Do you say hello to other peoples children?

Jet Black · 17-06-2009 10:35PM #1

I dont mean when you are trying to lure them from the park to your van, but when they say hello to you in passing.

I notice a lot when I go out my little one will say hello to everyone she passes (including dogs and horses) and lot of people would just look at her like shes weird.
Whenever someone elses child says hello to me I always say hello back.. Its not that hard.

So do you ignore someone if they say hello?

auditek923 · 17-06-2009 10:36PM

i really hate whan i say hello or wave to someone from my car and they dont respond or just stare at me. how hard is it to say hello.

Aidric · 17-06-2009 10:36PM

I just say hello back. It's the polite thing to do after all.

17-06-2009 10:36PM

It depends on a number of things.

* Is she legal?
* Is she hot?

Maddison · 17-06-2009 10:37PM

If they say hello to me I will say it back

davyjose · 17-06-2009 10:37PM

My parent's always told me not to take sweets off strange kids.

stepbar · 17-06-2009 10:38PM

Damm I thought Snyper started this thread......

mental07 · 17-06-2009 10:39PM

Random wrote: »

It depends on a number of things.

* Is she legal?
* Is she hot?

And if it's a male?

connundrum · 17-06-2009 10:39PM

With my serious cap on..

I would always say hi back to a kid - because its cute and there's no harm.

Once or twice a mother has pulled her kid by the arm if they see me saying hi back. My first response is like wtf?! But then I know that some parents are wierd with there kids so I don't take offence.

Blush_01 · 17-06-2009 10:40PM

I say hello. I also walk down the street with a smile on my face a lot of the time - I'm a total freak though. None of this aloof detachment stuff for me, no siree!

My name is URL · 17-06-2009 10:40PM

I say hello to my mates kids, and if a child said hello to me I'd defo say it back. They try to mimic the behaviors of grown ups and just looking at them like they're little lepers isn't going to do a whole lot of good for their social development.

People worry too much about interacting with kids these day for fear of being branded a perv. I blame Brass Eye

davyjose · 17-06-2009 10:42PM

My name is URL wrote: »

I say hello to my mates kids, and if a child said hello to me I'd defo say it back. They try to mimic the behaviors of grown ups and just looking at them like they're little lepers isn't going to do a whole lot of good for their social development.

Little lepers are people too you know ... <runs away in tears>

easyeason3 · 17-06-2009 10:43PM

No not really, I pretend not to notice because you never know if the parents will take it well or not.

Although if I'm driving through a town & a group of kids start waving at me I usually blow the horn & wave, I used to do the same as a child & to get a wave is good, but to get a blow of the horn & a wave is unreal.

* yes I had a sheltered childhood. No, blow of the horn does not mean what some of ye are thinking.

peanuthead · 17-06-2009 10:45PM

I would say hello back, but I remember once I was in TESCO and this woman was in the queue beside me, not behid me, but beside me. She had her child in her arms and the child said "Heya" to me.

I always feel uncomfortable around children, and I feel a bit stupid acting all babyish doing the whole "Oh hellooooo!!" thing, so I just said "Hello" back.

Next thing the child starts shouting on the top of her voice, over and over again "HEYA, HEYA, HEYA, HEYA" without stopping for a breath in between heya's.

This was a 234hr TESCO at 1.30am. 1. Child shouldn't have been up that late I know, 2. There were plenty of people around, but DEAD silence.

I was mortified and the whole experience has just heightened my fear of children saying hello.

Whosbetter? · 17-06-2009 10:46PM

Feel more comfortable about it now that I'm a parent myself.

Tended to ignore kids before that, though.

davyjose · 17-06-2009 10:48PM

easyeason3 wrote: »

No not really, I pretend not to notice because you never know if the parents will take it well or not.

Although if I'm driving through a town & a group of kids start waving at me I usually blow the horn & wave, I used to do the same as a child & to get a wave is good, but to get a blow of the horn & a wave is unreal.

* yes I had a sheltered childhood. No, blow of the horn does not mean what some of ye are thinking.

Dude I have a whole book of "Kids & Blow of the Horn" Jokes......

17-06-2009 10:50PM

Blush_01 wrote: »

I say hello. I also walk down the street with a smile on my face a lot of the time - I'm a total freak though. None of this aloof detachment stuff for me, no siree!

ha! I do this too - weird!

I'd be very animated in my hello too - hellloooo honey pie! parents never ever take it badly when you're being nice to their kid. For flip sake not everyones a bloody freak (well maybe just a little)

Max Power1 · 17-06-2009 10:50PM

children frighten me.. there will be no conversation fortwith

admiralofthefleet · 17-06-2009 10:51PM

course i do. every hole's a goal

Sparky · 17-06-2009 10:52PM

The bear costume makes them say hi to me.

Oh if only they knew.

peanuthead · 17-06-2009 10:53PM

Deleted User wrote: »

parents never ever take it badly when you're being nice to their kid.

so long as you keep your hands where they can see them and don't lick you lips

easyeason3 · 17-06-2009 10:54PM

davyjose wrote: »

Dude I have a whole book of "Kids & Blow of the Horn" Jokes......

Ok give me a few jokes so.

Admiral of the Fleet has lowered the tone enough to make it acceptable

stepbar · 17-06-2009 11:00PM

HELLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

davyjose · 17-06-2009 11:00PM

easyeason3 wrote: »

Ok give me a few jokes so.

Admiral of the Fleet has lowered the tone enough to make it acceptable

I must warn you, they all hinge on the same central premise

Abi · 17-06-2009 11:02PM

If a child said hello to me, I'd say it back. But its pretty awkward if the kid belongs to someone you know, and is obviously bratty. Some people are great with kids, but it doesn't come naturally to everyone.

easyeason3 · 17-06-2009 11:04PM

davyjose wrote: »

I must warn you, they all hinge on the same central premise

Tis up to yourself.

staker · 17-06-2009 11:08PM

I'd always say hello to a kid,or I'd give them a wink or smile if I thought they were nervous of me.

Trinity · 17-06-2009 11:08PM

ah yeah course i'd say hello but sometimes they keep talking and talking and talking......and then ya cant tell them to stfu cos they are not yours so its best just to say hello and keep walking, thats the safest way to deal with children that say hello i find

Sharpshooter · 17-06-2009 11:09PM

I think it's kinda contagious when they smile and say hello.
I say hello back without giving it a second thought.

Blush_01 · 17-06-2009 11:20PM

Deleted User wrote: »

ha! I do this too - weird!

I'd be very animated in my hello too - hellloooo honey pie! parents never ever take it badly when you're being nice to their kid. For flip sake not everyones a bloody freak (well maybe just a little)

No, genuinely, I'm a bit of a freak when it comes to small kids. I could spend hours playing peekaboo (usually in restaurants, on buses or on the luas). I spent a two hour train journey playing "I Spy" with a three year old - obviously she couldn't spell, so it was hilarious for everyone in the carriage.

Child: I spy with my little eye, something beginning with T.
Me: Train
Child: No, silly
(back and forth for about 5 minutes)
Me: I give up, you're too smart for me.
Child: It's a chair!

I've torn more pages out of diaries for strange children to draw pictures on because they were driving everyone mad and all they wanted was something to amuse them. I've had people throw their babies at me so they can root in their handbags. One lady gave me her baby to hold while she was packing her stuff into the luggage hold under the bus, then walked off - I was terrified, she'd just left the baby with me, I could've been anyone!

Scratch the "bit of" - I'm a total freak. People also feel compelled to tell me their life stories - the saddest ones are usually old men.

PinkTulips · 17-06-2009 11:26PM

yep... i'm the crazy lady in the queue behind you chattering to your child over your shoulder

I feel sorry for my daughter as she's a bit socially awkward and goes through phases of trying too hard by waving at people as she walks past them. Only problem is she often forgets to smile and just waves slowly with a very solemn look on her face.... people tend to look at her as if she stepped right out of a horror movie, one woman walked into a wall as she was transfixed in horror and couldn't break eye contact.

Do you say hello to other peoples children?

Do you ignore people who say hello? 98 votes

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