It’s important to teach kids to look at people in the eye and say hello. It’s painful for some kids, but it’s a skill that will develop self confidence. It’s also polite. Practice at home through roll play. Remind kids how to do it before you enter a public setting. Praise them when you see them do it well. Have them practice with people they know. I heard my friend (who grew up being painfully shy) say to her son, “Being shy is a choice.” It really stood out to me since it came from someone who has had to battle to not be withdrawn. When you ask them to greet someone, and they don’t do it you can say, “We’re working on this.” Give them the tools to be able to interact with others in a respectful and confident way.
