Phone and internet manners for kids

Adapted from Courtesy Becomes Me:
Book 3 in The Etiquette Ladies' Courtesy for Kids series (In Good Company, CG Inc., 2001)

Do you have an etiquette question? Just ask the Etiquette Ladies!

Hello, hello… is anyone there? There are rules for everywhere and everything, special people, special occasions, special places. There are even manners for how to use the phone. Why do you think it's important to be polite when you're talking on the phone? Even when people can't see your face, they can tell what kind of mood you're in or whether you are happy or not just by the sound of your voice.

Here's something you can try; you'll need a partner or a friend to help you. One person can sit behind a door and one person can sit in front of the door so you can hear each other but not see each other. Then look at the list below and take turns saying something to each other. Each time pick a different mood from the list and see if the person listening can guess how you are feeling.

• Happy
• Sad
• Grouchy
• Mad
• Bored
• In a hurry

Now, switch places and let the other person do the talking and pretend to be in each different mood on the list. See, I bet you guessed right every time. That's why it's so important to think before you speak and be polite when you talk on the phone.

Here are some rules that will help you be polite when you are phoning someone:
1. Speak calmly and clearly.
2. Say hello and say who's calling.
3. Ask to please speak to whomever you're phoning.
4. If they're not home, leave a message.
5. Say thank you and goodbye.
6. Gently hang up the phone.

What if you are the person receiving the call?
1. Speak calmly and clearly.
2. Say hello and your name
3. Take a message if the call is for someone who is not home or gently put the phone down and go get whoever the phone call is for.
4. Don't ever tell someone your parents are not home. It's better to say, "They can't come to the phone right now, may I take a message?"
5. If the call is for you, have a conversation but it's better not to talk too long in case someone else needs the phone.

Let's practice. Telephone an adult you know and see if you can remember to do all the polite things for when you telephone someone. Then tell them you are practicing your telephone manners and ask them to telephone you back so you can practice the polite things for when someone telephones you. Ask your parents if you can make a list of things to remember and stick it by the telephone to remind you how to be polite until you have all the rules memorized. Here's something else you can do; you'll need a friend for this one! You pretend you're telephoning your friend and your friend should pretend that they are not home and have to take a message.