6 Year Old No Longer Says "I Love You"

Just keep saying it :) As mentioned, it's his age. My son is almost 9 and will still say it if we're at home together, but probably would hesitate if we were out in public. Even if he doesn't, keep saying it. Don't make him feel like he HAS to say it - but you don't have to stop, either. Saying it is better than not, imo.

It's a phase. Don't stress over it and don't chide him for it.

I'd let it go and see if it's a phase. For a time, my DD would not say good bye, because that meant you had to leave. As long as he accepts I love yous and shows normal affection, I would let him say "I love you" in other ways. My FIL asks, "So, how's the car?"

Totally normal!

When my 9 year old was 7 and 8 in the rare occasion that I would pick him up at daycare he would hug me and be happy to see me. The teacher kept telling me to enjoy it while it lasts because there will come the day when he no longer wants to hug his mommy.

That day has come, and I really miss it :-(

Totally normal. It's a boy thing :-)

It could be just a phase as he is growing up. Or he may be moving away from stating it. My older kds moved away from this around 6 or 7. One of my girls would say " love you heart mucho". But she eventually stopped. Now, she will sometimes text me or tell me "I love you mommy" when she is leaving the house. It catches me off guard because I don;t hear it often. My 7 yr old still tells me and asks for hugs. My 4 yr old always demands a kiss and hug but rarely says the words. It is one of those things that you think "I remember when he would ....". My husband and I talk about this all the time..the way they would say words, what they would say, how they would describe something.
I would still tell him you love him but don't make it seem like he is doing something wrong by not saying the words to you.

Updated

It could be just a phase as he is growing up. Or he may be moving away from stating it. My older kds moved away from this around 6 or 7. One of my girls would say " love you heart mucho". But she eventually stopped. Now, she will sometimes text me or tell me "I love you mommy" when she is leaving the house. It catches me off guard because I don;t hear it often. My 7 yr old still tells me and asks for hugs. My 4 yr old always demands a kiss and hug but rarely says the words. It is one of those things that you think "I remember when he would ....". My husband and I talk about this all the time..the way they would say words, what they would say, how they would describe something.
I would still tell him you love him but don't make it seem like he is doing something wrong by not saying the words to you.

Is love something you say, or something you show?

Be satisfied with the love he wants to show... a hug, a moment he wants to spend with you, times where he wants to share something special with you.

My son is eight. Sometimes, when I say "I love you", he will reply with "I love you, too." Then there are times where I say that and he's in his head, thinking about something more pressing to him. He's reassured and aware of our love for him so it's not something he pays much attention to. Sometimes I get little notes from him, sometimes it's an origami heart or sometimes it's him wanting me to snuggle him in his bed while he's waking up. We chatter and laugh and are silly.

Love is in the actions, not the words. Saying "I love you" is one thing, living it is another, entirely.

Very typical. It's part of getting older, being a little more self-conscious, and seeing himself as a more independent little person. Try not to read anything into it. It doesn't mean he doesn't love you! It just means he doesn't say it. Try to find the many other signals he gives you that show you how very much he needs and depends on you. They are there - they are just another form of language/communication. You'll see it when he's sick or hurt, when you surprise him with something special on his birthday, and so on. DO keep telling him you love him but don't make his response the "price" for anything. It's hard not to ask for validation from our kids - but we can't. And if we do, we don't know if they're doing it out of guilt or out of sincerity. If you think you coerce it from him, it's actually not satisfying at all.

And just for laughs, think of this as the start of preparing for the tween years when they don't want you to be seen in public with them, and the teen years when they roll their eyes at 95% of what you say except "Dinner's ready." When they want the car keys at 17, they suddenly love you again. Then they get independent yet again in college - our son was always blowing us off and never telling us what was going on with his college life, just writing home for money….and then on graduation day, he looked at us both and said "Thank you so much for sending me to this awesome college." It was worth waiting for!

Common phase as he turns from a little boy into a big boy.

It's common for some kids.
Fortunately our son has always been perfectly fine with frequent "I love you!"s with both me and Dad and he's currently16.

he's probably picked up on the fact that it's not a phrase you hear randomly at school they way he does at home, and is test-driving how it feels NOT to say it.
i think it's fine to ask him about it once, but now drop it. the worst thing you can do is nag or guilt trip him over it (not that you're doing that.) i myself would probably go the other direction and chase him around the house before bathtime shrieking 'SAY IT!!!!! SAY IT OR I SHALL TICKLE TIL YOU PUKE!!!!! THE DARK QUEEN DEMANDS HER RIGHTFUL DUE!!!!!!!!'
but other than that, just keep cheerfully telling him that you love HIM, and trust that once he's comfortable with whatever he's mulling over right now, he'll become more verbally demonstrative again.
and most kids don't actively recognize the subterranean mental processes.
khairete
S.

I wouldn't stop saying it to him. Nor would I stop SHOWING him I love him.

Kids go through phases. Let him go through his phase. Saying I love you 50 times losing its meaning. Saying it once a week? Well - it's music to your ears and you appreciate it more...

My 13 year old son - comes up to me and says "I wwwwoooooovvveeee you mommmmmmeeee" and has this dorky look on his face....it cracks me up and I laugh...he laughs...it's "our thing"...

I realize you miss hearing it - don't stop telling and showing him. He'll say it when he wants to!

Hopefully its a phase. But it could have something to do with peer influence. Peer influences are stronger in pre-schooled children, which may be something to consider.

All 4 of my boys have gone through this.

They are learning that words can hurt and help. While he's not doing it to be mean. Watch his actions. He doesn't need to say it every day. My 16 year old (we had huge problems that made us change as a family with him) will see other kids doing stupid stuff in school and he'll come home and say "Thank you. I love you" and Tyler and I just say "you're welcome. We love you too."

At first we needed to know WHY the 'thank you' and with the help of a family therapist, we have learned not to question everything and just accept.