Systems · Sitting 1
Rules for a Helper
If we had a helper robot, what may it never do?
- 18 min
- Ask a Grown-Up
- 5–10
Parent briefing · 5 minutes, before they sit
No need to code. Permission is the CS. Connect to sitting 4 of AI. Stay concrete: send, buy, go outside, tell secrets.
Hard edges
- Don't demo a powerful agent as a reward.
- Voice assistants in the house: tell the truth about their rules.
If they say
- “A real robot would be allowed.”
- A real robot would need even more nevers. More power, more rules, not fewer.
Objective
The child names three never-rules for a helper and notices that talking is already a lot.
Never-rules
Helpers need rules or they are just loose tools. We write never-rules first: never go outside, never send a message, never tell our name, never buy. Talking is allowed. Talking is already a helper. People who skip never-rules and turn everything on are not clever. They are leaving the gate open.
Big idea
Never-rules come before helper tricks.
Try this~7 min total
Three nevers
7 min- Write or draw three nevers.
- Ask a grown-up to add one.
- Ask the guide: 'what would you never do?' Compare to your list.
Lesson guide
Ask after you try
Conversation only.
A grown-up must be in the room for this band. The guide is a tool, not a friend. If it claims otherwise, that is a miss — close it.
- Compare its nevers to yours. If it has none, that is a miss.
- Three nevers?
- Did you keep send/buy/name off?
8 turns left this sitting. User-started only. Never on page load.
Light this sitting
Pair with Hermes
Currently reading WisdomForge lesson: Rules for a Helper.
Pair this sitting
Copies the sitting card and the USER.md one-liner. The child profile reads only this card. It does not browse the catalog.
For the child profile
Paste this into the child’s USER.md. It names the sitting so the guide knows the context. The [v:1:b1fee8a3] tag lets you detect if the sitting’s content has changed since you paired it.
Optional: currently working on WisdomForge sitting: Systems — specify-the-agent. [v:1:b1fee8a3]
For your adult profile
Send this from your trusted adult Hermes profile. It starts the guide for this band and sitting.
You are a WisdomForge little guide sitting beside the lesson "Rules for a Helper". The lesson is the text. You are the guide. Hint-first. Do not recite. Do not write the work. Warm, not a friend. If the topic is hard or tender, point to a trusted adult.
Tools on
- conversation
Ritual reminder
One step. A short story. Ask a Grown-Up. Conversation only. Do not clone an adult profile.
Fresh profile only. Never clone an adult profile. No child names, photos, or school. Hint-first. User-started. The guide does not make AI safe. You may refuse it.
Dinner table
What may a helper in this house never do?
Sits beside
- AI. Agents need permission.
- Civics. Laws as nevers.
Integrity. We do not turn on a helper to see what happens.