School run perfunctory smile

[iThinkYouAreWonderful]

So, I live in a small neighbourhood. I work from home so I do the school run everyday. Morning and Afternoon.

During the school run, I walk past neighbours and other parents that I have had limited interactions with. I think they are OK, but we're not friends. We've chatted for 5 minutes here and there, but not much to say.

But I KEEP bumping into them. Multiple times a day or week. And there is only one sensible route to school.

What do people do in this situation? Just keeping making a perfunctory smile? I've had a couple of people start to just walk right past and pretend not to see me. Some look down at the floor, mobile phones, some just stare straight ahead. (the pavement is narrow, no getting away). I find it rude when people you've chatted to from time to time just start to completely ignore you. It just seems really rude. I find it hard to do that.

But equally this fake acknowledgement smile feels, well fake. What do other people do please.

Question: Can I just walk past neighbours, parents in my kids class, etc multiple times a day and not acknowledge that we know each other?

How do other people cope?!

If it's people I have spoken to I would just say hello and carry on, it I had never spoken to them just carry on.

I just always say hi.

I normally just smile, maybe a quick hello or slightly awkward wave as I walk past. Sometimes I don’t acknowledge people if I’m not paying attention, if my mind is elsewhere then I can be totally blind to my surroundings but I don’t mean to be rude.

"Morning!" (or whatever time of day it is) and keep walking.

Just continue doing what makes you feel comfortable and be friendly. If you get eye contact, say a cheerful greeting, any version of “hello” will do, even nod at the same time in recognition. Don’t worry about their reaction or lack of. Just do it anyway and that’s it.

Smile: say “Morning!” Or “Are you OK?” On you go. Over time some of these interactions will deepen, most won’t but you will remain on friendly terms with people.

Its fairly straightforward etiquette really; I don’t understand why this is a source of anxiety?

I just usually acknowledge with a smile or hello or wave or a nod but don’t stop to chat further unless it’s right at the school gates and we both have stopped then we might engage in some small talk. I think it’s rude they are deliberately ignoring you

Don’t overthink their reactions - just smile and some days you might be busier or preoccupied and not see them and rush past.

It’s not a big deal.

Just say good morning or whatever. If they are talking to their child or taking a call, just give them a smile. This isn’t awkward. They are probably busy or stressed or running late or wondering why your aren’t saying anything.

Just smile briefly and say hi. No big deal.

Just say hi and keep walking most days with an occasional chat maybe if seems appropriate.

I like "Morning!"

It acknowledges you're doing the same thing so expresses friendly solidarity without inviting conversation.

Also a quick smile is fine. Don't overthink it. 🙂

I either just smile and carry on doing whatever I was doing, chatting to the kids or whatever, or just say morning, afternoon etc.

They almost certainly aren’t ignoring her.

This sounds like another classic of the “bitchy, cliquey school mums” genre about to unspool.

They are probably busy and tired and wanting to just crack on with their day. Or possibly they have stuff going on which you don’t know about. With all kindness, it’s not about you and you will do yourself a big favour by not overthinking this.

Smile, say hello and walk on.

Maybe they’re feeling awkward, too! From experience, it’s commonplace for this kind of perfunctory acknowledgement on the school run to carry on for years without developing into anything more, unless you meet in other circumstances or something happening en route sparks a conversation. Some people will barely have registered you. Others will be overthinking, like you. Just do your smile and say hi. Most will reciprocate, some won’t, or will sometimes, but not always! Just be yourself and remain pleasant. Don’t try and second guess what’s going on in other people’s minds.

Good morning and carry on walking.

Nodding and smiling is the classic British suburban way with neighbours without getting into anything deeper. Or perhaps a brief cheery wave if they are on the other side of the street. There is nothing wrong with that. You are acknowledging their existence in the world without getting involved. They are as busy as you are probably still feel the same. The olden days of chatting on the street corner or over the garden fence are long gone. Very few people now want to get deeply ivolved with neighbours.

Just acknowledge them and keep walking, a smile a nod a hi a wave. It's not hard. Don't slow down to chat. If they try and slow down to talk just keep going but say I've got to get back.

A cheery, “Morning!” or “Afternoon!” when moving on the streets.
At school gates I might stop and chat to some parents whose child is in the same class as mine. Usually start with a, “Can I just ask about school trip/homework/school club?” and if they seem chatty back then you know they don’t mind having a chat at the gates. If they don’t chat and give short answers and body language isn’t open, then end the interaction.
If you’ve been overly chatty in the past then some may wish to avoid you as they don’t want to get caught up in a convo at that time (have other commitments they need to get to). And it’s always worth remembering that as children are diagnosed with SEN that many adults are also undiagnosed and masking so it’s not personal to you.

Morning, or hi. Sometimes I feel like I can’t put the ‘smile’ on, particularly if I’ve already said Hi to several people, I usually turn to chat to DC so my attention is on them so it doesn’t look like I’m being rude. I have noticed everyone else does similar in that they will make eye contact and say Hi some days and others they don’t.

They are acquaintances. Just say Hi and smile and keep moving.

Just a quick smile and/or a head nod is absolutely fine. These other people don't want any more interaction than that either, I promise you.
If you're feeling brave, you can throw in a "morning" or "hiya".

Why would you need to cope??

‘Hi’ or ‘morning’ is fine.

The same as other people you recognise on the street from around your area