how old for child to answer the phone?

[brimfull]

I phoned home today and ds(just 4) answered.Ds had let him do this,he didn't know it was going to be me. I thought it was a woman and then couldn't get much sense out of him,can't at the best of times as he talks a load of old shite.
Anyway I said to dh that he shouldn't have allowed ds to answer the phone , as he's way too young and nonsensical.
How old was your child when they started to answer the phone and what did you teach them to say?

Ds1 can answer sensibly if I'm changing a dirty nappy or something - he's 5.5.

My dd first answered the phone at about 2 1/2 but we started getting regular abusive calls so wouldn't let her anymore. When we got new number we let her answer again but would stand right by and check what was happening. Now she's 7 it's no prob at all. She'll have a chat if it's someone she knows and if it's not she'll get whichever one of us has been asked for.

ROFL piffle!

My DSs aren't allowed to answer the phone as DH hasn't got a separate business line at the moment.

PMSL at "fanny plumbing". Are you sure it wasn't a euphemism for the gynaecology dept ?

DD (3.4) has been answering the phone since she was about 2.5, she races to it as soon as it rings and is much quicker than us. She'll often have a conversation if it's someone she knows, if not she hands the phone to dh or I. I'm just starting to encourage her to ask "who is it please?".

DS4 who's 5 has been known to answer the phone with X here, how may I help you
Sometimes I don't hear the phone though, or can't get to it before the ansaphone kicks in, so surely it's better for a child to answer it than no reply?, I'm quite happy for them to answer, think it's another useful life skill.

My 3 year old also answers the phone she always says "hello, how are you?" although the other day she wasn't in a very pleasant mood and answered "who is it?"

DD is 3 and answers the phone, finds out who it is and gives the phone to the appropriate person. She can be a bit abrupt at times but generally she's very good! I don't see the issue

DD frequently answers the phone (4.5) and has been doing so for the last year or so. She is very good at it, although when she first started she used to be brutally honest where mummy is and what she is doing. I managed to get her to understand it wasn't necessary to tell people "mummy is on the toilet doing a poo" .

LOL

ds1 (7, non verbnal severelly autistic) answers the phone looks at it and puts it back down again.
ds2 (4) answers the phone quite a lot-usually makes sense these days.
ds3 (20 months) answers the phone and says "cake"

How do you stop them? They can reach 2 of the phones (and ds1 could reach any phone - however high we put it).

I set up a skype account with voicemail for the business line.

4yo DD answers the phone sometimes. She will say hello; who is it. She is articulate and clear, although our ohones are rubbish (need new ones) and therefore can sound a bit quiet. And then hands it to me or daddy, or if it is family/friend she might stay and have a chat first before handing it over. I am normally not too far behind so if it seems like it is a business tope call I will quickly take the phone, and may sometimes apologise and explain it was the little one who answered. D