From memory, when my brother was young, he would always say "I love you" to me, and I would not make a reply. That got him upset once, and he told a counselor at a camp. The counselor came up to me and said "your brother told me that you don't love him anymore" and I still didn't make a reply. Its not that I don't love him, its just that I don't tell him that often. Its the same with my parents. We usually don't use that "I love you" around the house that often. Whenever its a crush, her friends will ask me that question " do you like her?" (using like instead of love), and I would get into trouble. Only once did a girl ask me that question and I tried to hide my yes by using my dad as an excuse by saying "well he knew that you were interested in me" and before I knew it, we were a couple.