diff --git a/public/index.html b/public/index.html
index 2ed8b35..38f9128 100644
--- a/public/index.html
+++ b/public/index.html
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@
     <p class="subtitle">Who's learning today?</p>
     <div id="kid-cards" class="kid-cards"></div>
     <p id="no-kids" class="hint" hidden>No kids yet — a parent needs to add them.</p>
-    <a class="link-btn" href="admin.html">Parent dashboard</a>
+    <a class="parent-dash-card" href="admin.html">🔐 Parent dashboard</a>
   </section>
 
   <!-- Kid home: Today's work + nav -->
diff --git a/public/styles.css b/public/styles.css
index 3d9d99d..4a74a79 100644
--- a/public/styles.css
+++ b/public/styles.css
@@ -91,10 +91,19 @@ body:has(#console[hidden])::before {
   margin-bottom: 1rem;
 }
 
-/* ---------- kid picker ---------- */
+/* ---------- kid picker (dark home screen) ---------- */
+body:has(#view-home:not([hidden])) {
+  background: linear-gradient(145deg, #0f1628 0%, #1a0f3e 100%);
+}
+body:has(#view-home:not([hidden])) .app-title { color: #fff; }
+body:has(#view-home:not([hidden])) .subtitle,
+body:has(#view-home:not([hidden])) #no-kids { color: rgba(255,255,255,0.55); }
+body:has(#view-home:not([hidden])) a.link-btn { color: rgba(255,255,255,0.35); }
+body:has(#view-home:not([hidden])) .page-confetti span { opacity: 0.7; }
+
 @keyframes confetti-float {
-  0%, 100% { transform: translateY(0px) rotate(-4deg); opacity: 0.28; }
-  50% { transform: translateY(-20px) rotate(6deg); opacity: 0.52; }
+  0%, 100% { transform: translateY(0px) rotate(-4deg); opacity: 0.45; }
+  50% { transform: translateY(-20px) rotate(6deg); opacity: 0.75; }
 }
 .page-confetti {
   position: fixed; inset: 0; pointer-events: none; z-index: 0; overflow: hidden;
@@ -115,29 +124,50 @@ body:has(#console[hidden])::before {
   75%  { transform: rotate(-7deg)  scale(1.07); }
   100% { transform: rotate(0deg)   scale(1); }
 }
+@keyframes glow-breathe {
+  0%, 100% { opacity: 0.42; }
+  50% { opacity: 0.65; }
+}
 
 .kid-cards {
-  display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; gap: 1rem; justify-content: center;
+  display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; gap: 1.5rem; justify-content: center;
   margin-bottom: 2.5rem;
   position: relative; z-index: 1;
 }
 .kid-card {
   background: var(--card);
-  border: 3px solid transparent;
+  border: none;
   border-top: 5px solid var(--kid-accent, var(--accent));
   border-radius: var(--radius);
   padding: 1.5rem 2rem;
   font-size: 1.2rem;
   font-weight: 700;
   cursor: pointer;
-  box-shadow: 0 4px 16px rgba(45, 49, 66, 0.1);
-  transition: transform 0.18s ease, box-shadow 0.2s ease;
+  transition: transform 0.2s ease;
   min-width: 140px;
   animation: card-enter 0.42s ease backwards;
+  position: relative;
+  isolation: isolate;
+}
+.kid-card::after {
+  content: '';
+  position: absolute;
+  inset: -2px;
+  border-radius: var(--radius);
+  background: var(--kid-accent, var(--accent));
+  filter: blur(22px);
+  opacity: 0.42;
+  z-index: -1;
+  animation: glow-breathe 3s ease-in-out infinite;
+  transition: opacity 0.25s ease, filter 0.25s ease;
 }
 .kid-card:hover {
-  transform: translateY(-8px) scale(1.07);
-  box-shadow: 0 14px 36px color-mix(in srgb, var(--kid-accent, var(--accent)) 28%, rgba(45,49,66,0.15));
+  transform: translateY(-10px) scale(1.08);
+}
+.kid-card:hover::after {
+  opacity: 0.92;
+  filter: blur(32px);
+  animation-play-state: paused;
 }
 .kid-card:hover .avatar { animation: emoji-wobble 0.48s ease; }
 .kid-card .avatar { display: block; font-size: 3rem; margin-bottom: 0.5rem; }
@@ -568,6 +598,28 @@ table.results tr:nth-child(even) td { background: #faf7ee; }
 .admin-main h2 { margin: 1.5rem 0 0.5rem; font-size: 1.15rem; }
 .panel { text-align: left; }
 
+/* ---------- parent dashboard card (on student home) ---------- */
+.parent-dash-card {
+  display: inline-flex; align-items: center; gap: 0.6rem;
+  background: rgba(255,255,255,0.12);
+  color: rgba(255,255,255,0.7);
+  border: 1.5px solid rgba(255,255,255,0.18);
+  border-radius: 14px;
+  padding: 0.65rem 1.25rem;
+  font-size: 0.95rem; font-weight: 600;
+  text-decoration: none;
+  backdrop-filter: blur(8px);
+  transition: background 0.18s, color 0.18s, border-color 0.18s, transform 0.15s;
+  cursor: pointer;
+  position: relative; z-index: 1;
+}
+.parent-dash-card:hover {
+  background: rgba(255,255,255,0.22);
+  color: #fff;
+  border-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.35);
+  transform: translateY(-2px);
+}
+
 /* ---------- filter bar ---------- */
 .filter-bar { display: flex; gap: 0.5rem; align-items: center; margin-bottom: 0.5rem; }
 .filter-bar input[type="search"] {