Is just smiling and saying hello to other reception parents enough.?

[overtinkerbell07]

My DS has just started Reception and I’m 26. I’m quite shy, so when I see the other parents waiting outside the classroom, I normally smile and say “morning” but I don’t really start conversations.
I sometimes wonder what they think of me. Would they assume I don’t want to talk or make friends, or would most people just see it as being polite?
My DS is very social and seems to make friends quite easily, but I’m not sure how to arrange playdates when I barely know the parents. It also seems like quite a few of the parents already know each other and have their own little groups, so I feel a bit awkward approaching someone out of the blue.
If my DS starts playing regularly with another child, would it be normal to just approach their parent and suggest a playdate? Or should I try to get to know the parent first?
I don’t want my own shyness to get in the way of my DS making friendships.
Aibu

Following as I also struggle with this!

Being a parent to a reception age child can feel like being back at school yourself. I think it’s good to be friendly and receptive to others and, yes, nice to try to seek out parents of children your child is drawn to. You may end up hanging around at the play dates when they are this small and reluctant to be left. Do you have to be friends with school parents? No, in my opinion it’s perfectly fine not to be.

I’ve never done much more than that and DS is in Year 3! I don’t think that the school run is very conducive to making friends, it was mainly though parties, volunteering at school events and attending social stuff that I got to know other parents. There are still some in his class that I don’t know at all. In terms of play dates, I usually found that DS or his friends would do the asking and then I’d message the parents on WhatsApp although that only really works if you have a class WhatsApp in the first place!

Obviously you don't have to. But it generally works out better for kids if you do, plus you can make friends that last forever. It is harder when you work-friends who never got to do drop off or pick up tended to try to get closer at parties, so that might be an option too, when no one's in such a rush?

Why two threads, OP?

Yes, watch to see who your DS becomes friends with and then approach their parents to arrange a play date. You’ll then naturally begin having chats with parents on a one-to-one basis and you’ll soon see who you gel with and feel comfortable talking to at drop-off and pick-up.