#34 | My AI game plan – dad prep mode

TL;DR: Dad-to-be’s AI guide. 4 weeks left, six untested systems, and one question: Can AI help when everything feels urgent? And, how can you benefit?

👋 Hi there,

Four weeks.

That’s all the time left before I become a dad for the first time. And honestly? I’m buzzing with excitement.

I’ve done the prep courses, read the two books, and researched everything from swaddles to sleep schedules. My confidence is (still) solid.

But something’s also happening: my days are starting to fragment.

Little tasks pile up everywhere—nesting prep, work handover planning, birth logistics, and thinking about the chaos that comes after.

And if I’m already struggling to manage my time and mental energy now, what happens when a tiny human demands attention around the clock? Ha!

So I’m doing what any curious person would: experimenting.

Major life changes—whether becoming a parent, switching careers, or starting a business—all share a similar challenge: cognitive overload during uncertainty.

I’m treating the logistics of this transition (not the emotions) like any complex challenge—with curiosity, a bit of strategy, and AI as my research buddy.

I have no idea if any of this will work, and I’m probably naive about the challenges ahead.

However, below is my game plan for the most unknown project I’ve faced. Motivate me if you’d like.

Ah, I certainly don’t want to bore you with my specific baby topics, as your situation will differ. So, adapt accordingly (see tips below).

My 6 AI experiments

These are rough concepts, and I will adapt and specify them on the go.

I will likely set up Projects in ChatGPT with goals, context info, and instructions to take advantage of ChatGPT’s memorization feature.

1. The Time Fragmentation Manager

“How to get meaningful work done in 15-minute windows”

Reality: News reading stealing 20-30 minutes per session, needing to prioritize ruthlessly.

Experiment: I will use AI to help me triage tasks and eliminate time-wasters in real time.

Prompt: “I have 20 minutes before my next commitment. Tasks: [list]. Help me pick the one thing that moves the needle most, give me a micro-plan to complete it, and suggest which format works best—bullet points, action steps, or quick notes. Ask me to clarify priorities if needed.”

Make it yours: Replace baby topics with career pivot tasks, business launch activities, or any major change you’re navigating. Time fragments hit everyone during significant transitions.

2. Meal Prep without the chaos

“Nutrition that works when life doesn’t”

Challenge: Avoiding the takeaway trap while managing energy and time constraints.

Experiment: AI-powered batch cooking strategies and emergency meal systems.

Prompt: “Design a weekly meal prep system for someone with an unpredictable schedule. Include: 5-minute assembly meals, one-pot batch cooking, healthy options that keep for days. Format as shopping list plus simple instructions. Ask about dietary restrictions and kitchen equipment.”

Make it yours: When stress peaks, good nutrition becomes harder to achieve, whether you’re studying for exams, managing a career change, or launching a project. This same framework works for any high-pressure period (though I can’t promise your cooking will actually improve).

3. Product reality check

“Is this useful or new-parent marketing?”

Problem: Drowning in “essential” baby product recommendations.

Experiment: Cut through marketing hype with evidence-based analysis.

Prompt: “Analyze [product name]: Is this useful for [specific timeframe], or marketing hype? Provide honest breakdown, cheaper alternatives, and red flags to watch for. Include a list of pros/cons and a final recommendation with reasoning.”

Make it yours: Replace baby products with courses, software, equipment, or services being marketed to people in your situation. The same analysis framework works for any purchase decision during major changes.

4. The information filter

“How to learn what I need without drowning in advice”

Reality: I’ll be constantly chatting with AI to gather information about specific topics—from sleep training to feeding schedules.

Experiment: Building better prompts to filter signal from noise.

Prompt: “I’m getting conflicting advice about [specific topic]. Help me understand the core evidence, flag what’s opinion vs. research, and give me three practical approaches I can try. Rate confidence level for each recommendation and explain reasoning.”

Make it yours: Every major change comes with information overload. This same framework works for career advice, investment strategies, or learning new skills. Always separate evidence from opinion (even when a colleague insists his/her way is obviously the best way).

5. Emergency Decision Tree Builder

“Pre-built frameworks for when quick decisions matter most”

Goal: Have decision frameworks ready before I need them, especially for health concerns or urgent situations.

Experiment: Build decision trees in advance, not during crisis moments.

Prompt: “Create a decision tree for [specific situation]: when to [option A] vs. [option B] vs. [option C]. Include specific criteria, clear action steps, and escalation points. Format as a flowchart with yes/no questions and next steps.”

Make it yours: Replace health decisions with financial emergencies, career setbacks, or business crises. Having frameworks ready reduces panic-driven mistakes during any major life change.

Experiment 6 👇.

Deep Dive: The Story Evolution System

I’m most curious about this experiment: creating stories that grow with the baby.

If you have kids, feel free to use it and adjust.

The Plan: Start simple, grow complex, always match where the baby actually is.

Months 1-2: Pure sound stories

Prompt: “Create a 30-second sound-based ‘story’ using rhythms and 3-4 simple words about [morning routine/bath time/going for a walk]. Focus on musical quality—rhythm and cadence matter more than meaning. Include guidance for voice tone and pacing.”

Think less narrative, more musical. The rhythm and cadence matter more than meaning.

Months 3-4: Basic emotions enter

Prompt: “Write a short story about discovering [texture/sound/movement]. Include one simple emotion and gentle cause-and-effect. Keep vocabulary simple, add sound effects, and suggest interactive elements like clapping or gentle movements.”

Now we’re building simple emotional recognition and basic story structure.

Months 6-8: More interaction

Prompt: “Create an interactive story where the listener makes simple choices—clap hands, make sounds, or move. Theme: [current interest/milestone]. Include clear prompts for participation and positive reinforcement phrases. Format with pauses for interaction.”

Stories become participatory. The baby starts influencing the narrative.

Year 1+: Real adventures begin

Prompt: “Design a choose-your-own-adventure snippet for a one-year-old about [exploring/problem-solving/friendship]. Include physical actions, simple decisions, and clear consequences. Add character voices and suggest props or visual aids.”

Full interactive storytelling, building decision-making skills.

Adaptation guide for any age:

Got older kids? The same principle works:

– Ages 2-4: Add more complex choices and silly consequences

– Ages 5-7: Include problem-solving and character development

– Ages 8+: Let them help create the prompts and build stories together

Strategic tip: At whatever age you’re starting, drop back one level first. A 3-year-old might love the 2-4 year prompts, but try the 6-8 month version first to see what clicks. Kids often enjoy “easier” content more than we expect.

Beyond parenting: This progressive complexity principle applies everywhere—to onboarding new employees, teaching complex skills, or introducing any new concept. Start simpler than necessary, then build complexity based on actual engagement.

When reality hits differently

Let’s be honest—I might be completely wrong about this.

Maybe I’ll be too exhausted to remember any prompts or silly frameworks.

Maybe the baby will hate my AI-generated stories and prefer me just making weird faces (ideally both).

Maybe I’ll discover that the best parenting tool is just winging it and trusting my instincts.

That’s fine. These are just experiments.

However, research also shows that new parents make about 35,000 decisions in the first year, most of them while sleep-deprived.

Cognitive load during major life transitions can reduce decision-making quality by up to 40%.

If AI can handle even 10% of the research and analysis, that’s still thousands of micro-decisions I don’t have to make from scratch. I’ll take that!

And I’ll be going back to work eventually, so these systems need to function (because apparently paternity leave doesn’t last forever — who knew?).

Please email me to tell me what you think. If this topic resonates with you, I’ll report back in 8-10 weeks with the results. If not, then not.

Meanwhile, what’s the life transition scrambling your brain right now? Reply and tell me.

Happy Friday,

Mark
The AI Learning Guy
👋⚡😎

Sources and books

1. New parent decision-making research: ​Journal of Family Psychology​, 2023
2. Sleep deprivation and decision-making quality: ​Sleep Medicine Reviews​, 2024
3. Best AI Books 2025. ​View on Amazon*​.

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