I am launching 'NewKid'

learning in public about parenting x education x ai

Hey there!

I am excited to share with you a new project close to my heart. I am going solo this time, which is both empowering and intimidating.

who (the f * are you)?

I am Mathilde, I am 37 years old. I am the mom of two beautiful humans - my life coaches - soon turning 4 and 6.

Also, I have been a writer of my own wanders for 25ish years, a life partner for 20 years, a multiple-country civilian for 17 years, a tech entrepreneur (same cofounders) for 10 years, a swing dancer for 1 week.

I love learning new languages - lastly Portuguese, solving human drama, motivating people to get started or keep going, organising [enter whatever], swapping homes, a good laugh at the café-théâtre, smiling at people while running, singing this song, dancing on that one, baking tiramisu or Vietnamese soups, playing Peixinho with my boys, hosting friends, disagreeing with friends and laughing about it, swimming in the mediterranean sea, riding our long-tail bike with the music on and the kids singing out loud, realising we’re all being present in the moment, traveling with my three men around the world, moving in to a new country. And a lot more.

People who know me say I am a thoughtful person.

Beyond any particular achievement, two things really make me proud : having surrounded myself with radically loving and ambitious people across the years and the world. And having nourished a sense of adventure, that kept on growing even with my two young kiddos in the picture.

A few years ago, I started writing on Substack about the challenges and surprises of being a mom ; I wanted to share humbly this brand new life I was entering - and that sometimes I wish I knew already. I am excited it resonated with some people.

why (are you doing this)?

The realisations and moments that triggered this NewKid project - in no particular order:

• The sentence “It was better before” really bugs me. We all have this person around us. Maybe you are this person :) Make sure to read Progress. And let’s talk!

• I am slightly overwhelmed by the AI tsunami out there. I tend to have a hard time cutting through the noise of anything hype in general.

• No one holds the crystal ball but AI seems like a true paradigm change, so we, parents, can’t keep ignoring the shift. I want to understand the underlying, profound changes that are ahead of us. If I am, probably others are too?

• Last summer in San Francisco, I came across this prototype magical toy - a cute dino that can converse with your kid - and it scared the shit out of me. I was stuck by how this could go bananas ; couldn’t see the upsides - why?

• That same summer, the stars in our eyes each time a Waymo car was passing by. Months later, kids keep asking Santa about an autonomous car - not right now, darlings.

• I love being critical - a french thing? And I love people with critical thinking. But criticism for the sake of criticism strains me. I only like it when it comes with solutions, with action. Not with scapegoatism nor a more polarised world.

• About that, do we seriously have to chose a side? To be either pro or against [enter name of a technology / personality / country even]? This black or white world feels very much blind and threatening to me.

• But why should the future be scary? ‘Fear is the mind killer’. Maybe embracing optimism is the entrepreneur’s default mode, or maybe the parent’s default mode. Either way an interesting path to consider to find one’s inner peace.

• Deep down, I want to re-enchant parenthood. I love being a parent. It is humbling, it is empowering, it is a tsunami of love.

• I am obsessed with questioning educational methods ; basically anything we inherited or went through ourselves. Not necessarily in rejection, more with the ‘blank page’ mindset. My partner is too. We spend a lot of time scribbling this blank page!

• Do you remember that discussion you wish you had recorded?! When you were so fully present, so engaged, having this revealing ‘aha’ moment of coming together to a life-changing conclusion / revelation. With yourself. Your partner. A friend. And wish you could recall it forever.

• I want to learn from other parents ; what are their choices, prides, challenges, sources of excitement, fears in their kids’ education, I want to open these doors and address their possible disagreements.

• I want to interview both parents together. Some say it takes a village to raise a child. Well it probably takes more than one well intentioned parent. Let’s try with two!

• At times it kinda freaks me out to get out there, ask stupid questions and feel like a noob. Who said anything about hearing my own voice? Man, it will cost me to get out of my comfort zone ; and this is exactly why I should do it.

what (is going on here)?

This NewKid project is a “learn-in-public-get-your-ass-out-there” journey to explore at the intersection of education x parenting x ai.

This is what it will look like:

🎙️a podcast

• ~1h discussions between me and two parents

📰 a newsletter

• sharing my learnings / discoveries in between two discussions

I hope these discussions will bring parents -and anyone interested in the new generation of citizens- questions and tools to navigate the unknowns more peacefully, more intentionally. Through these episodes, I wish to give all parents the confidence to trust their kids, to trust in the future, to collaborate with one another and with the educators, to proactively seek ways of using the superpowers AI provides, instead of being afraid and naturally let others (not necessarily well intentioned people) decide for us.

I am very excited to meet and hear y’all ❤️

Yours,

Mathilde