How to Teach Your Child Telephone Manners

Answering the telephone seems like a simple thing that you do automatically. This is probably why many people never think about how important it is to teach children how to answer the phone correctly. However, it is very important to teach your child telephone manners so they will know how to speak to callers correctly and politely.

The first step is to make sure that your child is ready to answer the phone when it rings. If they are uncomfortable with it and shy away from the phone, then you should wait until they are a little older. If you feel that your child is ready, then you can start by teaching them to take the phone seriously. It is not a toy and it is not to be played with.

Explain that there is another person on the other end of the phone line and that even though they cannot see the person, it is the same as talking to them if they were standing in the same room. Therefore, there are certain rules that have to be followed when using the telephone, which includes using manners.

There are three basic steps to teaching a child telephone manners which include the following

1. When to speak

2. When to listen

3. How to respond

If you teach your child to use the three steps above they will have excellent telephone manners that you can be proud of.

Answering Calls

When answering the phone your child needs to know how to respond to the caller in a positive way. They need to first say hello and whether or not they say their name is up to you. After saying hello you need to teach them to listen as the caller speaks. This is a crucial part of phone manners. How many times have you had a child answer the phone and ignore what you are saying? It makes it very difficult for the caller to explain the reason for the call.

Therefore, teach your child to listen and then how to respond. If the caller is asking for you or another adult your child needs to know what to say. There are several responses depending on the circumstances at the time of the call. If someone is available to take the call, then teach your child to say things like "please hold for a moment" or "they will be with you in a moment". This lets the caller know that the child is getting the person they asked for or at least another adult.

If you cannot come to the phone, then teach your child to let the caller know that you are unavailable. They can say that you cannot come to the phone right now, would you please call back later or they can ask to take a short message such as the person's name so you can call them back.

Most importantly teach your child to never just leave a caller hanging on the line. If they answer the phone they must communicate with the caller in a nice, polite way. There will be times that your child answers the phone and they will not understand what the caller wants. Using manners when this happens is also very important.

Even if they don't understand what the caller wants, they can respond by asking the caller to please hold on while they get a parent to the phone. If no one is available they can say "Will you please call back later when you can speak to my parents?" or just a simple "Can I take a message" works just fine. Teach them these basic responses and they will be prepared to answer any calls you receive.

Making Calls

Manners are just as important when making a telephone call as they are when answering one. Teach your child to say hello and say their name so the person they are calling will know who they are. When asking for a friend say "may I please speak to John" or whoever they are calling. When the person responds to their request either by saying one moment or that the person is unavailable at that time, then teach your child to say thank you.

Outside of please and thank you there are a few other important issues to cover when teaching your child telephone manners. For instance, don't talk nonstop to the person on the phone. This is especially important if you do not know who is on the other end of the line. For example, suppose your boss calls to speak to you about an emergency and your child is talking to them nonstop about a toy they have or a game they like to play. This will be annoying to them and embarrassing to you.

Speaking clearly and in a normal tone of voice is also using good manners. No one wants to answer the phone or have the person they are calling answer by screaming at them. Explain to your child that they do not have to yell for the person to hear them. They need to speak normally at all times and clearly. Otherwise the person on the other end of the line will not be able to understand what they are saying.

When it comes to telephone manners, don't forget to teach your child to respect others when they are talking on the phone. Unless it is an emergency they should never interrupt you when you are using the phone. Whatever they need can wait until you are finished especially, if it is a business call. Keep in mind that you may have to go over these rules several times before your child gets it right, so be patient and persistence and they will learn proper telephone manners.