Your Child's Brain on AI: What Parents and Educators Need to Know About Writing and Learning
The MIT study is making waves in the field of edtech and education, revealing surprising insights about how AI tools impact our children's thinking and creativity. You're not alone if you've noticed your middle or high schooler reaching for ChatGPT whenever they have a writing assignment. According to a Pew Research study, 26% of teens are currently using ChatGPT for their homework assignments. As a parent, educator, and early adopter of AI in the classroom, I often ask myself: What are the implications of children utilizing AI, and how can we balance AI education with traditional learning methods? A groundbreaking new study from MIT offers some eye-opening answers that every parent, educator, and school stakeholder—including myself—should consider.
The Science Behind the Concern
Researchers at MIT recently discovered something remarkable: when students use AI tools like ChatGPT or Gemini to write essays from the start, their brains show significantly less activity compared to when they write on their own. Even more concerning? A staggering 83% of students who used AI couldn't even remember what "they" had written afterward.
Think about the implications of these findings. If your child or student can't remember what they wrote, did they really learn anything from the assignment?
Why This Matters for Our Children
Writing isn't just about producing words on a page—it's a complex brain workout that develops critical thinking, creativity, and communication skills. It involves several executive functions, and when students skip this mental exercise by immediately turning to AI, they miss out on developing essential skills:
Deep thinking about their topic that goes beyond shallow recall of facts
Creative problem-solving as they organize their thoughts and determine logical order
Memory formation that helps them retain information
The development of these critical skills is essential for success in higher education and in many workplaces that involve decision-making, innovation, and problem-solving.
However, there is good news about AI and the strategic timing of its use. Here's where it gets interesting: the same study found that when students wrote their own ideas first and then used AI, their brain activity actually increased. This suggests that AI can be a powerful learning tool, but timing is everything.
Practical Strategies for Parents and Educators
For Elementary School Children (Ages 5-10)
Build the foundation first: Encourage handwriting, storytelling, and verbal expression before technology. Ask your elementary school when and how handwriting is taught and what pre-writing strategies are modeled and implemented for written expression.
Use AI for inspiration, not creation: For example, to ignite interest, you might say, "Let's ask the computer for three fun facts about the history of softball!"
Set clear boundaries: No AI is allowed for homework unless explicitly permitted by the teacher.
For Middle School Students (Ages 11-14)
The "Brain First" rule: Require a time block for planning and drafting before any AI assistance. The pre-writing and outline process is just as important as the written product. Ensure students are turning in this work, not just a final draft.
AI to develop editing tools: AI can also be used to develop checklists that align with grade-level standards and grammatical skills.
Practice the "Explain Back" method: If they use AI, have them explain in their own words what they learned.
For High School Students (Ages 15-18)
Establish writing phases:
Brainstorming and outlining (no AI)
First draft (no AI)
Revision and editing (AI allowed after first or second revision)
Develop AI literacy: Teach them to evaluate AI suggestions critically.
Create "AI-free zones": Designate certain assignments or times for independent work.
Supporting Your Child's Writing Development This Summer
1. Make Writing A Family Affair
Share family stories and create new memories to write about
Write thank-you notes or letters together
Start a family journal or blog
2. Celebrate the Process, Not Just the Product
Praise effort and improvement (i.e., expanded sentences)
Display rough drafts alongside final versions
Talk about how their ideas evolved
3. Model Good Habits
Let them see you writing without AI
Share your own tools for writing, such as utilizing transition words
Think out loud as you plan a written message
4. Create Tech-Free Writing Rituals
Morning journaling with paper and pen
Weekly family letter-writing time
Story creation games during car rides and road trips
The Bottom Line
Your child's brain needs the workout that comes from wrestling with words, organizing thoughts, and expressing ideas independently. We can do hard things!
AI can be a helpful tool, but it should never replace the fundamental thinking and creation process.
Remember: We're raising future adults who can think critically, communicate clearly, and create meaningfully and not who can just prompt effectively. These skills develop through practice—real, sometimes difficult, always valuable practice.
Action Steps for Parents
Many students have summer work—reading and writing—that is commonly facilitated by a family member over the summer. Use these assignments as an organic way to:
Have a conversation with your child about how they use AI for schoolwork
Establish a "brain-only" writing activity for your family this summer
Check in with your child's school about their AI policy.
Model the behavior by doing your own writing without AI assistance
Our children's developing minds deserve the chance to grow strong through the challenge of original thinking and expression. By being thoughtful about when and how AI enters the writing process, we can help them harness technology's benefits while preserving the value of their own creative and imaginative voices!
