What a robot taught us about what kids need most - Peter Fitzpatrick

In this episode, we explore what emotionally intelligent robots are teaching us about presence, emotional safety, and how to become the parent your child still hopes for—even if they can’t say it.Guest: Peter Fitzpatrick is the co-founder of FunFriends.com, where he leads the creation of emotionally intelligent social robots designed to support children who struggle to connect. With a background in AI, human-computer interaction, and child development, Peter brings a fresh and deeply compassionate lens to helping children feel understood.What you’ll learn:• Why children often speak more to a robot than to their parents• How presence and delight—not performance—build trust• What makes children feel emotionally safe enough to open up• The one daily habit that reconnects you with your child• How to shift from “life manager” to “emotional companion”• What this robot does right that parents can learn to modelChapters02:15 – Why Peter built an emotionally intelligent robot10:30 – How children connect with robots when they won’t talk to people19:50 – Emotional safety and how it changes behavior29:10 – What parents can learn from the way Fawn interacts37:45 – The one thing that heals disconnection43:50 – Parenting, regulation, and real emotional safety49:10 – Final message: What to do today to reconnect