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Often when I am browsing online I find things that I’d like my kids to read. 

• Interesting and controversial blog posts – this gives us a platform to discuss things
• How-to’s  – this would vary depending on the their interests
• Funnies – share a story, a video clip, an email – and laugh together
• Articles that connect with their studies or books they are reading

Just as we like to share the good stuff we read in books, the interesting newspaper report, or relive the story/movie we enjoyed so too do we need to share the internet finds we come across. 

To share these things with my kids I

• email a link to them (this is a double bonus as they like getting emails and the younger ones don’t get too many)
• print it off to share over the meal table
• leave my browser open, note it in my diary, so we all come back and have a look-see

Not only do I want to share the things I find, I want my children to share the things they find.  (Only my older two have the freedom to browse and find online at this stage).   Each individual (adults included) needs to learn to value what the other person values.  We can show this respect by being interested in what they are interested in, by listening and my asking questions to encourage their conversation.

I never cease to be amazed at the diversity in our family – same gene pool, same environment – and yet different people.  This means we all want to talk about different things, we’ll find different things to share. This is what family is about – to be interested in each other – and that includes our internet finds.

With all this sharing and talking going on it does mean we need to be discerning – we can’t share everything, but we can share the best.