To not want a child to answer the phone?

[JewelFairies]

If I phone someone I do not wish to negotiate with a toddler or small child. I don't think it's okay to let a child under the age of ...er, 14? to answer the phone. I'd rather speak to an answer phone than a child. AIBU?

My 3 yr old always answers the phone but its only ever her grandparents or cold callers and she just hangs up on them :)

YANBU Personally I hate it. My sister always lets her 9 year old pick up their landline....you might think 9 is old enough but it's not....not in her case anyway! She's single worded and sullen sounding....never says Hi or anything I have to prompt her.

Why HAVE a landline then Robin?

I don't really mind a child answering the phone. I hate with a passion answer phone greetings by children. Parents think it's cute but it's always just incomprehensible babble.

My 3 year old wouldn't think of answering the phone and neither would my 6 year old. It's just wrong IMO.

Neo- I have to pay for line rental for my broadband package.

I always get my dd to answer the phone. It's only ever cold callers or my technophobe mother, both of which I'm more than happy for her to intercept.

Well my eight, ten and thirteen year olds answer if they are nearest the phone, they will say hello ask whom is calling and then bring the phone to me. So yes they are old enough.

Our phone rather annoyingly only rings four times before it cuts to the answer machine so whoever is nearest answers it.

They'd never open the door to anyone either. Bet people who send their toddlers to answer the phone wouldn't be happy for them to open the door to complete strangers?

Depends who gets to phone first in our house. I'd rather the phone got answered than left to ring if I can't hear it (in garden) or get to it in time.

Eldest (12) is fine to answer and hands it straight over but other two (10 and 6) are quite happy to strike up conversations with whoever before they hand it to me. I have a friend who now puts on silly voices when he rings to trick them but they always see (hear?) through it.

Doesn't bother me if a child answers as long as it eventually ends up with adult.

When I had a landline phone my toddler always answered it, precisely because I did not want to talk to people. Anyone who knows me well enough for me to want to talk to them knows to ring or text my mobile or email me if they had no mobile credit.

I wouldn't want a toddler answering the phone, but surely a child of about 6+ is capable?

Yes she also opens the door. We live in a 2 bed flat not a 4 story mansion and the door is locked at night. Do you think the postman is going to bundle them away in their bag?

Opening the door to strangers is rather different to answering a telephone, no? Though I might start sending my 6 year old to answer the charity desperados who are plaguing my area at the moment. Preferably whilst dressed as a pirate and brandishing my pink duster.

Maybe this is my problem. I hate the phone and rarely answer it myself. That's what the answerphone is for so I can screen calls. And no, if I am unfortunate to have to phone someone, I do not want to speak to a child.

Why is it a problem though? Surely you just say can I speak to your mum/dad?

Yes they open the door as well, I tend to be about but again I can't see this problem unless you live in a very dodgy area?

Well you not wanting to speak to a child is your problem, as long as they are polite I dotn see the problem.

My 4yo does it all the time, its usually a race for me to get there but I often loose as am running around after the 2 younger ones. I think if people don't like it, don't ring. The only people I don't mind interrupting what i'm doing are the ones that don't mind talking to dd anyw

*anyway

My dc answer the phone, and get the door if I'm upstairs (I have a disability which means I can't always get there in time - they know to say "my mum is just coming" and not let anyone in. On the phone they're polite, well spoken and learning an important skill (tend to answer their own mobiles - if hey ever ring, it's all text here - with " 'sup? " which isn't tolerated on the landline!

I don't like toddlers answering the phone either, but my two are faster than me.

The chuffing thing hardly ever rings but I always seem to be unlucky when it does i.e. someone's just come to the door, nappy disaster etc, so I've no chance to get it.

Of course, having told them not to answer it means they make sure they do it without fail. They tell me fibs about who is on the phone and then have a loud tantrum once I've wrested it from their grasp, so I can never hear the caller anyway. Jewel, best if you don't phone my house

I don't have a landline,but if the dc are playing on my phone and it rings they either answer it,.or shout "Mummy, your phone is ringing".to whichever room I am in (unless I'm sat with them of course, although why they can't bring the fecking phone i don't know!), or divert the call. It depends who is calling, and what mood the dc are in.

My daughter sometimes answers our phone, she's three.

I think it's cute but I'm aware others probably don't, it's only really grandparents that ring though to be fair.

My 5 year old niece answers the phone (which is a boon, as her parents never do). She's very good, actually. Always gets the person you want, faithfully relays messages.