to dislike it when I call a friend and a child answers the phone?

[hambler]

Tonight called a friend whose very bossy 10 yo dd answered with "Hello who am I speaking to?"

She has been doing this since she was about 5 or 6.

I HATE it when kids answer the phone. It's not like the call will be for them.

It never crossed my kids' minds to pick up the phone when they were young and I would never have suggested/encouraged it.
AM I alone?
BU?

'You feel like your on show and the child never gets off the phone'

I didn't let them answer it without having taught them how to do it first! It is like a lot of things-they are perfectly capable, but you have to show them how to do it.

Actually I think it's deeply disrespectful to telephone a family home and then curl your lip because one of the younger members of the family answers the phone

there are some weird attitudes to children in this country

you wouldn't like my children, they like to be heard and not seen

So, when is it no longer "disrespectful" for a child to answer the phone in their own home?

Actually, I am going to insist my children answer the phone every time it rings now, in the hope it will p*ss off some uptight twit.

It does put me off calling some friends

omg
some people have too much time on their hands

Ok. I'll put it another way.
If your child answering the phone/calling someone for you might make person on the other end feel uncomfortable, then they shouldn't be doing it.
with the exception of Soupdragon who would prefer to 'pss off' some of her callers.

dd1=answers the phone and giggles at everyone
ds1="mum's too busy to talk to you now.can you ring back later?" (!!!)
ds2="oh hello (posh voice) "yes,yes,no,no,yes,ok....bored sigh...can i take a message?" lol!

dd2 not ds2

I'd love it if DD answered the phone - I usually miss it cos I'm knee deep in nappies, food etc. I could teach her to give a little speech to update whoever it is on all our news - she'd have fun, I'd have more time - everyone's a winner!

anyone who feels "uncomfortable" or "disrespected" because they are expected to say "Hello XXX, can I speak to your mum" is a bit of a fruitloop IMO

life is too short to tiptoe around on eggshells pandering to this sort of prickliness.

Oh thank god I have ds1. He filters out anyone who has the time or uptightness to feel 'disrespected' by a child answering the phone. Goodness me.

"If your child answering the phone/calling someone for you might make person on the other end feel uncomfortable, then they shouldn't be doing it."

No, if you are likely to feel uncomfortable should you have to speak to a child then don't phone people with children.

Or perhaps I should stop answering the phone at all in case my answering it makes one of DSs friends uncomfortable. and what if they are uncomfortable speaking to my answerphone?? Best get rid of the phone altogether.

FFS, you can't stop doing stuff on the off chance someone feels uncomfortable! How ridiculous!

Do you know what? I don't like it when a child answers the phone to me. What do I do? I ask to speak to the person I wish to speak to. I don't think that the child is precocious or bratty or that there is any disrespect.

Perhaps there could be a caller display unit which displays a fruit loop symbol when someone who feels disrespected by children answering the phone rings (I would know not to bother answering at all then as well ).

Peace all round.

Luckily for me, I don't usually answer the phone to children of parents who bring their children up in an environment where it is ok to tell people to piss off, call them twats , fruit loops etc.

That's OK, I don't bring my children up on MN

Well I wouldn't tell my children that, I would just tell them there was someone boring on the phone that mummy didn't want to talk to. It wouldn't happen anyway as ds1 would have scared them all off.

YAB totally U. If you don't like it - stop calling her, but the phone belongs in the house the little girl lives in and she can answer it if she wants.

Blimey thought I was in a time-warp there (must remind kids to clean the chimney later).

I answered the phone from the time I could string a sentence together - it's just a normal function in life and has made me very comfortable using the phone. It's all about social/life skills.

Both my DDs (10 & 5) are v articulate (as young girls often are) and they answer the home phone politely. They aren't yet allowed to answer DH's business phone - he works from home - but the older one would probably make a darn fine receptionist!

Also, it's never occured to me to be annoyed/embarrassed etc if a child answers my call. I usually have a little chat with them (if I know them) and then ask for the person I need to speak to. No problem - therefore I'm with the YABU gang.

My DD doesn't let her two DD's aged 7 and 5 answer the phone only because her husband's business is ran from home and they haven't a seperate number the phone is diverted to his mobile when he is out. Someone who works for my DD lets her DD answer the phone all the time and doesn't pass on any messages it is so frustrating for my DD as this woman is always wanting to work any hours that they don't have cover for etc. to earn extra money. DD has given up trying to phone her and now leaves messages on her mobile.

It's unreasonable to say children should not answer the phone.
It's not unreasonable to think about whether your child is ready and able to take a call.

pity we don't have an edit function for your thread title and your OP then