BONUS: Is AI Slay or Cringe? Gen Alpha Weighs In

In this short follow-up episode, Seth revisits a moment from his recent conversation with Karle Delo about student use of AI. While recording that episode, Karle mentioned catching a student actively using AI to cheat on math homework during her workshop—an anecdote that raised a question Seth forgot to ask in the moment: When she paused the workshop and asked students why any of this matters, what did they actually say?So Seth reached out afterward. Karle shared her students’ answers, and Seth decided to run his own tiny, completely unscientific survey by asking kids in his own life—from Gen Alpha to teenagers—how they think about AI, what they use it for, and what worries them. The result is a  snapshot of how young people are forming their early beliefs, habits, and anxieties around AI long before adults have caught up.This episode explores what Karle's students said, what Seth’s informal sample revealed, and what this all means for parents and educators who want to help kids build a healthy relationship with AI rather than default to avoidance, fear, or unchecked dependence.What Karle's Students SaidAI will shape future careers. Students are hearing this in school—even if they can’t yet articulate the implications.Misuse leads to trouble. Kids associate AI with academic integrity issues, even if some (like a student Seth heard from) think, “My work is handwritten, so it doesn’t matter.”AI is a tool they’ll need later. This was the strongest theme, echoed repeatedly by Seth’s sample of students.AI can help, but overuse can stunt learning. Only one student in Seth’s survey—his daughter—expressed this strongly, with a visceral “this feels wrong” reaction.It’s advancing fast, and kids know it. Students feel the need to “keep up,” even if that feeling comes more from cultural osmosis than formal instruction.What Seth Heard from Kids in His LifeKids are already using AI in highly practical ways:A 10-year-old using AI to analyze a story draft, choosing which feedback to accept or reject.A student generating quizzes to help study.Another using it for creative programming.A teen redesigning his bedroom with his mom using AI for visualization.They’re also experimenting:One student making joke assignments with a deepfaked LeBron James.Another generating an image of himself with exaggerated features “for fun.”But beneath the experimentation sits a surprising emotional and moral range:Environmental concerns. Kids who care about climate see AI’s energy use and question whether it’s worth it.Moral boundaries. A young musician is troubled by AI systems that can copy an artist’s voice or style without permission.Therapeutic utility. A student with AuDHD uses character.ai to safely practice social interactions—while simultaneously feeling uneasy about the technology’s footprint.The contrast between moral discomfort and personal utility appears again and again.The Most Consistent Theme: Parents Aren’t Talking About AI.The answer Seth heard most often: “We haven't talked about it at home.”This silence leaves kids without guidance and leaves adults unable to speak from experience when young people ask for support.Seth argues that adults don’t need to love AI—but they do need to engage with it enough to understand their own stance. Otherwise, conversations about learning, opportunity, ethics, creativity, and risk happen without them.What’s Coming Up on Make It MindfulValerie Besonceney on cultural competency and the complexities of student transitions—especially in international school contexts.Dr. Karen Dudek-Brannan returns for a new conversation about executive functioning, following one of the podcast’s most popular episodes.