Comeback - When kids say I dont like you

[Sweetpea1989]

.... to your child.

I know it's completely normal for kids to say I dont like you to one another. I would love some advice on a comeback to give my daughter to say when people say that to her?

There is so much good advice on here.

For context my little girl is 3 1/2 and just started pre school.

Why does she need to give any "comeback"? Why not teach her to feel secure in herself even when people say they don't like her and to walk away from those children until they do want to engage?

Just tell her that child is probably not feeling good and to go and play with someone else.

"OK I won't play with you then" ? I'm not sure a comeback is the right phrase for preschool interactions. Maybe talk to the teacher/staff if it's happening a lot?

Giving a comeback to a toddler is a horrible thing to do. Teach her to walk away and enjoy doing something else instead.

"I love you anyway, but if you'd like some time on your own that's ok"

Why does she need a comeback? She needs to just go and play with someone else.

Sorry - I misread.

When it's another child to your child, just try to distract them with something else.

It's for a preschool child to say to another preschool child. She hasn't said it to her parent.

"ok" is the best comeback I can think of. Don't make a big deal of it, don't teach your child that others define your child, teach them to define themself!

I agree with others that the best thing is to teach her that everybody likes everybody & that’s okay, & that even the people who do like you might not like you all the time & might need space. I guess the closest to a comeback is, “it’s okay if you don’t like me but you don’t need to mean”

Here's the best real life comeback I have ever seen. Kids were probably about 4. One little girl had slapped the other hard across the face after some sort of altercation. The slappee ran off crying. A short while later the slapper, and her mates ran one by one past the slapper each saying in turn ' I don't like you' as they went past her. Slapper looked absolutely crestfallen, really sad. After a minute she walked up to the Slappee and said ' Can I pay with you?' 'No' said the Slappee. So the Slapper said, ' Will you help me get my boots on?' ' Sure' said the slappee, helped the slapper with her boots and then off they all went happily playing together again.

Well paid, Slapper. She has excellent people skills and will go far in life ( if she learns to stop whacking people who piss her off).

Say nothing, just shrug.

That's okay - everyone can't like everyone all the time.

My daughter (9) said “ that’s your loss” when faced with similar

Just teach your child that you can't please everyone all the time, and not everyone can be expected to like each other all the time.

It's ok to say 'that's a shame' and walk off.

‘That’s a shame’ and go and find some people who do like her

My comeback to my kids (16 and 11) if they say that is:

"That's OK, we won't like everyone all of the time. But I'm your mum and I love you very much. I'm in charge of you and will sometimes make decisions you won't like, but they're in your best interests, so you have to listen to me whether you like it or not"

I remember getting this at primary, I devised a great ‘oh god, I’m devastated’ paired with eye roll and walking off.

But to be fair my year 2 report says I was developing a ‘sarcastic streak’ so it’s fairly on brand for me 😂

Argh! Sorry misread child was year 3 not actually 3! Probably not a great look on a preschooler 😂

Just realised it's to say to another child.

I'd just tell her to say "nevermind I will play with somone else"