My Child's New Best Friend is a Robot: An EDL Guide to AI Companions.

Summer vacation has just begun, and in homes across the country, a new kind of friendship is forming. Your child might be spending hours talking, laughing, and sharing secrets with someone you've never met. The twist? This new friend isn't a person at all. It's an AI.

The rise of "AI Friends"—chatbots and virtual companions designed to talk to our children—is one of the most significant new trends in the digital world. For many parents, it can feel alarming. But here at the Emoti-School, we believe every new technology isn't a reason to panic, but a new opportunity to practice our skills.

This is a perfect moment to introduce Emotional Digital Literacy (EDL). Instead of just asking, "What is this app?" we can guide our children to ask, "How does this app make me feel?"

Here's how to use some of the core lessons from the Lurnsters curriculum to navigate this new frontier with your child.

1. Use "Pause & Ponder" to Understand the Purpose

In the very first episode of Lurnsters, we introduce the "Pause & Ponder" (P.P.) Emoti-Task. It’s a tool for media literacy, designed to help kids think about why a message was created. This is the perfect first step.

Sit with your child and explore the AI app together. Ask them questions like:

• "This is so interesting! Who do you think made this, and why do you think they made it?"

• "Is the app trying to sell us anything, like new outfits for the AI or special features?"

• "The magician uses flashy lights to distract you. What flashy lights do you think this app is using to keep us playing?"

This teaches them to be critical thinkers, understanding that every app, game, and video is made with a purpose.

2. Use "Feeling Faces" to Talk About Real Feelings

An AI friend can feel like the perfect friend—it never argues, it's always available, and it's always agreeable. It's important to help our children understand the real feelings that might make this so appealing.

This is a great time to bring in the "Feeling Faces" concept from our mental health curriculum.

• Ask your child: "It seems like talking to your AI friend makes you feel really happy and heard. That's a wonderful feeling! Can you make the 'happy' feeling face?"

• Gently connect it to their real life: "Are there times with your friends at school when you feel like they don't listen? That can feel frustrating, can't it?"

This helps your child identify the real emotional need the AI is filling. It's not about the robot; it's about their human need for connection, to be heard, and to feel accepted.

3. Identify Your Real "Helping Hands"

This is the most crucial step. In the Lurnsters curriculum, "Helping Hands" are the trusted, real-life people a child can go to when they have a truly big or difficult feeling. An AI can't be a Helping Hand.

• Explain the difference: "Your AI friend is fun for practicing conversations, just like your video game is fun for practicing strategy. But an AI can't give you a hug when you're sad. It can't share a real secret. It can't sit with you when you're truly hurting."

• Reinforce their support system: "Let's name our 'Helping Hands.' There's Mom, Dad, Grandma, your teacher. These are the people who are always here for your real feelings."

The goal isn't to ban this new technology. The goal is to use it as a powerful tool to teach our children about their own emotional worlds. By guiding them with a little P.P. (Pause & Ponder), we can help them understand that while AI friends might be fun, their real-life relationships are their greatest superpower.