How to Teach Your Child to Answer the Phone

Nothing is more frustrating than making a call and having to speak with a child who doesn't have appropriate telephone manners. It is important to teach appropriate phone protocol to your child so she will know how to speak appropriately and politely.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. The time to begin to teach your child to answer the phone is when he speaks intelligibly and indicates he is ready and interested.

2. Teach your child to say hello. You may want her to say her name as well. "Hello. This Suzy." You may want her to say "Hello, this is the Smith residence", or "May I ask who this is?" Teach her to say the phrase you would like her to use. Make sure she can say it clearly.

3. Teach your child to listen and then respond. If the caller asks for a person who is present, your child should respond with "please hold for a moment" or a similar phrase. Teach your child to not then scream for the person who is being called, but to put the phone down or cover the mouthpiece while seeking out that individual.

4. If you or another person cannot come to the phone, teach your child how to respond. She can say that you can't come to phone right now and ask the person to call back. If she is able to remember, she can ask who is calling. If she write legibly, she can take a message and write it down.

5. Do not allow your child to chat endlessly on the phone with anyone you don't know. Teach your child not to reveal any personal information to a stranger.

6. Teach your child never to leave a caller hanging on the line. If she doesn't understand what the caller is saying, teach her to respond politely and then to seek assistance from you.

Tips & Warnings

• Be sure your child speaks at an appropriate volume.
• Make sure your child can be understood and isn't speaking either to quickly or too slowly.
• Except in the event of an emergency, teach your child not to interrupt you when you are on the phone.
• Your child should never tell a caller she is home alone.

[nancysoffice]

on 6/16/2009 Great article,
in teaching your child to answer the phone. I'm constantly on my son on when answering the phone ask who it is. Not him he just answer says hold on and the gives me the phone.