Coming up with new family meal ideas is a struggle I face every day. I have four little palates to consider, along with some dietary restrictions, making me seriously stressed out when dinnertime rolls around. So, I started using ChatGPT for ideas. It’s not perfect, but when I’m staring at the fridge, I can type in “kid-friendly dinner ideas with chicken, hummus, and broccoli” and at least get some inspiration.
I’m not alone in using artificial intelligence tools to try to make managing my family life just a little easier. A new What to Expect survey finds that 75% of moms now say they use some form of AI for parenting, up from 61% of moms in 2024.
The most popular use of AI? Meal prep.
31% of moms say they use AI to help get food on the table for their families
22% use AI for activity suggestions
20% for help with their family budget
20% for scheduling support
19% use it to suss through product reviews when making purchases for their kids
“AI can act as a co-pilot to handle some of the administrative and brainstorming burdens that often fall on parents, freeing up mental space for more meaningful interactions and personal well-being,” says Daniel Ganjian, M.D., pediatrician at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, CA.
It also lightens the mental load, adds Tamar Gur, M.D., Ph.D., a reproductive psychiatrist and director of the Sarah Ross Soter Women’s Health Research Program at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. “Oftentimes as parents, we’re facing situations where it feels like there must be a more efficient way of doing things. With judicious use, AI can be a wonderful game-changer.”
If you’re looking for a little assistance in managing day-to-day tasks, AI is worth a try. The right prompts can make all the difference. Here are the ones moms have tried and swear by.
In the last year, the number of moms using AI has increased by 23%. Moms are most frequently using AI to help plan family meals and find activity suggestions for children. The right prompts can help customize AI results to your specific situation and needs. 
Figure out next week’s meals and make a grocery list
Your prompt for an AI chatbot: Act as a family meal planning expert and prep-ahead recipe developer who specializes in creating healthy, affordable, and realistic dinner plans for busy households with kids. Create a 7-day dinner plan for a family of [insert number of adults] adults and [insert number of kids] kids aged [insert ages]. Each meal must be nutritious and kid-friendly, easy to prep in advance (with tips on what to prep and when), take less than 30 minutes to cook, and be budget-friendly with common, accessible ingredients. Please take the following preferences and allergies into consideration: [insert allergies and any food your kids don’t like]. Include a 7-day dinner plan with recipe names and short descriptions, meal prep tips for each dish (what to do ahead, storage tips), and a complete categorized grocery list (produce, pantry, protein, etc.).”
— Lilian Schmidt, mom, @heylilianschmidt on TikTok
Create a custom (educational!) bedtime story
Your prompt for an AI chatbot: “Can you make a custom bedtime story about a kid named [enter your child’s name] who needs to start listening to mom and dad and not throwing tantrums. Make it fun.”
— @BottleServiceBKP on Instagram
Plan a road trip
Your prompt for an AI chatbot: “We’re driving from [starting point] to [destination] on [date/day]. Please make a list of indoor play places or toddler-friendly playgrounds for young toddlers along our route. Include places near gas stations, Chick-fil-A, or coffee shops, if possible. For each stop, include name, address, hours, price (if any), and how far it is from our route.”
— Paige Schrock, teacher and mom, @apaperlessclassroom on Instagram
Convince your kids to clean up their toys
Your prompt for an AI chatbot: “Act as a master negotiator. My kids refuse to clean up their toys. Give me 5 fun or funny strategies to get them to clean up willingly (or at least without me threatening to throw everything away).”
— @aiforbusyparents on TikTok
Prevent parenting meltdowns
Your prompt for an AI chatbot: “Give me a checklist for when I’m overstimulated and want to yell at my toddler.”
— Erin Kee, mom of two, @kee_to_wellness on Instagram
Build a routine
Your prompt for an AI chatbot: “Give me a general Monday to Friday schedule as a stay-at-home mom that focuses on each day having a theme, gives my week structure, and optimizes for productivity, connection, and rest.
“Then add the things that are non-negotiables, for example:
My toddler naps from 12 to 3
We have music class on Mondays
I have a babysitter come on Wednesdays.”
— Regan Stauffer, mom, @reganstauffer on TikTok
Including the ChatGPT prompt in the comments! If you are a SAHM and use this, let me know what you think! ?? it’s given my week so much more structure and organization!
Cut costs and start saving
Your prompt for an AI chatbot: “We want to reduce our spending and/or save towards [insert saving goal].
“Act as a budgeting and money-mindset coach who helps families reduce spending, spot hidden money leaks, and create easy-to-follow savings plans.
Start by asking me a few relevant questions about our typical income and where it tends to go each month, our biggest financial stress points, any patterns, pain points, or recurring charges that sneak up on us (like subscriptions, eating out), and our current financial and specific savings goal we’re working toward.
Then show me where we can save money in ways that feel realistic and sustainable, suggest smart swaps or spending shifts that still let us enjoy life, and help me create a simple savings plan toward our goal, even if it’s starting small.”
— Lilian Schmidt, mom, @heylilianschmidt on TikTok
Improve your baby’s sleep
Your prompt for an AI chatbot: “My daughter is [insert age] months old and her typical day includes [insert number] naps that are [insert time] long and she exclusively breastfeeds [insert number] times. I would like to improve her nighttime sleep and daytime nap schedule using tips from sleep training methods like Moms on Call and Taking Cara Babies, but am not comfortable with [insert sleep training methods you do not want to follow]. What should I adjust today?”
After getting an initial plan, I was able to talk back and forth with the chatbot, even during the night, saying “She only slept [insert number], what should I do?” etc. and get a plan with reasoning. You can easily adjust it by saying what you do or don’t want, or ask questions like ‘what if she wakes up from her nap early?’ Or ‘I’m not comfortable letting her cry that much, what can I do for a more gentle approach?’”
— What to Expect community mom nov24baby1
Survive a work day with kids at home
Your prompt for an AI chatbot: “Give me a list of easy, low-prep toddler activities that can keep my [insert age] son busy while I work — specifically tasks that make me feel like he’s “working with me.” For reference, during my work blocks, I [explain your work tasks].”
— Danielle Holleran, mom and business owner, @detailsandswirls on Instagram
Set yourself up for next-day success
Your prompt for an AI chatbot: “Assume I am exhausted by 8 p.m. Suggest small things I can do to make the next day easier, once the children go to bed. I want them to be really quick and easy so they don’t take much energy, but will be powerful the next day to make things run smoother.”
— @paigeelles on TikTok
Create a custom coloring page based on your child’s imagination
Your prompt for an AI chatbot: “Hi friend, can you generate a black-and-white coloring page for my daughter? A ballerina unicorn dancing on the ice with skates on. Ballerina should be holding a cat and also have sunglasses on.”
— @simplyjadelife on TikTok
What to keep in mind before tapping AI for help
While AI can be a useful tool in parenting and even help take some of the mental load off of you, experts recommend cross-checking any information you get. For example, if it suggests you visit a museum — double check on its website for location and hours). Think of AI suggestions as a starting point, kind of like what you would do if a stranger on social media suggested you try something.
“Use AI for tasks that are informational or organizational, or for brainstorming initial ideas,” Dr. Ganjian says. “Steer clear when the situation involves diagnosis, highly-personalized emotional or behavioral guidance, or sensitive financial decisions, where human expertise, empathy, and judgment are irreplaceable. Always be critical, and never blindly follow AI advice.”
Methodology
What to Expect surveyed 510 women from May 23 to May 30, 2025 for its AI Use for Parenting Talk to Moms Monthly Poll. The results were compared to the same survey of 412 women conducted from February 28 to February 29, 2024. In each survey, respondents were U.S. women, age 18-45 who were either pregnant or have a child 0 to 5 years old.
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