Phone Etiquette for Kids
If your children are now old enough to answer the phone, it's a good idea to start teaching them some basic phone etiquette. Of course, setting a good example will help to solidify these principles and motivate your children to use manners in other scenarios as well.
-
Greetings
-
When your child answers the phone, he should greet the caller with a simple "hello," or by stating your family name in the greeting as in "Hello, Jones residence." It is not polite to answer the phone with phrases like "yeah" or "what," as it seems abrupt and unfriendly.
Questions
-
When your little one answers the phone and does not recognize the voice on the other end, it is proper for them to ask "Who is this, please?" or "Who's calling, please?" This will help your child to direct the call to the right person in the household, and is much better manners than simply saying "Who are you?" to a caller.
-
Considerations
-
Children should also learn about the proper etiquette when it comes to using the phone to make a call. For instance, calling someone during dinner time, or receiving calls during this time, is considered improper etiquette. It's also a good idea to consider teaching your child that it is inappropriate to call people very late at night unless it is an emergency.
-
References
- Photo Credit telephone image by MATTHIEU FABISIAK from Fotolia.com