to think that it is ok for our children to answer the phone at home?

[DoctorFrankenSquonk]

dp says it's "unprofessional"

I say it doesn't need to be professional as we are not running a business, it's our home.

okay, so it's a bit of a pita when our 2 year old answers the phone and refuses to give it to an adult, but you can normally wrestle it out of his fingers before too long

We didn't let ours when they were small, for many of the reasons already stated. When I was a child we had dodgy phone calls too, and I know it's not unknown these days, even when you're ex-directory.

We let ours start answering it when they were 8 or 9, so they were articulate and polite, could quickly grasp who the call was for and find that person, and were able to take on board basic safety information like not giving out personal information, even their names, and putting the phone down or handing it over straight away if they didn't understand the caller or they said anything at all nasty.

On the other side of the phone, I don't find it particularly cute or useful if very young children answer the phone.

It's not that hard though is it if you get a young child answer it -0 quick convo followed by can you get me muumy or daddy or whoever you want to speak to, repeat self if required.

My older ones are allowed to aged 8 and 12, the 8 year olds always say 'Hello who's calling please?'
My 12 year old normally answers it though and 90% of the time it's for her

I used to work with a chap who used to speak to his daughter (aged 3 at the time) on speakerphone. He clearly thought it was cute, we all wanted to vomit and thought he was a real prick. Sorry.

Once a child is old enough to answer the phone clearly, ask who's calling, take a message etc - fine. If they can't manage this, or aren't old enough to understand what to do if someone asks dodgy questions etc, then I wouldnt let them

I don't have a problem with children answering the phone.

My Ds is 6 can reach the phone and answers it well. If he doesn't understand the other person he hands it to me straight away. I have also explained to him about calling 999 as he is old enough to do so in an emergency althoguh I have impressed upon him that if he were to do so for fun the police would come anyway to tell him off!! I think its just useful just in case I fall down the staris he'd know what to do.

My kids often answer our phone.

They are both autistic. not very verbal. Hard to understand if you aren't used to them. It can be lots of fun. Sometimes I sit there, watching and listening. [evil ]

Why shouldn't they answer it? It's their home too. Anyone who phones my home plays by my rules. I grab the phone in the end. If the person has rung off, they were probably just trying to sell me something anyway, so bollocks to them.

MTPW - that is exactly how I feel

i rang my friend once, her ds answered, i said 'my friends ds can you get Mummy its littlemiss....' he says 'ok' and off he went... after 5 mins of waiting it suddenly clicked he had gone back to play with his toys and forgot to tell his Mummy

'Bollocks to them' is my general motto in life.

hmm, I may adopt it as my motto also, if you don't mind

ARGH! Don't let them do it! Only that child's parents think it is cute to let them answer the phone, to everyone else it is extremely irritating to have to speak very loudly and slowly to a tot who refuses to get their mother.

My dd who is now 7 is allowed to answer it if I am otherwise engaged, like on the bog or summat. She can now take messages. Any younger and it's not good, it's not big and it's not clever!

My 12 year old son doesn't "do" answering the phone. He says it is very rarely for him - his friends tend to text him or send him an email - and so him answering does exactly the same job as the answerphone (takes a message for whoever can't answer the phone). Perfect logic, really. Mind you this is the same boy who a couple of years ago started walking the short distance to and from primary school. He used to come in and go upstairs get changed and then go out to the garden and start playing football, go and switch on the TV or whatever. When we said it would be nice if he said Hello to the rest of the family on arriving home, he said: "I didn't know you were supposed to say hello in your own house."

My dd picked up the phone once and started chatting away. We only twigged a few moments later that it was actually our builder on the other end and not her playing.

You used to be able to get child-locks on the dial phones but I guess you can't lock a digital phone?

Answering the telephone is just like all the other tasks in a household - children should do it as soon as they are able to manage it ie say hello, ask who is calling if the information is not offered and ask how they can help the caller.

I let my ds answer the phone, but only if its someone we know (we have caller id) ie grandma. If I dont know the number I answer it myself.

My ds (5) answers the phone and hands it over after saying "Hello, hang on - mummy's coming"

Lewisfan - Does he hum Schubert's impromptu No. 2 to the caller until you arrive?

I always get 2 year old to answer the phone around 5 pm as this is when I get all my cold calls. Dd loves to tell them all about her day and eventually they bugger off.
works everytime.

I personally don't like very young children answering the phone because I have had the situation of them not going to get mummy, leaving the phone off the hook and me shouting down the line like a madthing to get attention.

Also think that there is more likelihood of them making accidental calls if they are used to answering the phone.

Have had that where i get called on speed dial. Flippin' hate it.

I don't like young children answering the phone for reasons that have already been stated. But particular bugbear was SIL who would let her small dcs answer it - they'd wander round the house speaking to all and sundry and never give the phone over to their mum. It was really irritating when you were trying to speak so SIL urgently about something.

When breastfeeding on the sofa and having forgotten to take the cordless with you yet again, a willing 4 yr old is a blessing. Of course he can answer the phone. He doesn't say much but just says hello then presses a few buttons ("NOT THE RED ONE, HONEY!!!") and hands it to me.