I have a very happy and social child that I encourage to greet people with a smile, a handshake and an introduction, it's old school courteousness, the amount of stuck up adults who eye ball him and then completely ignore an innocent child being extremely polite as I have taught him kills me. He turns around asks why did that person look so angry
Conversely when an adult sees this and responds its the adult who gets the biggest buzz! "Wow what a polite boy, you dont see that much any more" y boy turns too me and then explains for 15 minutes what that man or lady was doing and why they said hello, the imagination fires big time and kid learns important social skills.
IMO
PLEASE take the time to smile at a little kid, acknowledge their importance and self worth when they are being.............A CHILD!
I also will say hello to anyone eye balling me whilst walking as a gesture of acknowledgement that I have seen you and I will not walk into you, again some smile but most are just too freakin busy with worry about how their choccolattefrappachino is!
Sorry team, respect our kids and each other!!!
Good winds 
Well done. It's a reflection of the parents at the end of the day and too bloody rare for my liking.
My sons have the same view instilled into them. The oldest is 6 and he is the only one at the end of a Rugby Game or even training to go up to the refs and then his coaches, looks them in the eye and shakes thier hand and thanks them for the efforts for the day.
Took some prodding over time but the efforts paid off and he does it wtihout thinking now.
just cos they're little, doesn't mean kids are any less worthy of a smile/handshake/respect/courtesy.
onya mate....world needs more parents like you.
I understand the problem from both sides.
Little kids often smile at me and say hello and I always smile back and give an animated hello in return.
Sometimes I also get a smile from their parent/s but sometimes I get a really rude and dismissive look from them as though I was out to molest their child.
So all up, I somethimes think it would be better to just ignore the first hello and save the agro.
I suppose that's what most people do these days and it's hard to blame them.
It was not like that 60 years ago. 
It's something which has crept in over the last 30 years.
I always smile back, little kids get a big kick out of it. Same as little kids waving at you when you are driving, I always wave back they love it
So all up, I somethimes think it would be better to just ignore the first hello and save the agro.
I suppose that's what most people do these days and it's hard to blame them.
It was not like that 60 years ago. It's something which has crept in over the last 30 years.
Yep, seems like damned if you do and damned if you don't. More the problem with the agro parents than anything else.
I suppose if I am with my child then I am more inclined to be more receptive, otherwise be careful.
Sad really as it all is an exercise in communication and trust, and ultimately respect between an adult and a child.
It's something which has crept in over the last 30 years.
Normally when this happens i very loudly explain to my kids why its rude to push in but normally they don't give a toss..
It might also have something to do with the sad state of society where a lot of adults are pretty uncomfortable in engaging any kid they don't know in any sort of social way. Why? Because of the small minority that we all read about every now and then that are dodgy ****ers. I reckon a lot of people, especially those with no kids of their own or limited contact with kids, are very paranoid about any sort of interaction with kids because of the dodgy **** that goes down. Sad, wrong, but true.
Gotta say,
Before I had kids I was one of those people, but back then kids were just annoying any way.
After having a couple of my own, now it's a different story because of the perspective.
I also gotta say, I have a 2 & a 3 year old. And both are of the very outgoing type - have been brought up to talk to anyone and assume eveyone is a friend.
Was just saying, not everyone knows how to handle a friendly kid. My posts were largely the result of reading a post by a guy on the Whirlpool forums. By his own account he was a big, unapproachable looking dude (I imagine a lot like me in my profile pic
) and he had started walking for exercise. He consistently encountered some young, very friendly kid that would chat freely to him on his walks. His post was about the fact that he really didn't feel comfortable being seen to talk to this kid. I can understand his hesitance in today's society, but think it's sad that I do.
) and he had started walking for exercise. He consistently encountered some young, very friendly kid that would chat freely to him on his walks. His post was about the fact that he really didn't feel comfortable being seen to talk to this kid. I can understand his hesitance in today's society, but think it's sad that I do.
Cheers guys,
True about what will people may be thinking if I return the smile, I did not think of that, also true that now days for example a teacher cant even give a comforting embrace to a hurt, sad or bullied child, right then when that child needs to be held close as that is the only protection and understanding they know. The poor teacher could be filmed and then mis represented and cast out as a child molester.
If I saw a child lost I will be holding that kid and giving the reassurance they require, I will also be on the phone to the police explaining what is happening at the same time, that is a risk I will take rather than have some sicko snatch an opportunity.
I just find it all a bit disappointing, even more so when you hear about the (Alleged) murder suicide in Port Denison WA, it has affected me such that even today a cartoon showed an animated child creature loosing his parents, cartoon yes but jeeze it tugged at the heart strings. 2 beautiful girls gone and the Mum....... I wont judge as I dont know what the story is, again 2 innocent children gone!!!
I appreciate your comments,
GT
Went to Vanuatu a few years ago every where you look its huge big smiles and hello from lots of ppl walking down the street
The Nevan ppl are kown as the happiest ppl in the world
Us civilized ppl could learn a lot
Really ?? That sure was not my impression in the eighties something must have changed there
