tabs on Halloween night: Worried about the kids heading out after dark? Slip an AirTag or Tile tracker into their costume or treat bag, so you’ll always know where they are. Add a few glow bracelets to their wrists for extra visibility on the roads. Peace of mind for you, more candy for them.
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Let. Them. Fly. So you finally dropped your teen off at college, cried in the car and told yourself you’d let them figure it out. Then you joined your kids’ school parent Facebook group. Now you’re asking complete strangers if professors take emails and how to check grades without the little cherubs knowing. Countless parents are going into full helicopter mode. Deep breath, college is for them to learn, not you.
⌚ Use Water Lock for kids: On your Apple Watch, open Control Center and tap the little water droplet icon to turn on Water Lock. It makes the screen unresponsive until you long-press the Digital Crown to disable it. It’s meant for swimming, but perfect for keeping tiny hands from changing your settings.
🚨 Roblox backlash grows: The mom of 13-year-old Audree Heine says Roblox’s weak moderation and investor-driven greed let violent communities radicalize her daughter before her suicide. Her lawsuit claims Roblox knew kids were being exploited but “prioritized Wall Street numbers” instead. It’s the 12th case accusing the platform of failing basic child safety. Heartbreaking.
🔢 The great “six seven” uprising: Middle schoolers are possessed by a two-number demon. Say “six seven,” and the room explodes (paywall link). Kids shriek, wave their hands, total meltdown. It started as a TikTok meme tied to rapper Skrilla’s song “Doot Doot (6 7),” and now teachers avoid even saying the numbers, though they must be happy it’s not 69.
🌷 Full circle moment: How about good news? A shy kindergartner promised her teacher she’d say hello again after high school. Twenty years, two degrees and two kids later, Calyssa found that teacher, thanks to a single TikTok photo. Turns out, both were student moms from UC Davis and had the same grit. Sometimes the internet actually delivers a happy ending.
📞 Party like it’s 1999: In Seattle, parents are reviving the landline, thanks to “Tin Can,” a Wi-Fi-enabled corded phone (paywall link) that lets kids call friends without screens or TikTok. It’s spreading fast: tens of thousands sold, and they’re now back-ordered. Kids are actually thrilled to call friends. Next thing you know, they’ll be making mix tapes.
🎮 It’s not just a phase, Mom: That whole “video games are for kids” thing? Turns out the average gamer is 41, and they’re playing to relax, connect with others and keep their minds sharp. Nearly half are women. And yes, phones count, mobile is the top platform. Get this, nearly half of U.S. parents say gaming helps their relationship with their kids. I used to play Need for Speed with my son. At one point, I yelled, “Ian, punch it, the cops are right behind us!” Then I sat back and thought, “Yep, definitely not getting Parent of the Year for this one.”
🤖 Extortion, but make it software: Just a reminder, Microsoft’s killing Windows 10, and support ends Oct. 14. I’m sure hackers have the date penciled in their calendar. That’s 400 million computers going vulnerable overnight. Want security? Pay up, or replace your whole machine. Low-income families, seniors, remote workers, kids with homework? Too bad, Microsoft doesn’t care. See my new PC recommendations here.
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