markun

Features I’d like to have:

Web-based remote control (so I can manage it from another machine)

Ability to set schedules and total time for internet access

Browsing history monitoring (ideally also logs from things like Discord)

Ideally extensible with plugins or an API

Bonus points:

Contextual filtering powered by AI, ideally running locally for privacy.

I’ve been told I could run Pi-hole inside a VM on the same machine and manage things from there. That seems workable, but I’m curious if there are friendlier / more integrated solutions.

On mobile we use Google Family Link, which works surprisingly well — but it also ties you strongly into Google’s ecosystem.

So my broader question is: how do fellow hackers handle parental controls for teenagers? Do you rely on technical solutions, household rules, or some combination of both?

As a way to process this challenge, I’m working on a children's book that explains AI in a narrative format. I’ve written other books for kids tackling complex topics like politics, grief and digital privacy — but this one feels especially urgent and slippery.

In the story I’m outlining, a child receives a plain cardboard box as a gift. Curious, she starts stuffing all her books into it — stories, encyclopedias, comic books, math manuals. At some mysterious threshold, the box "comes alive" and starts responding. As they interact, the story explores concepts like hallucination (the box starts making stuff up), reinforcement learning (the box improves when rewarded), bias, prediction, and the fine line between intelligence and mimicry.

I'm looking for:

Good learning resources, metaphors or visual models that help explain how AI works (ideally in ways accessible to children)

Reflections on when and how to introduce AI to kids — especially before they get too deep into GenAI tools without critical thinking

Stories or experiences from others trying to teach (or explain) AI to younger people, whether as parents, educators or creators

Would love to hear thoughts, resources, or warnings. Thanks!