The house is finally quiet. The kids are breathing that deep, settled sleep, and the city lights are glowing softly through the window. These moments, when it’s just us in the stillness, are my favorite part of the day. Which reminds me: you remember when that story about artificial intelligence came on the news? Our little one looked up with those wide, curious eyes and asked, “What’s that?” I saw you pull them close, and as you started to explain, I had this thought: the world is changing so fast, even we can barely keep up. But you… you have this magic.
Every Great Adventure Begins with ‘Why?’
When our child turned and asked, “Dad, why do robots think too?” I’ll be honest, my mind went blank for a second. I started fumbling for a real answer, something about algorithms and data… the kind of boring explanation that would have made their eyes glaze over.
But then you leaned in and said something so simple, so perfect.
“Well, the robot is a really good listener. It listens to all the words people say, and it tries to learn which ones are the most helpful. It’s like we’re teaching it to be a kind friend.”
In that moment, I realized you weren’t just answering a question about technology. You were protecting a flame. Your child’s ‘why’ questions are the start of an exploration, and you weren’t giving them a map; you were giving them the courage to explore.
Teaching Them to See Helpers, Not Just Machines
Sometimes, when I see news about how much AI in education is changing everything — like Alibaba’s robotics push (Yahoo Finance, 2025) — a little bit of fear creeps in. I worry about the world our kids will inherit, if it will be cold or unfamiliar. But watching you melts that all away.
You told them, “A robot is a bit like a brand-new puppy. We have to teach it how to be gentle and helpful. Smart people are teaching it important jobs, like how to help doctors or build stronger houses. It only knows what we teach it.”
Listening to you, it was so clear that this was about more than just technology. Instead of fearing the unknown, you teach them to understand it, to shape it for good.
It’s Okay When the Cardboard Robot Falls Apart
Remember that weekend we tried building that huge robot out of cardboard boxes? We thought it was a masterpiece, right up until the moment it tipped over and collapsed into a heap on the floor. I saw the disappointment flash, and my first thought was, “Oh no, it’s ruined.”
But you just gathered them into a hug and said, “It’s okay! This is how the best inventors work. Things fall apart. That’s how you learn to build them stronger.” You called the scattered pieces ‘treasure’ and started a game of finding them.
You make me believe that our imperfect life is our own special masterpiece. Having you by my side… it’s the greatest gift. Thank you.