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Let’s talk about the elephant in the home education 'room': AI. Whether you’re a die-hard techie or someone who’d rather keep things old-school (hello, library cards and handwriting practice!), you’ve probably heard the rumblings about ChatGPT and all things artificial intelligence. Is it a game-changer for home ed, or just another shortcut that robs kids of real learning? Well, after a coffee-fuelled, laughter-filled chat with my friend Ashley on the Big Home Ed Conversations podcast, I’m convinced this is a debate we all need to have.

The Case For AI: Saving Sanity, Sparking Ideas, Streamlining Life

Let’s face it—home education can be a whirlwind of planning, researching, and trying to keep things fresh for our neurodivergent, curious, and occasionally (okay, often) stubborn kids. AI, especially tools like ChatGPT, can be a lifesaver. Need a bedtime story featuring your child as a dragon-riding hero? Done. Want a list of creative maths activities that don’t make your ADHD brain want to explode? Sorted. Struggling to write a professional email to a podcast guest while also juggling snack time and a 5 year olds meltdown? AI’s got your back.

I’ll be honest: I use AI three to five times a day, for everything from business to home ed to figuring out which shoes my son won’t destroy in five minutes. The trick, as I’ve learned (sometimes the hard way), is giving it good prompts—think of it like making a shopping list for a slightly scatterbrained but eager-to-please assistant.

And it’s not just about making life easier for us parents. For kids who find handwriting or structuring stories a challenge, AI can help them bring their wildest ideas to life. It can be a springboard for creativity, not a replacement for it. Plus, let’s not forget the time it saves—time you can spend actually being with your kids, not just planning for them.

The Case Against AI: Are We Robbing Kids of Real Learning?

But here’s the rub (and Ashley made this point brilliantly): just because we can use AI for everything, should we? There’s a real worry that if kids start relying on AI to answer every question, help them write every essay and solve every problem, they’ll miss out on developing patience, resilience, and those all-important critical thinking skills - that all important reading/listening to lots of opinions and forming your own.

Remember the days of waiting for your favourite show to air, or trekking to the library to find that one book for a school project? There was value in the waiting, the searching, the piecing together of information bit by bit. Now, everything’s instant—and AI is the ultimate shortcut.

'Are we raising a generation that never has to stare out a window and daydream, or wrestle with a tricky problem until the answer finally clicks?'

There’s also the not-so-small issue of plagiarism and originality. The publishing world is already seeing a backlash, with authors proudly declaring “zero AI input” in their books. If our kids can just ask a bot to write their essays, are they missing out on the satisfaction—and struggle—of finding their own voice?

Finding the Balance: Intentional Use, Not Mindless Automation

So, where does that leave us? Honestly, I think it’s about balance and intention. AI is a tool—one that can make our lives easier and our home ed more dynamic, if we use it wisely. It can help us plan, inspire, and even connect more deeply with our kids (hello, custom bedtime stories and moral tales about dragons with toilet issues—don’t ask).

But it shouldn’t replace the slow, sometimes messy process of learning how to think, create, and problem-solve. Our job as home educators isn’t just to deliver information; it’s to help our kids learn how to learn, and sometimes that means letting them struggle, search, and even get a little bored.

If you’re tempted to fill every spare minute with more activities just because AI made your planning faster—don’t. Gift yourself that time back. Go for a walk, have a coffee, or just sit with your kids and do nothing at all. Sometimes, the best learning happens in the gaps.

Final Thoughts: AI—Friend, Foe, or Just Another Tool?

So, is there a place for AI in home education? Absolutely—but with a big asterisk. Use it to streamline, inspire, and support, but don’t let it take over the heart and soul of learning. And if you ever need a laugh, just ask it to illustrate your next bedtime story. Trust me, the results are… memorable. 😂

What do you think? Have you tried AI in your home ed journey, or are you keeping things strictly analog?

Drop me a message—I love hearing your stories (human-written or otherwise). 

PS. If you haven't listened already, go check out the episode 'Does AI Have a Place in Home Education?' on The BIG Home Ed Conversations - just one of many deep and thought provoking conversations had recently with Kelly Rigg, Home Ed Mindset Coach and Ashley Vanerio - co-hosts of the no.1 ACTIVE Home Education Podcast!