Val stumbled onto a TLC My Strange Addiction episode about a woman in a relationship with an AI chatbot — and fell down a rabbit hole. In this episode, Matt and Val react to the bizarre and alarming world of AI companionship: the TLC story, a Hollywood rumor about a celebrity dating an AI, the Snapchat MyAI controversy, and the shocking stats about how many teens are already forming relationships with chatbots. They wrestle with what it means for parents and how to keep kids grounded when AI friends are just a download away.

Meet Winston — the AI assistant Matt built using Open Claw, an open-source personal AI system. In this episode, Matt explains how it works and why it's different from ChatGPT, while Val raises important questions about security, accessibility, and what it means when anyone can download sophisticated AI. Together they wrestle with the bigger question: should kids have AI assistants, and when?

Welcome to the very first episode of Two Factor Parenting. We’re Matt and Val Davis — parents of three navigating the tension between technology and real life. In this episode, we introduce ourselves, share our backgrounds in education and AI, and explain what “Two Factor Parenting” means: a balance between embracing innovation and protecting what makes us human.