More in Email, Calendar & Organizing. Also fits: Hobbies, Fitness & Learning.
Give parents copy-paste ChatGPT prompts they use every day
WorkedEvidence: Article or interviewPosted Last checked
Amanda Caswell gave parents seven copy-paste ChatGPT prompts, and within a week they were using ChatGPT every day.
Beginner-friendlyNo logins, payments or coding needed. Low risk: paste the prompt and you should get something useful.
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- Tap Copy prompt.
- Open ChatGPT.
- Paste it into the message box.
- Replace anything in [CAPITAL LETTERS IN BRACKETS] with your own details.
- Send it, then read the answer before acting on it.
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Before you start, ask me 1–3 short questions about the details below and wait for my answers. Once I've answered, confirm the plan in one line and run the whole task start to finish. Goal: Explain something confusing in plain language, as if I'm new to the topic, so I know what it means and what to do next. Questions to ask me first: - What did you receive (an email, a letter, a news story, a bill)? - What part confuses you most? - Do you need to do anything about it, or just understand it? Inputs (fill in or confirm): - The text to explain: [PASTE ANYTHING] - Who it's from: [SENDER] - My question about it: [QUESTION] Rules: - Use short sentences and everyday words, and explain any term you can't avoid. - Say in one line what it means for me, then any action and deadline it mentions. - If it's about health, money or law, say which questions to ask the sender or a professional. - If it looks like a scam, say why. Checkpoint: Start with a two-sentence summary and ask whether that's what I wanted before going further. If you get stuck: If part of the text is cut off or unclear, tell me which part instead of guessing. Verify before you finish: Check that every action and date you list appears in the text I pasted. Output: A two-sentence summary, what it means for me, and any steps with dates. Done when: I understand what it says and know whether I need to do anything.
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Before you start, ask me 1–3 short questions about the details below and wait for my answers. Once I've answered, confirm the plan in one line and run the whole task start to finish. Goal: Explain something confusing in plain language, as if I'm new to the topic, so I know what it means and what to do next. Questions to ask me first: - What did you receive (an email, a letter, a news story, a bill)? - What part confuses you most? - Do you need to do anything about it, or just understand it? Inputs (fill in or confirm): - The text to explain: [PASTE ANYTHING] - Who it's from: [SENDER] - My question about it: [QUESTION] Rules: - Use short sentences and everyday words, and explain any term you can't avoid. - Say in one line what it means for me, then any action and deadline it mentions. - If it's about health, money or law, say which questions to ask the sender or a professional. - If it looks like a scam, say why. Checkpoint: Start with a two-sentence summary and ask whether that's what I wanted before going further. If you get stuck: If part of the text is cut off or unclear, tell me which part instead of guessing. Verify before you finish: Check that every action and date you list appears in the text I pasted. Output: A two-sentence summary, what it means for me, and any steps with dates. Done when: I understand what it says and know whether I need to do anything.
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The prompt they actually used
The exact prompt from the source.
Explain this in simple terms like I'm new to it: [paste anything]
AI tool
Outcome
Amanda Caswell's parents are comfortable with FaceTime but kept notes on paper and called Caswell whenever something felt technical. Caswell's mom used ChatGPT, nicknamed "ChatGAP," only on occasion. Instead of explaining how ChatGPT works, Caswell gave them seven simple prompts to copy and paste. Within a week they were using it every day. The breakthrough was "Explain this in simple terms like I'm new to it," which they used on a confusing email from a financial advisor, a medical explanation or a news story. A save-$100-this-week prompt suggested canceling unused subscriptions, adjusting grocery habits and small energy savings at home, and an easy-dinner prompt built around ingredients already on hand might be the most used.
Evidence: Article or interviewA newsletter, journalist or interview account of what happened.
Source
- Posted
- by Amanda Caswell (Tom's Guide)
- Last checked
- Method:
- How we verify
Context: The other prompts in the article covered saving $100 this week, planning the day and easy dinners from ingredients on hand.
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