Kids should learn proper etiquette, including table manners, talking to other people and making requests. Phone etiquette is important because virtually everyone has a telephone, and kids may need to answer it. They should know etiquette basics like being polite and taking messages properly. They should also be aware of potential danger and information that should not be provided to callers.
Description
Phone etiquette for kids means answering telephone calls promptly and interacting with the caller politely. Children should know how to greet callers, what to say in common circumstances and how to end the call. They should also know how to take a proper message if they are old enough to write.
Features
Kids should answer the telephone promptly, and the Teacher Planet lesson-planning website advises that they should turn down the television, music or other background noise first. They should use a proper greeting like "Hello," instead of "Yeah," or "What?" Optionally, they can add identification like, "Johnson residence," although they should not volunteer their own name. If the caller is looking for a parent or other household member, children should say, "One minute please," and get that person rather than yelling to him. If the person is unavailable, they should say, "He (or she) can't come to the phone right now." Kids who are old enough should offer to take a message and read it back to ensure its accuracy before ending the call with a polite "goodbye."
Benefits
Callers get a good impression of kids who use good phone etiquette. The youngsters get to practice proper manners, which helps them remember to be polite in other life areas. Other members of the household benefit when kids take clear, accurate messages and pass them along in a timely fashion.
Time Frame
Don't teach your child to use the telephone too early. Parents often think it's cute for a toddler to answer the phone, but this is poor etiquette. Family members might think it's cute, but other callers get frustrated talking to a child who doesn't have well-developed conversation skills, warns the A to Z of Manners & Etiquette information website. Wait until the child is old enough to have a basic conversation and follow instructions. Demonstrate proper greetings and phone skills and do some role-plays before allowing the child to answer calls.
Safety
Children should know how to respond to questions that could compromise their safety. They should answer queries in a mannerly way but refuse to give certain information, such as their identity or whether their parents are home. A to Z of Manners & Etiquette advises teaching youngsters to reply with the phone number and family name when asked, "Who is this?" They should say "I don't give out that information" if the caller keeps pressing. They should tell callers their parents are busy or not available at the moment, even if the adults are not actually home. Let them know it's OK to hang up as a last resort if a caller gets pushy or threatening.
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