Social Etiquette- Talking/ Greeting

nayidulhan · Dec 17, 2018

My daughter talks well at home with us, her family but she is a bit shy with her teachers, friends' parents, our extended family, our neighbours, etc. She talks to them but only when she's asked some question or something. At social gatherings like parties, weddings, etc. she doesn't talk to anyone. If someone my husband and I know comes to talk to us and if they greet her, she just doesn't reply to them. How do you teach the kids talking and greeting manners? Once when I asked her, she told me that I have myself asked her not to talk to strangers! How do i explain all the situations to her- when , how, with whom it is ok to talk/ not talk/ only smile/ only greet, etc. etc.

Rihana · Dec 18, 2018

nayidulhan said: ↑

Once when I asked her, she told me that I have myself asked her not to talk to strangers!
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That's cute. : ) So, she has got the hang of the caution to not talk to strangers but is overdoing it.

How do i explain all the situations to her- when , how, with whom it is ok to talk/ not talk/ only smile/ only greet, etc. etc.
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Be specific when guiding her and start with small goals. To start off, you can focus on her responding appropriately to people that you or your husband are talking to. Tell her that seeing either of you talking with someone means they might be stranger but it is ok to respond. Practice it in a fun manner without making a big deal of her so far not responding to people. You can recall similar things from your childhood and narrate them. How children talked with adults in those days, etc.

At social gatherings like parties, weddings, etc. she doesn't talk to anyone.
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It will come with time. Work on it slowly without scolding or nagging after each occasion when she forgets to make the small talk.

Above all, if any people comment on her, and ask you in front of her, "Oh she is a shy girl, haan?", have some tactful responses ready that do not agree with the 'she is shy' observation.

nayidulhan · Dec 20, 2018

Thanks Rihana for your reply!
I would appreciate it if you could give me some suggestions on answering the "she is shy"thing. I come across this one all the time and I am tired of just smiling back to respond to that.