OPINION -Teaching and Parenting in the Age of AI:
Balancing Technology and Human Connection
As we embark on this new school year, we find ourselves at an important crossroad. Artificial intelligence is no longer a distant prospect. It is gradually becoming a daily reality in our homes, educational systems, and schools. AI offers tools that can personalize learning, create adaptive learning platforms, provide diverse assessment methods, and much more.
This shift invites us not to question whether AI can influence teaching and learning, but rather how we, as parents, educators and carers, can guide its use responsibly, allowing AI to support practical tasks while safeguarding the deeper mission of education, that is, nurturing thoughtful, compassionate, and responsible young people.
Recent studies confirm that when used thoughtfully, AI can reinforce rather than weaken our parenting or teaching mission. Research shows that digital tools help create more inclusive learning environments, support children with diverse needs, and free up time for adults to focus on deeper and more meaningful interactions with children, something that they need now more than ever. In this way, technology becomes an ally in cultivating equity and creativity, rather than being a distraction from them.
However, there are important boundaries to recognize. AI cannot replace the emotional bonds at the core of learning and upbringing, such as trust, care, and encouragement. Parenting and teaching, are not only about transmitting knowledge, but about daily practices of listening, guiding, and modeling integrity. Without this relational dimension, education and upbringing may lose their transformative power.
This is why our role as adult models is so crucial. Beyond academic knowledge, we pass on values that shape lives and communities. Each day, we can remind children of the importance of upholding human rights, respecting diversity and offering generosity and assistance to other people who may feel vulnerable. We can encourage them to show compassion, celebrate cooperation over competition, and understand that the school and their home are the most important places for helping them become better human beings.
As parents we have to remember, that setting healthy boundaries around screen time, helps children find balance between digital and offline worlds, while shared activities such as reading, playing, and family conversations remind them that human presence is irreplaceable. Moreover, by exploring digital tools alongside their children, parents can model curiosity, critical thinking, and responsible use of technology, transforming AI into a subject of dialogue rather than a source of silent consumption.
Equally important is encouraging open discussion about how children use AI for learning, gaming, or communication, so they can reflect on ethical choices and emotional impact with the support of a trusted adult. In this way, parents foster not only digital literacy but also moral awareness. Most importantly, they can protect family spaces, such as meals, leisure, or bedtime, from digital interruptions, ensuring that love, listening, and connection remain at the heart of everyday life. By staying in dialogue with teachers and schools, parents can also extend positive practices from the classroom into the home, creating a unified message about the role of technology as a tool that must always serve and never replace, empathy and fairness.
By integrating technology in ways that promote collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity, either at home or at school, we prepare children not only for the jobs of tomorrow but also for the responsibility of living in an interconnected world. Research highlights, that when adults, teachers and parents alike, guide the ethical and emotional use of AI, children learn to see technology as a valuable tool, but never as a substitute for empathy and fairness, which are basic prerequisites for a meaningful life.
So, having these thoughts in mind, let us begin this new school year with the confidence that, together we can help our children acquire all this fascinating skills that AI can offer us, preparing them also at the same time to become resilient, empathetic, and deeply connected to others.
With respect and appreciation for your work and eagerness to learn, adjust, and improve!
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About the author: Dr Antonia Torrens is General Manager of KMOP (Greece) and President of COFACE Families Europe.
**DISCLAIMER: All opinions in this article reflect the views of the author, not of COFACE Families Europe**
Further reading
- Al-Zahrani, A. M. (2025). Exploring the Impact of Artificial Intelligence Chatbots on Student Well-being and Emotional Support.
SAGE Open, 15(1), 21582440251340615.
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/21582440251340615 - Wu, J. (2024). Social and Ethical Impact of Emotional AI Advancement.
Frontiers in Psychology, 15, 11573535.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11573535/ - Ayeni, O. O., Al Hamad, N. M., Chisom, O. N., Osawaru, B., & Adewusi, O. E. (2025). AI in education: A review of personalized learning and educational technology.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/390163119 - Livingstone, S., & Blum-Ross, A. (2023). Parenting for a Digital Future: How Hopes and Fears About Technology Shape Children’s Lives. Oxford University Press.
https://global.oup.com/academic/product/parenting-for-a-digital-future-9780190874698 - Chaudron, S., Di Gioia, R., & Gemo, M. (2023). How parents support digital learning at home: Insights from European families. Joint Research Centre (European Commission).
https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC131270 - Hiniker, A., Suh, H., Cao, S., & Kientz, J. A. (2022). Screen time, family rules, and young children: A parent–child negotiation approach. Journal of Children and Media, 16(1), 1-19.
https://doi.org/10.1080/17482798.2021.1966820
