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Plan a toddler bedtime routine backward from lights out

  • For Parents and households
  • You practice Showing an example of what you want
  • Time about 5 minutes

About this exercise

Your toddler's bedtime is moving earlier and you want the routine's start times. Counting back from the new lights-out time, get exactly 4 numbered lines in plain text, under 50 words, each like "1. 6:15 PM: Dinner (30 min)", for dinner, bath, pajamas and teeth, and books, in that order. No tips. Write a prompt that gets you exactly that.

Common mistakes when you ask AI for this

  • Using the old bedtime. The AI counts back from 7:30 PM. Try: Add: "New lights out is 7:00 PM."
  • Not showing the line shape. The AI writes a paragraph or a table. Try: Show it: "Format each line like: 1. 5:45 PM: Dinner (30 min)".
  • Changing the routine. The AI drops the bath like Grandma suggests, or adds tips. Try: Add: "Keep all 4 steps in order. No tips."
  • Trusting the AI to count words. AI is bad at counting. Ask for "under 50 words" and it often lands well over. Try: Cap it: "just the 4 lines."

What a strong prompt includes

  • Uses the new bedtime
  • Counts backward
  • Shows the line shape
  • Sets the number of lines
  • Sets a word limit

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