15 Simple AI Prompts That Save Busy Parents Hours Each Week
Let’s get real for a moment: in the complex world of modern communication, I’ve found an unexpected confidant that sometimes understands me better than the humans around me. Don’t get me wrong – I absolutely adore my husband, but there are moments when an AI chatbot provides the precise support I’m craving. If you haven’t tried any of these LLM (large language models) yet then you need to download one of them and give it a go. Think of AI as your personal assistant who never sleeps, doesn’t need coffee, and won’t complain about anything.
Pro Tips for Getting Started:
- Context is king: The more specific details you provide, the more tailored and helpful the AI’s response will be.
- Experiment fearlessly: Each AI model has its strengths, so don’t be afraid to try different platforms.
- Think of AI as a judgment-free brainstorming partner that can help you untangle complex thoughts.
In this post, I’ll share 15 super easy prompts (the questions you ask AI) that have given me back hours of my week. Furthermore, I’ve tested each one to make sure they actually work so make sure to let me know which ones you liked the best!
What You’ll Need:
- A free account on ChatGPT, Claude, or Perplexity (Different models are better at different tasks but I’ll share that in another post!)
- 2 minutes to copy-paste these prompts
- That’s it!
Meal Planning & Food Prep (The Never-Ending Parent Task)
1. Quick Meal Plan Generator
Prompt: “I need 7 easy family dinners for kids ages [age] and [age]. We can’t eat [allergen]. Each meal should take less than 20 minutes to make. Include a shopping list organized by grocery store section.”
Why it works: I tested this prompt and got a full week of simple meals my kids actually ate, plus a shopping list organized by category. I can also just tell the AI what I have in my fridge and it would either make a recipe with what is on hand or optimize my shopping list. No more blank stares into the fridge at 5pm or asking my husband what we want for dinner a million times!
2. Picky Eater Helper
Prompt: “My [age] year-old won’t eat [food]. Give me 5 simple recipes that hide this food but keep the nutrients. The recipes should take less than 15 minutes to make.”
Real result: When I used this for my veggie-hating 4-year-old, I got a smoothie recipe with hidden spinach that she now requests daily!
3. Lunch Box Ideas
Prompt: “Give me 10 non-sandwich lunch box ideas for a [age] year-old. They need to be room-temperature safe, nut-free for school, and take less than 5 minutes to pack.”
Time saved: This single prompt saved me from making 180 PB&J sandwiches this school year!
Homework & Learning Help
4. Simple Homework Explainer
Prompt: “Explain [homework topic] to a [age] year-old in very simple words. Use a fun example they would understand and add a picture I can draw for them.”
Example: When I asked about subtractions for my 4-year-old, the AI explained them using pizza slices with a simple drawing I could copy. And guess what, my daughter finally got it!
5. Bedtime Story Creator
Prompt: “Create a 3-minute bedtime story about a character named [child’s name] who loves [interest/hobby]. The story should teach about [value like sharing/kindness/bravery] in a fun way.”
Why kids love it: These stories feature THEM as the main character! My son was thrilled to hear about “Max the Dinosaur Explorer” solving problems with kindness.
6. Boredom Buster
Prompt: “I need 5 activities to keep a [age] year-old busy for 30 minutes using only: paper, scissors, tape, and things found in the kitchen. The activities should be mess-free.”
Mom win: I used this during a work call when my kids were home sick, and they stayed happily occupied making “kitchen monsters” for a full 45 minutes!
Family Organization (Because Your Brain Is Already Full)
7. Morning Routine Chart
Prompt: “Create a simple morning checklist for a [age] year-old who needs to be ready by [time]. Use very simple words and tell me what pictures I could draw next to each step.”
Before vs. After: Before: daily battles and lateness. After: my 4-year-old follows her chart and proudly gets herself ready!
8. Chore System Creator
Prompt: “Make an age-appropriate chore chart for kids ages [ages]. Include how often each chore should be done, and a simple reward system that doesn’t use screen time.”
The magic part: The AI suggested a “points store” with privileges like “pick dinner” or “extra story time” that my kids love earning!
9. Vacation Packing List
Prompt: “Create a packing checklist for a family with kids ages [ages] going to [destination] for [number] days. Organize by person and include often-forgotten items.”
True story: This saved our beach trip when it reminded me to pack my son’s special sunscreen and noise-canceling headphones!
Handling Big Feelings & Tough Moments
10. Tantrum Helper
Prompt: “Give me 5 simple phrases to calm a [age] year-old having a tantrum about [situation]. The words should be easy to remember when I’m stressed.”
What I learned: It is hard not to get triggered by my toddler after a long day at work. This prompt taught me to say “I see you’re really upset about sharing your toy” instead of my usual frustrated response.
11. Sibling Fight Referee
Prompt: “My [age] and [age] year-old are fighting over [issue]. Give me exact words to say that will help them solve it themselves.”
Peace maker: The script I got taught my kids to take turns explaining their feelings without interrupting—it actually works! I’ve used it enough that they are starting to use it themselves.
12. Tough Question Answerer
Prompt: “How do I explain [death/new baby/divorce/etc.] to a [age] year-old? Give me simple words to use and likely questions they’ll ask.”
Why it helps: When our friend’s family pet died, this prompt gave me gentle, age-appropriate language that comforted my 4-year-old.
Making Memories (Without Pinterest Pressure)
13. Family Game Creator
Prompt: “Create a simple family game we can play at the dinner table with kids ages [ages]. It should teach [skill/value] and need no extra materials.”
Family favorite: The “Fortunately/Unfortunately” storytelling game has become our Tuesday dinner tradition!
14. Birthday Party Planner
Prompt: “Plan a simple at-home birthday party for a [age] year-old who loves [interest]. Include easy decoration ideas, one game, and a simple cake I can actually make.”
Money saved: I loved that it thought of everything for me and that I saved $200 with all the different ideas.
15. Family Time Maximizer
Prompt: “I have 30 minutes free with my kids ages [ages]. Suggest 3 meaningful activities we can do together that don’t use screens, need only things we have at home, can be cleaned up quickly, and will make them feel special.”
The real benefit: Sometimes it’s the easiest games with a little twist is all you need. My kids loved Chatgpt’s idea of playing hide and seek with their plushies. It was actually more challenging for me than for them.
Why These Prompts Work Better Than Others
I’ve tested dozens of AI prompts as a busy mom, and these 15 winners all share important features:
- They’re specific (giving ages and constraints)
- They ask for simple, quick results
- They focus on real problems parents have
- They save precious time and mental energy
Using AI this way isn’t about being a lazy parent. It’s about spending less time on planning and more time actually being with your kids!
Want 35 More Time-Saving AI Prompts?
I’ve created a free download with 50 tested AI prompts for parents covering everything from handling daycare drop-offs to creating educational activities and managing screen time battles.
Click here to get “The Busy Parent’s AI Helper: 50 Prompts That Give You Back Hours of Your Week”
What parenting task would you love AI help with? Tell me in the comments and I’ll create a custom prompt just for you!
Pro Tip: Save These Prompts!
Create a note on your phone with these prompts so you can quickly copy-paste them whenever you need parenting help. It’s like having a parenting expert in your pocket!