QOTD: Proper Phone Etiquette
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QOTD: Proper Phone Etiquette
| Wed, 08-27-2008 - 3:17pm |
Does your tween/teen know how to ask for somebody on the telephone? It seems like such a simple thing to do and yet many of my tweens’ friends struggle with it.
I can't stand answering the phone and I am greeted with "Is Isaiah home?" Not a "Hello Mrs ..... this is X, is Isaiah home?"

Alexis always says "Hi, this is Alexis, may I speak to _____?"
Not quite as proper as she could be, but pretty good for a 12 year old.
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If my kids know for sure who it is that answers, they will say "Hi X, this is Isaiah, Jasmin or
What a great question Nicole, clearly you are a woman after my own heart.
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Grace, Speed and Power...Girls Lax
Both of my kids answer the same - "
That is cute!! I would crack up about that...that's an exception IMO.
DS has this one friend that just calls and says "Hello" ............................ WTHeck? He doesn't say anything else!! It drives me mad!
One girl called for DS and she was so darned cute.. .she was chatting me up. She asked about my day, she asked about how I enjoyed the weekend etc. I didn't know the girl from Adam.
You've hit a peeve of mine! Kids this age should know how to speak properly on the phone.
My kids have been taught to say: "Hello, Mrs. L. This is Abigail. May I please speak to Allie?"
People have actually complimented me on their manners, as if I were some miracle worker. All it takes is the desire to teach a kid how to be polite. You can do this type of training in about half an hour for the typical kid.
Some of their friends get it half right. They call and say, "This is Julia" and then wait expectantly. Since I am a mother, I can read minds, so I say, "And I'll bet you'd like to talk to Abigail."
DD has one friend who calls and chats politely with me "How was your summer, Mrs. S?" before asking for my daughter, but she's the exception.
My son's friends hardly ever call (he doesn't have that many friends), but when they do, they're usually very polite and businesslike. The ones who aren't have clueless parents.
>>The ones who aren't have clueless parents.<<
That cracked me up!
I actually taught my kids when they were wee ones. They used to be so cute on the phone as toddlers "HEWO, this is Isaiah..may I pwease speak to Nana"
All it takes for a tween to be polite on the phone is to lose privileges. My DD wanted to answer the phone "What's up" one time. She wasn't even allowed to LOOK at the phone for a week. I refuse to have that type of behavior in my home. REFUSE! I haven't had a problem since.
Ramona Mom to 2 great kids and wife to one wonderful hubby since 1990!