Catherine Mccarthy Consulting

23/06/2026

The child born in 2019 is 7 years old today. They have never known a time without AI. They have never struggled through a math problem alone. They have never sat with boredom long enough for an original thought to surface. The algorithm has been there since birth. Answering. Curating. Predicting.

Here is what we have to do now before it is too late.

The human brain learns through struggle. The hard math problem that takes 20 minutes is not a waste of time. It is a neural workout. The boredom that leads to building a fort out of couch cushions is not a gap to fill. It is where creativity is born. AI removes the struggle. No struggle means no growth.

Parents are not helpless here. You cannot block every AI tool. But you can create AI free zones in your child's life. No ChatGPT for homework. No algorithm driven videos before dinner. No passive scrolling without conversation.

Teach your child to ask "why" before they ask "what." What the AI gives them is information. Why it matters is still a human job. The child who learns to question the algorithm will never be ruled by it.

The world is changing faster than any generation in history. Your child does not need to be faster than AI. They need to be wiser than it. That wisdom starts with you. Turn off the suggestions. Resist the shortcuts. Let them struggle a little. Their future self will thank you.

22/06/2026

When you’re parenting a teenager, you can use all the expert advice you can get. The teen years are such a confusing time not only for teenagers but also for parents who are trying desperately to let go so their teens can gain independence and learn to adult, all while hanging on for dear life, trying to protect their kids and keep them safe.

Rather than fumbling or guessing your way through these years with your teen, why not go to a place that’s brimming with free expert parenting advice?

TED Talks offer short (18 minutes or less!) easily digestible videos by a myriad of experts who may open your mind to a new parenting approach or perhaps a new, much-needed fresh perspective. Plus, some of these are SO funny and relatable!

READ MORE IN THE COMMENT BELOW

22/06/2026

Dear teen:

I saw you looking a little dejected on your phone the other day, sprawled out on the couch on a Friday night.

I know you were wondering why you weren’t included, or maybe you thought that you should have been doing something other than sitting at home with your parents.

It broke my heart when you told me how someone you thought was your friend treated you. One day you were inseparable besties who did everything together; the next you were ghosted without explanation.

And I’ve watched as you sometimes struggle to fit in.

I wonder if you’re doing okay, but the truth is, I know you’re doing okay. Or, I know you will be okay.

Your grades are decent, and your heart is pure. You don’t get in much trouble and work hard at the things you love. You have people that care about you deeply.

But I know it hurts that you aren’t always included in those big social outings or have plans every weekend. I know you seek deeper friendships with people who care about the same things you do. I know you struggle to understand why some people don’t treat others the way you think they should.

But the truth is, sometimes you don’t find your people in high school.

continued below.

20/06/2026

17/06/2026

Start wondering!

Having always done this with my three kids, I can honestly say these are such powerful words for children to hear wondered aloud and to learn to wonder themselves.

“I wonder what’s going on for your friend for them to have been so snappy today?”

“I wonder what that’s like for your teacher, to put so much thought and effort into how they can help you all learn, only to have some of the kids they’re trying so hard for deliberately ignore them?”

“We’ve noticed that particular customer here at the supermarket before… I wonder why they choose to behave in that way? I can only imagine that makes life harder for them, so what might that be about do you think?”

“I wonder what that’s like to move to a new school at this age, when lots of you are already settled into your friend groups? I wonder what you could do to help the days feel less hard for them as they find their people?”

“You’re such a kind human. It’s one of the gazillion things I love about you. But what you said back there wasn’t kind, so I'm wondering what that was about. What's up? And how can I help?”

I suspect the world would be a better place if we all did a little more wondering… ❤️

Image credit: Lori Deschene / Tiny Buddha

12/06/2026

12/06/2026

Loved hearing from Belinda at about new research released from Scotland this week, perfectly timed with the International Day of Play.

Using nationally representative longitudinal data it provides the first evidence that early outdoor play predicts better mental health trajectories across childhood. The researchers say these findings highlight the need to incorporate outdoor play into the preventative public mental health agenda.

So wonderful when research validates what we intuitively know! Little ones need to play outside in nature.

Read the full paper here:

https://acamh.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jcpp.70175

Photo courtesy of Birdwings Forest School as featured in our nature play gallery (https://www.maggiedent.com/nature-play)

09/06/2026

We’re hearing more and more about the negative online influences shaping our teen boys, particularly within the “manosphere.” In a recent Membership Q&A, a parent asked Maggie for positive role ...

08/06/2026