Phone Etiquette for Teens

Parents need to set phone etiquette standards for their teens and enforce them consistently.

Telephones provide teens with a communication outlet where they can hone their socialization skills. Pamela Barc, executive director of Etiquette Edge recommends that parents set and enforce limits that ensure that teens also learn consideration for others and proper phone etiquette.

General Phone Etiquette

Dr. Marilyn Heins, author of ParenTips, recommends that parents teach their children when they first begin using the phone to always say hello and identify yourself when making a call and to always end a call politely. Parents need to continue to enforce these standards throughout their children's teenage years.

Home Phone Etiquette

Barc states that teens should be always polite to callers without volunteering information, particularly as to whether their parents are home. Heins recommends that parents teach their children how to take messages properly and to be considerate of other family members by limiting the time they spend on the household's phone.

Cell Phone Etiquette

Cindy Post Senning suggests that parents forbid cell phone use during meals, while in a car and during classes. Lynn Yoffee of Everyday Health recommends that parents teach their teenaged children to silence the phone where its ring would be disruptive and avoid disturbing others with loud conversations.

References

• "Metro Parent"; Phone Etiquette 101; Kadidjri Lahab; January, 2010
• Parents Kids Right: Teen Telephone Usage
• "Education"; Teach Your Child Cell Phone Etiquette; Johanna Sorrentino; No publication date given
• "Everyday Health"; The 411 on Cell Phone Use and Teens; Lynn Yoffee; July, 2009

Resources

• "Huffington Post"; Cell Phone Etiquette: 15 Rules to Follow; Biance Bosker; March, 2010