117 | Feminine Energy
and parenting thoughts about AI
“Oh! People call you Christine! But you are Mom.” - Coen, age 3
What I’m up to
Coen is standing on my legs, balancing himself by holding onto my head as I sit on the floor typing at the coffee table. Aliyah (age 6) is watching a YouTube video of how to draw Peppa characters. This has been a ritual of ours lately - I sit with them, drinking my coffee and getting work done as life unfolds beside me.
What I’m drinking
Is this my new summer favourite? Using Hasty* Adventure, I made myself an iced latte using Earth’s Own Cinnamon Cookie Dough Oat Milk. Divine.
* Use code “CHRISTINE15” at checkout to get a discount on your own Hasty Coffee order!
What I’m excited about
Warmer weather! Shorts! Iced coffees!
Also next weekend is Eurovision. Practically a holiday at our house.
What I’m watching
The Devil Wears Prada 2! What a delight with actors who are amazing. I went to watch with a friend and I returned home to find Trent watching the first one on tv - so of course I joined him for a refresher of twenty years earlier.
The film had so many strong female characters - so much so that on reflecting later, it seemed like Anne Hathaway’s love interest was almost an unnecessary plot line (I searched it later to realize it was meant to be a “stable love story” to contrast the “chaotic love stories” in the first movie.")
But this got me thinking - feminine energy doesn’t need a male recipient for approval or validity. Feminine energy is powerful on its own - but how many stories have portrayed the female fire to have value when received by a man? How its use is to lure or entice or be received by a counterpart? In this sequel, feminine energy creates art, celebrates fashion, lifts each other up, reconciles relationships, and honors the story of the other. And at the same time, there’s a budding romantic relationship - not at the center of the story, but alongside it.
This feels like a shift in our culture’s storytelling and one that feels healing.
What I’m thinking about
AI and parenting.
I posted a Thread with a interaction with Aliyah that amused me:
Why yes, I did just talk with my six year old about how while we can learn from AI about how binoculars work, “the robot” probably won’t be the best option to teach us how to ride a bike.
There was a commenter who pushed back, shaming me for integrating AI into my six year old’s development. Upon first reading their response, I felt that pang of being judged but then felt resolute in my reasons and offered a gentle reply about I offer my child knowledge from AI and library books. That I, as a parent, learn to integrate the ever changing technological landscape around me so my kids learn along with me and even learn the skill for an ever changing world.
The comment back declared that AI is killing our planet - and I responded again that yes - this is such an important concept to also discuss with our kids. Our kids are learning alongside us right now - and while we’re scared (well, so many of us are!), keeping the conversations open so that our kids live with curiosity rather than fear - this feels so important.
For me, it becomes more about do we use AI? And more about: how do we use it responsibly? How do we keep our sense of wonder and curiosity? How do we keep our minds in a mode of creativity?
Here are a few examples of parents I know who are engaging this mindfully:
My friend makes sure he keeps his phone away from him at the dinner table. As discussion ensues and questions come up, I’ve watched him answer with: “Huh, I don’t know the answer to that” rather than reach for his phone immediately to discover the answer.
My sister-in-law has her kids help her build stories using AI. She is teaching her children the building blocks for a good story - who is this about? What goes wrong in the story? What challenges does the hero face? She models creativity while using AI to make these stories come alive for her kids.
When I have parenting questions I would otherwise Google, I’ve found that asking an AI app removes the emotional (sensationalized?) answers that come from an internet search. I get facts, ask for citations, and am able to do more calm research when, say, I have a question about medication or a symptom.
And as equally important for me is having an outlet - THIS SUBSTACK! - where I make sure I don’t use AI at all. It’s helpful for me to be able to talk into my phone and generate an email for professional or medical correspondence. But when it comes to creative writing? There’s no amount of robot behaviour to replace that. And those skills can easily dull over time.
This topic is one I feel that we’ll all come to with different nuances and boundaries. To me, it’s as imperative that we practice having these conversations with each other - and with our kids - because it’s not going away. The world is changing fast and what matters the most is how we treat each other in the midst of it.
What are your thoughts on this topic? What does mindful engagement look like for you and your family?
What I’m Googling
who gave ozzy the boomerang idol
magnesium before bed
stanley tucci
Until next time,
cer