Sharing and Not Sharing
Sharing is a wonderful thing. Sharing a snack, a toy, or a story can make you and someone else both feel great. But not everything should be shared with everyone — and that is perfectly okay. Knowing when to share and when to keep something private is one of the most important skills you can have. Today we are going to practice making those choices.
Sharing Is a Choice — and the Choice Is Yours
Here is something powerful to remember: sharing is a choice, not a rule. Nobody can force you to share something that belongs to you — not a toy, not a story you wrote, not private information about yourself. Of course, there are times when sharing is kind and generous, and those moments feel great. But the key word is choose. You get to decide what you share, when you share it, who you share it with, and how much of it you share. This is especially important online, where things can spread to thousands of people very quickly once you hit send or post.
Sharing is a choice. You decide what to share, who to share it with, and when. Nobody should pressure you to share something you want to keep private — whether it is a drawing, a story, or personal information.
Meet Priya. She wrote a personal journal entry about a hard day she had. Her brother asked to read it. Priya did not feel ready to share it, so she said no. Her brother was a little disappointed, but Priya made a great choice. Her journal entry was personal. She had not decided she wanted anyone to read it yet. Saying no to sharing something private is completely okay. Later, Priya wrote a funny poem that she was really proud of. This time she chose to share it with her whole family at dinner. They loved it and asked for more. Priya made two different choices for two different things — and both choices were right, because they were hers to make.
How to Decide Whether to Share
When you are deciding whether to share something, you can ask yourself a few simple questions. First: Does sharing this feel okay to me? If something feels wrong or uncomfortable, that feeling is telling you something important. Trust it. Second: Who am I sharing with? Sharing a drawing with a close friend is different from posting it on the internet where strangers can see it. Third: Once I share this, can I take it back? If you whisper a secret to one friend, it might stay private. If you post something online, it might be out there forever. Fourth: Does this information belong only to me, or does it involve others too? If a story you are about to share mentions your friend's private struggles, sharing it might hurt someone else.
Flashcards — click each card to reveal the answer
Match each sharing situation to the best response.
Terms
Definitions
Drag terms onto their definitions, or click a term then click a definition to match.
When you share something in person, usually only the people right there can see it. When you share something online, it can travel to thousands of people you have never met. Always think twice — and ask a trusted adult — before sharing anything online.
Priya does not want to share her personal journal entry with her brother. What is true about her choice?
Before sharing something online, what is the most important question to ask?
My Share or Keep List
- Fold a piece of paper in half. On the left side write SHARE. On the right side write KEEP PRIVATE.
- Now think about the following things and decide where each one belongs on YOUR list. Remember, there are no wrong answers — this is YOUR choice for YOUR life.
- Things to sort: your first name, your home address, a funny drawing you made, your daily schedule, your favorite song, your phone number, a poem you are proud of, your password.
- Once you have sorted them, choose one item from the SHARE column and think of one person you would feel happy sharing it with.
- Choose one item from the KEEP PRIVATE column and talk about why you want to keep it private. There is always a reason that makes sense, and your reason is valid.