How AI Affects Parenting

Guest blog post provided by
Wei Zheng for XyPreschoolTeacher.blogspot.com​

AI, defined as Artificial Intelligence, is not a new technology. However, the widespread implementation of tools in recent years, such as ChatGPT, Gemini, or Grok, has significantly impacted people's lives, as they seek quick fitness, dieting, or travel tips and guides. AI may someday have the same autonomy as humans, with horrifying thoughts of it gaining sentient consciousness like the Terminator (Croeser & Eckersley, 2019). But that day remains distant, and AI has continued to improve the lives of humans. In this article, the spotlight will be on parents and how they navigate the tough challenges of parenting when equipped with AI tools.

Parents turn to AI to reduce parenting stress because it keeps working even when humans need rest, as it is a mental health resource, and though some parents have faced uncertainties when initially being introduced to the technology, AI has evolved into something irreplaceable, and although it has not been a replacement, but rather a vital companion tool for parenting (Braun-Silva, 2025). Hence, much like a busy mum asking ChatGPT for a good vegan recipe, the search is now about finding resources when feeling overwhelmed with a toddler.

There has been a trend of parents using AI for guidance in their “smart parenting”, as it simplifies and automates tasks like daily routines, educating their children, understanding health and safety, or parenting responsibilities, and AI is capable of offering quick feedback about their children’s growth and development (Jabali & Ayyoub, 2024). It does offer accessibility and affordability in the digital age, and tasks that used to consume much of a person’s life have become more streamlined, such as planning a meal plan for the whole family or understanding a child’s phonics milestone development.

However, AI is never a replacement for a parent, and it has been known to make mistakes and can cause more harm than good, leading parents to lose that human element when they start to ask AI for big decisions that involve emotional weight beyond just perfect answers, and at the end of the day, being an imperfect parent is how people grow and learn (Haziqah, 2025). Parents should never rely completely on AI tools and start to doubt themselves or others, so while these tools should be used to offer clarity on difficult decisions, the responsibility should fall heavily towards parents.

A study has shown that in modern times, young parents turn to AI to keep up with the pace of life, as it levels the playing field when resources are not always available in their locations, and these parents themselves are already open to technology, so AI is an easy tool to explore, and thus embrace technology with parenting (Jabali & Ayyoub, 2024). There are folks out there who are less privileged, and to have easy and affordable access to basic needs can be a luxury. Hence, AI proves to be extremely helpful.

AI should cater for such unique differences and not a set of prescribed humans that fall under white or Western because just as parents will feel frustrated when they are unable to understand what their children are thinking or communicating, or the children themselves will develop into people who are completely different from their parents (Croeser & Eckersley, 2019). Thus, AI is simply a tool with programmed knowledge, and it could have inaccuracies because the data that it has may fall under certain circumstances and not be relevant for everybody. A piece of advice for a certain group of individuals may become obsolete or harmful to another.

Therefore, while parenting offers tough challenges, especially for first-time or young parents who struggle with resources, AI can be a capable and efficient tool. However, a part of being human is to make mistakes, and even AI itself can make mistakes or show inaccuracies. Perhaps the best possible way to learn and get advice is through a physical community of like-minded people. At the end of the day, though AI has perfectly scripted answers for every topic under the sun, the children will still have a secure or insecure attachment to the human person to whom is the parent, not the latest technological tool.

References

Braun-Silva, B. (21 July, 2025). From story time to stress relief: How AI is reshaping modern parenting. ABC News. Retrieved from https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Family/ai-parenting/story?id=123843563

Croeser, S., & Eckersley, P. (27 January, 2019). Theories of Parenting and Their Application to Artificial Intelligence. AIES '19: Proceedings of the 2019 AAAI/ACM Conference on AI, Ethics, and Society, 423-428. doi:https://doi.org/10.1145/3306618.3314231

Haziqah, I. (21 September, 2025). Are you relying on ChatGPT for parenting advice? Here's why AI can’t replace the village a mother needs. CNA Lifestyle. Retrieved from https://cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com/women/chatgpt-ai-parenting-hacks-motherhood-village-471261
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Jabali, O., & Ayyoub, A. (2024). “Smart parenting: Effortless routine engagement with AI support: A quantitative study”. Education and Information Technologies, 29, 25403-25425. doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-024-12854-1

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Wei Zheng is the educator behind XY Preschool Teacher, a blog for preschool teachers and parents of preschoolers. Wei shares practical ideas, personal reflections, and researched tips to support early learning at home and in the classroom. Wei also creates preschool printables on Etsy for parents and educators, including special needs supports and classroom management tools, all designed to help young children feel ready and confident for school.

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In what ways has AI made parenting easier or more stressful for your family?

Where should parents draw the line between helpful guidance and over-reliance on AI tools?

How can parents balance technology use with emotional intuition and lived experience?

What risks arise when AI advice does not reflect cultural or individual family differences?

Will human relationships remain more influential than technology in shaping a child’s emotional development?

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