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Explain a new allowance system so an 8-year-old gets it
Practice: Saying who it's for. About 5 minutes.
About this exercise
You're explaining the family's new allowance system to your 8-year-old. Write exactly 4 numbered lines, each under 12 words, using words an 8-year-old knows, with no money words like 'interest', 'percent', 'match' or 'deposit'. Use the amounts you and your partner settled on, and show the saving bonus with one concrete example. Write a prompt that gets that.
Common mistakes when you ask AI for this
- Not setting the shape. The AI writes a long, friendly letter that loses an 8-year-old in paragraph two. Try: Set it: "Exactly 4 numbered lines, each under 12 words."
- Trusting the AI to count words. AI is bad at counting. Ask for "under 55 words" and it often lands well over. Try: Cap each line: "each under 12 words."
- Using the first amount. Your notes mention $5 before the final $6. The AI may grab the first number. Try: Say it: "She gets $6 every Saturday."
- Explaining it abstractly. The AI says "we'll match 50% of your savings", which means nothing to a kid. Try: Add: "Show the bonus with an example: save $4, get $2 more."
- Grown-up words and maybes. AI slips in 'interest' or 'match' and mentions things you haven't decided. Try: Add: "No interest, percent, match or deposit. Skip the undecided stuff."
What a strong prompt includes
- Says who it's for
- Sets the number of lines
- Uses the final amount
- Asks for an example
- Bans grown-up words
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