Ideas & Opinions

“My sweet kid got a phone and suddenly turned into a stranger.” If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Many parents describe the shift as if technology flipped a switch. But what feels like the phone’s fault is usually something far older, adolescence. Teens have always pulled away from parents to form their own identity. Phones may complicate the process, but they didn’t create it.

Banning kids from technology may feel protective, but research shows it can have the opposite effect. Sonia Livingstone, professor at the London School of Economics, warns that when parents make phones and social media off-limits, it often turns them into “forbidden fruit.” Instead of pushing curiosity underground, the real solution is preparing kids with guidance, conversation, and digital literacy

For years, headlines have claimed that Silicon Valley elites keep their kids away from the very technology they create, pointing to one small “tech-free” school as proof. It’s a compelling story, but it isn’t true. Most tech leaders don’t ban screens , they set boundaries, guide use, and model balance, just like many families already do.

After the tragic shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis, renewed calls to “harden” schools are growing louder. But when security measures start looking like prisons, license plate readers, drones, and surveillance perimeters, we risk trading safety for constant monitoring. Should schools protect children, or police them? The line is thinner than we think.

Worried about your teen getting home safely? Snapchat’s new Home Safe feature automatically alerts a trusted friend when they arrive at their set home location. It’s a one-time notification designed to balance safety with independence, no constant tracking, just peace of mind. Here’s how it works, plus tips for parents on using it wisely.

Nova Scotia’s proposed ban on social media for anyone under 16 is being framed as protection, but the reality is more political than practical. Fear-driven messaging without credible evidence risks doing more harm than good. Parents, not politicians, are best placed to decide when their child is ready.

Predators have always adapted to new technologies, but AI is rewriting the rules. What once took months of grooming can now happen faster, at scale, and with a level of deception that looks, and even sounds, real. Parents need to understand how AI is changing online risks and what this means for keeping kids safe.

Teens are turning to AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Replika, and Character.ai not just for homework help, but as emotional confidants. To them, these tools feel like friends who listen without judgment. But while AI can sound caring, it cannot replace real human support. Parents and teachers need to know what this means for youth mental health.

Not long ago, youth and teens searched the internet by typing words into Google and sorting through links. Today, they’re simply asking AI for answers. This shift from searching to prompting may seem small, but it has big implications for how young people think, learn, and stay safe online, making digital literacy more important than ever

Governments push 18+ social media bans to “protect youth,” but teens already drive, consent to medical care, and even join the military. Age-gates risk privacy breaches and push kids to unsafe workarounds. Real safety means parental guidance, digital literacy, and safety-by-design and it this article we explain the "why".

Every new technology in schools has sparked fear calculators, the internet, even laptops. Today, it’s AI. Parents and teachers worry: “Will it make students lazy? Will it replace authentic learning?” With the right guidance, AI won’t kill learning, it will reimagine it, and that shift needs to start now.

A new AI generated nostalgia video is going viral, winning praise from those who believe kids should delay social media. At first it looks harmless, retro hairstyles, smiling teens, warm memories of the ’80s and ’90s. But beneath the charm lie important lessons about bias, authenticity, and why nostalgia isn’t always as innocent as it seems.

Every month, families open their utility bills and brace for another increase. Meanwhile, data centres powering artificial intelligence are consuming electricity on a scale that rivals entire cities. The question parents need to ask is simple, "should households carry the cost of corporate energy demands?"

AI headlines seem endless, new chatbots, image generators, and smart glasses arrive almost daily. For parents and teachers, it can feel like drinking from a firehose. The real challenge isn’t memorizing every tool but teaching kids timeless principles of safety, security, and privacy that prepare them for whatever comes next.

AI is becoming part of kids’ lives earlier than ever, but most platforms weren’t built with them in mind. A new wave of intentionally designed tools like Kinzoo + Kai for safe messaging, AngelQ for safer browsing, and Khanmigo for guided tutoring—put safety, creativity, and learning first. These platforms give kids a safer way to explore AI while keeping parents informed and involved.

Smart glasses are moving from novelty to necessity, offering accessibility tools like real-time translation and text-to-speech, but also raising serious privacy and enforcement concerns in schools. With prescription models blurring the line between medical need and tech use, bans may prove unrealistic. Instead, schools must update policies to balance equity, safety, and responsible use.

Educators are turning to ChatGPT to save time and inspire creativity, but not everything belongs in a prompt. The article highlights risks of sharing student data, staff info, tests, or copyrighted material, and offers safer alternatives. Key message: share ideas, not identities, and model responsible AI use.

Teens are learning how to bend AI guardrails with creative prompts, raising tough questions for parents and educators. The issue isn’t just what ChatGPT might say, but why a teen is asking in the first place. This article explores how prompts reveal deeper needs and how adults can respond with guidance, not fear.

Artificial Intelligence has quickly moved from being a futuristic concept to a daily reality for today’s youth and teens. It shapes how youth and teens will learn, connect, and create. The challenge for parents and educators isn’t whether young people will use AI, but whether they’ll be equipped to use it thoughtfully, safely, and responsibly. That’s why we developed a new program for the 2025/2026 school year - “I.N.S.P.I.R.E. AI”.

This article challenges the “delay is the way” message about youth and tech. While concerns about brain development and online risks are valid, blanket bans leave teens unprepared. A better approach is guided, age-appropriate exposure, open conversations, healthy modelling, and gradual skill-building to foster resilience and digital maturity.