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Building a real-time AI tutor for 5-year-olds

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Re: Building a real-time AI tutor for 5-year-olds

#451

I'm torn about this. I primarily think that a a kid who won't pick books is a failure of the family of not noticing their interests. When i noticed my oldest 3 yr old was obsessed about cars, i bought him a car encyclopedia. He probably could not read most words or did not understand them. But pretty soon he was telling me about car models that i did not even recognize myself. And as i saw interests, i kept feeding t…

> At some point, you need to watch out for cynical/nasty series. In fact, all of the books we purchase are ranked against peers they have read in the past, or those we know to actively avoid buying due to cynicism, sarcasm, or open disdain towards adults (Wimpy Kid). This is interesting because when I was 7-8 my mum just recommended me whatever books she was reading, some of which were quite... adult in retrospect, a…

>>> Kids aren't LLMs, they know that what they're reading is fiction

My comment was not one-dimensional. Its not that they can't tell the difference between realitiy and fantasy.

Every kid is build differently. It sounds cliche, but it is not. Some are incredibly resilient, some are extremely sensitive. Think Briggs Myers = some extremely concrete-driven, others perceiving. My recommendation was built on experiences that worked for all kids, the concrete and teh perceiving, the sensitive and aloof, which means you must consider all dimensions of a kid when sharing books with them.

Reality matters little when mimicking behavior. Kids will learn to respond with "This is stupid!" when they are given specific books.

Can a resilient kid capture that this is unacceptable ? Some will. OK, but why risk it ? We are talking about your lifelong companions here. Potential best friends. Caretakers.

Parenting is hard. There will be a time for risks.

Re: Building a real-time AI tutor for 5-year-olds

#452
post #226

I'm torn about this. I primarily think that a a kid who won't pick books is a failure of the family of not noticing their interests. When i noticed my oldest 3 yr old was obsessed about cars, i bought him a car encyclopedia. He probably could not read most words or did not understand them. But pretty soon he was telling me about car models that i did not even recognize myself. And as i saw interests, i kept feeding t…

> At some point, you need to watch out for cynical/nasty series. In fact, all of the books we purchase are ranked against peers they have read in the past, or those we know to actively avoid buying due to cynicism, sarcasm, or open disdain towards adults (Wimpy Kid). yeah how do you "know" this? our kid is obsessed with wimpy kid and a few other similar series and "cynicism" nails it perfectly, is there a list? of wh…

Earlier poster nailed it. LLMs are a godsend here.

There are tons of parents that have traveled this road before you and I. LLMs leverage this data. Its just a matter of writing a decent prompt, and recycling it.

Cynicism, Disrespect, Bullying, Violence, Sarcasm.

Wimpy Kid is a valid gateway drug if your kids refuse to pick up any books. But in my opinion, its a break-the-glass situation.

Its the book you buy only because nothing else will stick (options have been tried and failed).

Re: Building a real-time AI tutor for 5-year-olds

#453

I'm torn about this. I primarily think that a a kid who won't pick books is a failure of the family of not noticing their interests. When i noticed my oldest 3 yr old was obsessed about cars, i bought him a car encyclopedia. He probably could not read most words or did not understand them. But pretty soon he was telling me about car models that i did not even recognize myself. And as i saw interests, i kept feeding t…

Offtopic, but if by "Dragon Wing series" you are referring to the Death Gate Cycle by Weis & Hickman, it has been beloved to me since I read it as a teen in the 90s. I have gone through this entire series at least 3 times despite not usually re-reading books, and I feel like it holds up. I think it also influenced a lot of work which came afterward.

Dragon Wing is great. It is a high recommend for early book readers.

I got my series mixed up . My intent , was to say WINGS of FIRE, is more adult themed and higher violence. APologies for the confusion

Re: Building a real-time AI tutor for 5-year-olds

#454

I'm torn about this. I primarily think that a a kid who won't pick books is a failure of the family of not noticing their interests. When i noticed my oldest 3 yr old was obsessed about cars, i bought him a car encyclopedia. He probably could not read most words or did not understand them. But pretty soon he was telling me about car models that i did not even recognize myself. And as i saw interests, i kept feeding t…

EDIT:

>>> At some point around age 9,you will need to decide if violence and some adult themes, are tolerable (Dragon Wing series).

I am sorry. I mixed up series.

The series I was alluding to in my comment above, as the "grey" area for violence, death, and some adult themes is "WINGS OF FIRE " , not "DRAGON WINGS"

Dragon Wing series as top 5 as the most wholesome series for U8s , along with MAGIC TREEHOUSE etc.

Apologies for confusing dragons :)

Re: Building a real-time AI tutor for 5-year-olds

#455

I'm torn about this. I primarily think that a a kid who won't pick books is a failure of the family of not noticing their interests. When i noticed my oldest 3 yr old was obsessed about cars, i bought him a car encyclopedia. He probably could not read most words or did not understand them. But pretty soon he was telling me about car models that i did not even recognize myself. And as i saw interests, i kept feeding t…

"I'm torn about this." I'm not. Keep AI the hell away from teaching children.

I respect that. What would you do to teach your kids advanced math, electrical engineering ?

Does your recommendation hold with a full time job ?

My kids are rapidly approaching an age where they should be experimenting, and I can't offer any solutions short of involving AI in some way.

Re: Building a real-time AI tutor for 5-year-olds

#456
post #207

I'm torn about this. I primarily think that a a kid who won't pick books is a failure of the family of not noticing their interests. When i noticed my oldest 3 yr old was obsessed about cars, i bought him a car encyclopedia. He probably could not read most words or did not understand them. But pretty soon he was telling me about car models that i did not even recognize myself. And as i saw interests, i kept feeding t…

This sounds psychotic. An over-controlling fedora's approximation of what good academic parenting looks like. You just want to create your D&D partner. You'll probably succeed lol.

Do you let your kids eat candy for lunch? DO they eat pizza for breakfast ?

If not, why not ? Aren't you managing their food intake ?

So, what's so different from managing their information diet ?

Re: Building a real-time AI tutor for 5-year-olds

#457
post #207

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This sounds psychotic. An over-controlling fedora's approximation of what good academic parenting looks like. You just want to create your D&D partner. You'll probably succeed lol.

Do you let your kids eat candy for lunch? DO they eat pizza for breakfast ? If not, why not ? Aren't you managing their food intake ? So, what's so different from managing their information diet ?

The self-servedness vs intensity of the management of said goal is what is different. Wanting your child to be healthy is good. Steering your child to be a D&D player is questionable.

Re: Building a real-time AI tutor for 5-year-olds

#458

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It was you who posted links to the study. I only pointed out that the study concludes that: > The kids who spent more time indoors (reading or on their devices) were more likely to get myopia or severe myopia." You can look up what myopia means. Hint: It has nothing to do with AI, this is about vision.

Exactly, the study has nothing to do with AI, and yet you’re here pushing a narrative that AI / screens destroy vision in some unique way. You wouldn’t comment about books. But this thread couldn’t be less interesting, so I’m out.

Fine. Just for the record, I never said that AI causes nearsightedness.

It's the increase in screen use.

Re: Building a real-time AI tutor for 5-year-olds

#459
post #457

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do you let your kids eat candy for lunch? DO they eat pizza for breakfast ? If not, why not ? Aren't you managing their food intake ? So, what's so different from managing their information diet ?

The self-servedness vs intensity of the management of said goal is what is different. Wanting your child to be healthy is good. Steering your child to be a D&D player is questionable.

Not every parent has the time or energy to do so, but i certainly thought i was on the more relaxed end of parenting. I'm glad i appear to be different online! I will take the intensity of my parenting as a compliment.

PD - I never played D&D. If there were any non-RPG games that were extremely plot driven or written, i'd be all over them.

Action games turn out to be heavy on clicking, low on reading.

Re: Building a real-time AI tutor for 5-year-olds

#460
post #457

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The self-servedness vs intensity of the management of said goal is what is different. Wanting your child to be healthy is good. Steering your child to be a D&D player is questionable.

Not every parent has the time or energy to do so, but i certainly thought i was on the more relaxed end of parenting. I'm glad i appear to be different online! I will take the intensity of my parenting as a compliment. PD - I never played D&D. If there were any non-RPG games that were extremely plot driven or written, i'd be all over them. Action games turn out to be heavy on clicking, low on reading.

"I never played D&D"

Im glad you feel enough shame for this bold-faced lie

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