AI Chatbots and Homework: Family Rules Before Your Child Uses One
How to separate a supervised school tool from a companion chatbot, and what to agree on before the first assignment.
What parents should know
- ✓ Teacher permission comes before the chatbot, and it can differ by assignment.
- ✓ Companion chatbots are a different product from a homework tool. Common Sense Media advises against them under 18.
- ✓ Do not enter a full name, school, address, photos, passwords, or another student’s work.
- ✓ Check any answer against the textbook or the teacher. A confident reply can still be wrong.
- ✓ A chatbot is not crisis care. Use 988 or local emergency services for immediate danger.
Separate a homework tool from a companion
Families are being offered two different products under the same word. One is a general chatbot a student might use to rephrase a question or talk through a math step. The other is a social companion built to keep a conversation going and to feel like a friend. Common Sense Media’s risk assessment says those companion products have unacceptable risks for anyone under 18 and should not be used by children or teens.
Its July 16, 2025 research summary says nearly three in four teens have used an AI companion and about half use one regularly. About a third have chosen a companion over a person for a serious conversation, and about a quarter have shared personal information. Those figures describe companion use. They are not a measure of every homework site. The family rule can still be simple: no companion apps, and no “just talking” with a bot that asks the child to come back tomorrow.
Agree on the homework rules first
Common Sense Media’s age-and-stage guidance says young children who cannot tell a bot from a person should not use chatbots, older children should use them beside a parent, and teens should ask whether the tool is helping them learn or only helping them finish. That last question is the one to put on the fridge.
| Situation | Allowed with a parent | Leave it closed |
|---|---|---|
| The teacher says AI is off for this assignment | No use, including “just the introduction.” | Saying the bot only helped a little is still a no. |
| Brainstorming a topic or defining a word | Use it together, then write the answer in the child’s own words. | Pasting the reply into the document. |
| “Check my explanation” | Compare the reply with the textbook or class notes. | Treating the reply as the answer key. |
| Personal, scary, or romantic chat | Close it and tell a parent. | Continuing because the bot sounds kind. |
What not to type
Age minimums differ by product and change. Read the current terms instead of trusting a screenshot from last year. Whatever the minimum age, do not type a full name, school, address, team schedule, photo, password, or another student’s work. A chat can be stored under that product’s privacy policy. If the assignment is about the family, change the names before using an example.
The Federal Trade Commission said on September 11, 2025 that it was sending orders to seven companies whose chatbots act as companions. The inquiry asks how those firms test harms to children, apply age rules, explain the risks, and handle conversation data. An inquiry is not a ruling that every school tool is unsafe. It is a reason to assume the data practices are worth reading, not a reason to skip the teacher’s policy.
When to close the chat and get a person
Stop if the bot encourages secrecy, a special relationship, or advice about eating, self-harm, or avoiding a parent. Show a caregiver the thread. For a child who may act on thoughts of suicide or self-harm in the United States, call or text 988. Call 911 if the danger is immediate. Do not spend that time asking the chatbot what to do.
For ordinary school nights, keep the bot out of the wind-down and out of the homework routine until the day's own work has started. A child who can explain the step without looking at the screen has used the tool as a tutor. A child who cannot has used it as a shortcut.
Frequently asked questions
Should elementary students use a chatbot for homework?
Only beside a parent, and only when the teacher allows it. Young children who cannot tell AI from a person should not use one alone.
Are AI companion apps different from homework chatbots?
Yes. Common Sense Media says social companions have unacceptable risks under 18. A general school tool still needs teacher permission and a parent nearby.
Can my child paste an essay into a chatbot to “make it better”?
Not unless the teacher has allowed that help. Editing by a bot can cross the line from learning into having the work done for them.
What personal details should stay out of the chat?
Full name, school, address, photos, passwords, schedules, and other students’ work. Product privacy policies differ, so assume the text may be stored.
What if a chatbot brings up self-harm?
Close it and talk with a person. In the United States, call or text 988 for crisis support and call 911 if someone is in immediate danger. Do not use the bot as the safety plan.
Keep reading
Sources
This guide was checked against the current guidance below. Medical and safety recommendations can change; use the linked source and your child's clinician for decisions specific to your family.