Hellobee Boards Topic: 3 year old won't say hello

Hellobee Boards Topic: 3 year old won't say hello https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Mon, 01 Jun 2026 15:19:48 +0000 Mrs. Lion on "3 year old won't say hello" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/3-year-old-wont-say-hello#post-2515393 Mon, 04 Apr 2016 20:09:04 +0000 Mrs. Lion 2515393@https://boards.hellobee.com/ Sounds totally normal!! Crisark on "3 year old won't say hello" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/3-year-old-wont-say-hello#post-2515391 Mon, 04 Apr 2016 20:07:24 +0000 Crisark 2515391@https://boards.hellobee.com/ A was like this until very recently even with family. She will be 3 on Friday and only started opening the up more since starting daycare a couple months ago. dolphin on "3 year old won't say hello" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/3-year-old-wont-say-hello#post-2514534 Mon, 04 Apr 2016 09:05:35 +0000 dolphin 2514534@https://boards.hellobee.com/ Thanks everyone! Good to know it's common! I agree I don't want to push her to say hello if she feels uncomfortable but I do want her to learn to be polite too. She's this way even with my brother who she is totally comfortable with, like laughing and playing whenever she sees him BUT she refuses to say "hi" to him when she first sees him. She would literally ignore him and then ten minutes later would literally be hanging on him and she does this every single time. Makes me wonder if she's just being stubborn! mrsjyw on "3 year old won't say hello" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/3-year-old-wont-say-hello#post-2514387 Mon, 04 Apr 2016 07:28:52 +0000 mrsjyw 2514387@https://boards.hellobee.com/ DS1 is like this too and we don't force it. He's been better about it in the last few months. We just try to mention it once or twice and then show him how we greet/hug our friends/family. Same with saying thank you, you're welcome, etc. sometimes to people we come across at the store who give him stickers. We try to encourage him to say hi/bye/thank you/etc. to the people daddy/mommy say is okay (in terms of strangers). Madison43 on "3 year old won't say hello" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/3-year-old-wont-say-hello#post-2514381 Mon, 04 Apr 2016 07:16:52 +0000 Madison43 2514381@https://boards.hellobee.com/ My 2.5 yo is like this sometimes. I never push it, bc as a pp pointed out, it makes things worse. For my daughter, it's partly that she needs time to warm up, but moreso she hates to be put on the spot, so the whole "can you say hi" thing with everyone then looking at her and waiting for a response causes her to totally shut down. looch on "3 year old won't say hello" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/3-year-old-wont-say-hello#post-2514380 Mon, 04 Apr 2016 07:13:39 +0000 looch 2514380@https://boards.hellobee.com/ My son is like this, he might not say hello, but when we leave, he'll often give everyone a big bear hug. It's just his personality and people have gotten used to it. hilsy85 on "3 year old won't say hello" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/3-year-old-wont-say-hello#post-2514377 Mon, 04 Apr 2016 07:08:50 +0000 hilsy85 2514377@https://boards.hellobee.com/ My LO is the same and we don't push it at all--I don't know any adults who would get upset that a 3 year old won't say hi to them, and if we push it with my LO he gets upset and it becomes a bigger deal--just not worth it! I do model good behavior and give him the opportunity to say hi, wave, hi five, etc. lilteacherbee on "3 year old won't say hello" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/3-year-old-wont-say-hello#post-2514337 Mon, 04 Apr 2016 01:29:59 +0000 lilteacherbee 2514337@https://boards.hellobee.com/ My kid usually says hi without an issue, but I was definitely like this growing up. I agree with @kodybear: If people pushed me (usually extended family members), it made me not want to talk even more. I was like this until at least middle school. I think just continuing to talk to her about it and modeling will help, but she may just be a quiet kid until she warms up. kodybear on "3 year old won't say hello" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/3-year-old-wont-say-hello#post-2514310 Sun, 03 Apr 2016 22:20:58 +0000 kodybear 2514310@https://boards.hellobee.com/ Dd is like this and we just encourage a hello or wave or high five but if she doesn't do anything we don't push it. I was like that as a kid too and it definitely didn't help when it was pushed upon me or forced. It just made me want to clam up more! Jess1483 on "3 year old won't say hello" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/3-year-old-wont-say-hello#post-2514299 Sun, 03 Apr 2016 22:04:13 +0000 Jess1483 2514299@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I try to offer an alternative when my LO (3.5) doesn't want to say hello (he can be painfully shy, even around good friends)--can you give a wave? A smile? I do expect a greeting, but it doesn't have to be verbal. skipper2010 on "3 year old won't say hello" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/3-year-old-wont-say-hello#post-2514296 Sun, 03 Apr 2016 21:59:10 +0000 skipper2010 2514296@https://boards.hellobee.com/ DS is 2.5 and he's like this too. He's painfully shy at first until he warms up. I tell him to say hello, but I don't force it because I don't want to make him more uncomfortable. catomd00 on "3 year old won't say hello" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/3-year-old-wont-say-hello#post-2514284 Sun, 03 Apr 2016 21:42:34 +0000 catomd00 2514284@https://boards.hellobee.com/ Sounds like she just takes time to warm up to others. I don't think it's s big deal at all. I'd continue preparing her and asking her to say hello. If she doesn't, I wouldn't push it, just model greetings and let her know that saying hi is the polite way to greet someone. She will get there. dolphin on "3 year old won't say hello" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/3-year-old-wont-say-hello#post-2514282 Sun, 03 Apr 2016 21:39:10 +0000 dolphin 2514282@https://boards.hellobee.com/ DD is 3 and she never says hi to our friends (kids and adults) when she sees them. She's always been this way but when she was younger I just figured she's a little shy and she needs time to warm up. But now that she's older I'm really trying to teach her good manners and these are friends we see ALL THE TIME, like almost weekly. She's not shy around them when she has some time to warm up and will be her silly self dancing, singing and playing. She would usually say bye and even give them hugs but the next time she sees them she refuses to say hello. I would even prepare her beforehand and tell her exactly who she is going to see and I ask her what she will say when she sees them and she answers "hi!" and waves and smiles! But right when she actually sees them she freezes and doesn't say a word. Anyone else have a kid that won't say hi too?