Build the Pause First.

How do we actually prepare kids for AI? Avoiding the tools isn’t the answer. In this episode, I talk about the mental discipline children need before and while they use powerful technology. Many modern games and online systems train kids in constant reaction loops — act, react, repeat. To counterbalance that, we have to deliberately build the muscle of pause, evaluation, and consequence. Strategy games like chess. Logical building tools like Scratch or Tynker. Environments that force step-by-step thinking instead of impulsive response. The goal isn’t to shield kids from powerful tools — it’s to strengthen the thinking they bring to them.