Raising Kids in the Age of AI: Lessons from an AI Scientist Mom

What does raising kids in the age of AI really require? Crevita Moody didn't touch a computer until she was 13. She didn't own one until she was 21. About 15 years later, she became the first African American woman data scientist at the FAA, where she works on AI in mission-critical systems.

So when parents ask me whether their kids are falling behind because they aren't on screens enough, I think about Crevita. In Episode 377 of My EdTech Life, she made a case I wish every parent and educator could hear: the skills that got her to the FAA had nothing to do with screen time. And for kids growing up with AI, those skills matter more than ever.

The skills that matter most when raising kids in the age of AI

A lot of parents I talk to are anxious. They hear that AI will change every job, and they worry their kids won't be ready. Crevita's answer is refreshingly grounded. Tools will keep changing. What lasts is the ability to think critically, notice details, communicate clearly, and manage your own emotions. These are the skills that never go out of style.

Her own story proves it. A late start with technology didn't hold her back, because the foundation was already there when the computers arrived. That doesn't mean keeping kids away from tech. Her approach is balance: not too much, and not too little.

"Why is the sky blue?" Building critical thinking at home

Every parent knows the moment. Your child asks a big question, and your hand is already reaching for your phone. Crevita suggests pausing and answering the question with more questions. What do you notice about the sky? Is it always blue? What changes at sunset?

It takes longer than a search, and that's the point. Kids get practice reasoning their way toward an answer instead of waiting for one to appear. For those of us in classrooms, this is the same move we make when we protect productive struggle. The thinking has to stay with the learner.

Choosing the right AI tools for young kids

Crevita does use AI with her six-year-old son, but she's intentional about which tools. She chooses narrowly focused tools that do one job well, like Suno for making music, OpenArt for creating visuals, and Google AI Studio for building simple projects.

Tools like these keep her son in the role of creator. He has an idea, describes it, and sees what comes back. That's a very different experience from an open-ended chatbot built to keep a conversation going. If you're a parent or teacher deciding where to start, this is a helpful filter: does the tool help the child make something, or does it just keep them talking?

Why generative AI is like a three-year-old prodigy

One of my favorite moments in the episode was Crevita's description of generative AI as a three-year-old prodigy. It's brilliant in some ways, but it was released to the world before anyone had 18 years to raise it.

She also pushed back on a common idea: that we can simply "program the AI not to do that." Neural networks don't work like a list of rules you can edit. Understanding that helps parents and educators set realistic expectations and stay alert, instead of assuming a tool is safe because it's popular.

Fighting fear with education

How does an AI scientist stay calm about AI? Crevita reads AI system cards in her spare time. These are the documents companies publish about what their models can do, where they fall short, and how they were tested.

You don't have to read every technical report. But her point stands: going to the source is a better cure for anxiety than doom-scrolling headlines. For families who want a starting place, she also pointed to Common Sense Media.

Crevita's books for parents, educators, and kids

Crevita has turned this philosophy into two books. Which Way to Smart is her guide for parents, caregivers, and educators. It earned a Kirkus Star, and the review praised it for helping young people master AI and avoid being mastered by it. Her children's book, How to Put Your Robot to Sleep, is the first in the How to Raise Your Robot series and stars Evo the robot.

You can learn more about her work at playhousestem.ai, or connect with her on LinkedIn.

The bottom line

Raising kids in the age of AI doesn't mean racing to put more technology in front of them. It means building the human skills that make any tool useful, choosing tools with intention, and staying curious enough to learn how the technology actually works. That's the kind of cautious, pedagogy-first approach I want for my own community, and Crevita lives it every day.

To hear the full conversation, including the story behind her books and what it felt like to earn a Kirkus Star, listen to Episode 377.

Which of Crevita's "never out of style" skills are you building with your own kids or students? I'd love to hear from you.

Stay Techie ✌🏼
Dr. Fonz