You are here

Phone Manners?

Fed Up And Wiped Out's picture

So anyway, just wanting to vent a little. Was downstairs in basement, heard phone ringing, ran upstairs to answer it completely out of breath. Said hello and got no answer, could tell it was a cell phone. Said hello louder, thinking maybe other person couldn't hear. Well, then I get an answer, "Can I talk to my dad?" It was SD16. I told her that her dad wasn't home and she'd have to try his cell. Then nothing. Click. How rude!!! I called him up and told him what she did. He said she was on the other line and when she called me I was yelling into the phone and she thought something was wrong. Ha!!!! Ha, Ha!!!! What a little b****!!! Last I checked, when someone thinks something is wrong with the person they're talking to on the phone, they ask what's wrong, not hang up on them!!! I told him that I would appreciate it if he could talk to his daughter about being polite over the phone. If she can't at least say please, thank you or goodbye, then she can just call his cell phone from now on. She does not need to be bothering me on the house phone!!!! I'm counting down the days, counting down the minutes until she turns 18 and goes off to college. I'm fully aware that they don't go away completely when they reach adulthood, but at least maybe I won't have to see her every other weekend anymore! I'm so tired of the games! BACK TO YOUR CAVE, YOU LITTLE TROLL, YOU HAVE NO POWERS HERE!!!!

Comments

stepmom2one's picture

Do you have caller ID, I won't be answering the phone anytime she calls if I were you.

If SD calls my house I just let her leave a message and tell my H when he gets in the house.

The Principlist's picture

SD and SS were much younger but living with BM. She made a point of letting them know that I was NOTHING. So, they would call and say "Is dad there?" If I said no, you would hear them repeat to BM that he was not there and BM would say just hang up. So after a few times of this foolishness I taught the skids and BM how to call my house and be respectful. I explained to the kids how to properly use the phone and if they could not give that bit of respect then they should not be using the phone. I would practice with them.

Riiiiiiinnnnnggg. Riiiiinnnnnnng.

ME: Hello
Skids: Hello is my dad there?
ME: No he's not.
Skids: OK thank you. Bye.
Click

We literally did these drills a few times over and it drove the kids nuts. I explained that they should not call my house or anyone else's for that matter if they could not extend that minor common courtesy. Well my skids have pretty good phone manners. I mean if an adult answers they may even ask how are you today Mr./Mrs. So-and-So before asking for their friend.

SD is old enough that you can broach the subject in a nice tone and explain that you would like her to use basic phone skills when she called the house. Not going to kill her. ANd if she gets pissy and continues to be rude then you say SD, I asked you nicely to show a little respect when you called for your dad. The next time it happens I'm gonna just hang up the phone until you get it right. Be sure to tell DH that is your plan BEFORE you lay it on SD so that way all bases are covered because I'm sure she will try to twist it around.

People who get on HIGH Horses will find the fall to be painful. ~ME :->

secondwife20's picture

does the hang up thing too... on me and her dad.

And that pisses me off more than anything. Problem is, DH and BM are "free spirited" parents - they encourage Blabb to do whatever she feels like doing and to say whatever is one her mind. So when Blabb hangs up on me, I just have to "get over it." This, of course, is according to DH.

:o Excuse me!?

This is absolutely ridiculous. If I EVER hung up the phone on my parents, it was a guaranteed butt whooping. That is disrespectful, and that was one thing my parents did not tolerate. Disrespect. They didn't care if I didn't want to talk to them... they didn't care if I wanted to tell them "no!"... if I ever acted disrespectful in any way, I would regret it.

I don't want my kids to be scared to speak their mind or do whatever it is they want to do... but I think parents need to have some control on how they express themselves.

Instead of teaching Blabb to just hang up on someone if she doesn't want to speak to me or her father, she could just say, "I'm a little upset. I don't want to talk right now."

I can deal with that. Hanging up... not so much. But of course!!!! Expecting that much from precious Blabb is so awful and torturous and she's only 8! How could she ever think to say of such polite things!?!?! What do I know!?

:barf:

frustratedinMA's picture

See now.. the next time she called and asked is dad there.. and he isnt.. she wouldnt get an answer, but rather a hang up. That should answer her question. If dh asks you about it.. say, she sounded upset, so I thought it best to get right off the phone.

Goes both ways!!