Many parents have fallen into a "freeze" when they meet neighbors or relatives, adults happily ask questions, but the child just bows their heads, hides behind their mother or remains silent without answering. Immediately, many people conclude: the child is bad, the child is uneducated, the child is not educated.
But in reality, the act of not greeting sometimes does not originate from attitude, but comes from psychology.
I'm not saying hello maybe because I'm shy and scared
For young children, especially introverted children, greeting strangers or people they rarely meet is a challenge. Children may feel insecure, not knowing what to say, or afraid of being noticed. When forced to greet immediately, children become more stressed and react by remaining silent.
Many experts believe that this is a common reaction in shy children or children who are insecure.
I'm under pressure and don't want to communicate
Some children are tired, hungry, sleepy or have just experienced something that makes them uncomfortable. At that time, the child no longer has the energy to "perform" a social act as adults want. The more parents scold, the more the child develops a feeling of fear of meeting others.
I don't understand the meaning of greeting
Not every child naturally understands that greeting is polite. Many children only follow habits, if parents are less exemplary or less guided, children will not know what to say and do.
Children need to be taught by actions and repeated many times, not just understood by a shout.
Parents' mistake is making their children ashamed in front of others
Phrases like "You don't know how to say hello", "Whose child is so rude", "It's really shameless" can deeply hurt children. Children are not only afraid to say hello, but also afraid to meet adults because they are afraid of being scolded.
It is worth mentioning that children will remember the feeling of being insulted longer than remembering the lesson of politeness.
How should parents handle it?
Instead of forcing your child to say hello immediately, be a role model: "Hello teacher, I'll say hello to you first". If your child is still silent, parents can say hello instead and gently say: "I'm a little shy today, next time I'll say hello".
When you get home, practice with your child through role-playing games. Teach your child simple sentences like "Hello teacher" and praise them every time they do it.
Politeness is not something that can be achieved by scolding. Patience and subtle teaching will make children know how to greet naturally.
