28/04/2026

LYFE TUESDAY | APR 28, 2026

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Ű BY AMEEN HAZIZI

I N many households, help with homework no longer comes only from a parent at the dining table. It now comes from a prompt typed into a screen, answered instantly by a system that can explain, summarise and suggest. For children, this is becoming routine. For parents, it is a shift that is still being understood. Artificial intelligence (AI) is filtering into daily habits rather than arriving as a single, visible change. A child checks an answer before asking a question. A school task is drafted with assistance rather than from scratch. These shifts are small on their own, but together they are reshaping how learning happens at home. From supervision to interpretation Earlier forms of digital parenting focused on control. Limiting access, monitoring usage and deciding what was appropriate. AI complicates that model because it is not just content to be consumed. It is something children interact with. A 2025 study by the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute with researchers from Harvard University found many parents are aware their children use generative AI tools, but do not fully understand how those tools are used in practice. This gap makes it harder to guide behaviour in a meaningful way. The role of the parent begins to shift. Instead of deciding what to allow or restrict, the focus moves towards helping children interpret what they receive. Not every answer generated by AI is accurate or complete. Knowing how to question it becomes part of learning. Where AI helps and where it complicates AI can support schoolwork by breaking down complex topics, offering examples and speeding up research. It can also help children organise ideas, particularly in writing tasks. At the same time, reliance is a concern. The same study noted adolescents may accept inaccurate responses or rely on copy-pasting without evaluating information, raising questions about critical thinking. There is also a social dimension. If children begin turning to AI for guidance or conversation, it may change how they seek support from people around them. The effect is gradual, but it alters interaction patterns within the home.

Parents and children are now learning new technologies at the same time.

understanding remains limited. Parenting children in AI age o Learning to raise kids amid evolving technology

When technology interrupts parenting AI also sits within a broader issue. The presence of devices during parent-child interaction. Research from Stanford University School of Medicine highlights how frequent device use can interrupt engagement, a pattern known as technoference, which is associated with reduced responsiveness and early behavioural effects. AI tools may help manage digital habits, but they remain part of the same environment. Their presence adds complexity rather than removing it. Different kind of balance The question for families is not whether AI should be present, but how it should be used. Removing it entirely is unlikely to be practical. Integrating it without guidance carries risks. Some parents are beginning to treat AI as a shared tool. Asking children to explain how they used it, checking outputs together and discussing whether the results make sense. These steps make AI use more visible and easier to guide. Changing definition of guidance AI is becoming part of how children learn, communicate and solve problems. It does not replace parents, but it changes what guidance looks like. Instead of being the sole source of answers, parents are increasingly helping children decide which answers to trust.

Parents learning alongside children Familiarity plays a key role. Parents who use AI themselves tend to feel more confident guiding their children and are more open to its role in education . This aligns with findings from The Education University of Hong Kong, where researchers

found parents’ AI literacy is linked to stronger confidence in supporting children’s learning. In practice, parents who understand AI tools are better equipped to explain their limits and benefits. Without that knowledge, guidance becomes more difficult. Rules can be set, but

Children are among the fastest adopters of conversational AI tools globally. – ALL PICS FROM 123RF

Parents’ own tech use can shape how children view acceptable behaviour.

Autism card registrations near 89,000 as awareness grows, says Dzulkefly

REGISTRATIONS for the Autism Persons with Disabilities card have risen to nearly 89,000 this year from about 23,000 in 2021, reflecting growing awareness, earlier detection and greater public acceptance, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said. He said the almost fourfold increase showed more parents were recognising early signs of

the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry, would also continue strengthening Community-Based Rehabilitation Centres to ensure no one was left behind. “At the same time, we call for wider access to higher education and encourage employers to create fair, supportive and inclusive workplaces,” he said. – Bernama

arts and technology,” he said in a Facebook post in conjunction with Autism Awareness Month. He said the Health Ministry, through the Health White Paper, was adopting a life-course approach to ensure continued support from early intervention and follow-up care to skills development and employment opportunities. Dzulkefly said the ministry, together with

autism and seeking professional diagnosis for their children. Dzulkefly stressed autism should not be viewed as a disease, but as a neurodevelopmental spectrum. “When we understand this, we can begin to remove stigma. Individuals on the spectrum possess unique neurodiverse strengths and can excel in many fields, including science, the