Toy car is thing of the past. Now children demands cell phone and it’s a necessity too. Parents also can afford it. I was surprised to learn, 2 year old grandson of my sister hold the phone for almost 30 minutes; speaking only in his own language. He gave me a real laugh of the day. Children get access to cell phone as early they are able to hold a thing, and by reaching teenage they get own personal brand mobile.
Buying a cellphone for your child is a satisfying thing to do. However, often parents forget to teach them cell phone manners. It’s your responsibility to teach your kids cell phone etiquette. Some manners they learn from you, some they learn when you tell them.
So you do not forget to teach your child here are 13 cell phone etiquette
Children should learn cell phone manner and understand, technology comes with responsibility. If they have a mobile phone luxury to call a friend any minute they also need to understand when not to call and when to put down the phone. Rules should not be hard on kids only , if parents follow the basic etiquette, normally children tend to follow some part through observation and some part through teaching.
Buying a cellphone for your child is a satisfying thing to do. However, often parents forget to teach them cell phone manners. It’s your responsibility to teach your kids cell phone etiquette. Some manners they learn from you, some they learn when you tell them.
So you do not forget to teach your child here are 13 cell phone etiquette
- Answering Phone Calls: What’s up buddy? Yeah, Neh, Yap, blah, blah…. Its rude to pick the phone and sound like a horse. No matter how much a close friend is calling you, conversation should not begin in a wrong tone. Teach your child to begin with a nice Hello or Hello followed by the name. When dialing conversation should be like, Hello, Mr X or Ms Y please. Or Hello, may I please speak to …
- Personal topics: When in public, kids should not speak personal topics, especially when someone is listening. Why to tell whole world which teacher you dislike or a classmate hates you.
- Texting and Text Replies: Now-a-days, kk for Ok, thumbs up for nothing, tell me, without introduction is very common. Children are going to behave in similar fashion later in life. Text responses should be proper and polite. Remember, there is a person otherside behind those messages.
- Voice Messages: When you need to record your message, speak clearly, mention your name and phone number so the receiver know this was you.
- Do not cause nuisance: When travelling, in a park or in other public places, talk in a low pitch voice. If you are loud someone behind you may get disturbed. Afterall it’s a public place.
- When to turn off your phone: Gas filling stations, hospitals, libraries, cinema halls or any other place where use of mobile phone is banned. Either turn off or put in silent mode.
- Respect others time: Do not make a waiter to wait because you are on phone. If you are sitting in a restaurant, listen to waiter first, if you are standing over a counter to pay bills first listen to cashier . People who serves you are important as well as their time.
- Ringtones and Caller tunes: Be mindful when setting these features in your phone. A basic ordinary ringtone / callertune is way lot better than a fancy one. It reflects your persona too.
- Dinner table is for meal: Often I spot kids in families, holding cellphone in one hand and eating with other hand. Yuck, plainly unhygienic. A cell phone has more bacteria than lavatory. Most importantly diner is for feeding your body. This is true to you also. Other than emergencies, you should not use mobile phone over dinner.
- During get togethers or parties: It's plainly rude when your friend over a Sunday lunch ask your teen how her studies are going but she pulls out mobile phone and start texting to a friend. Children should learn value of human communication whether you are a guest or host. Teach them, it's not polite to ignore someone on face. Text can be replied later.
- Night Hours: Do you call your friend after sleep time approaches? If you do this, it means you are calling his house. Teach your kids, nights are for sleep and a good night sleep is much important than gossip over a movie or texting jokes. Once in awhile breaking rules is not bad but doing it continuously like there will be no other day is plainly mindless.
- Privacy should not be risked: The text, phone calls and images; whatsoever your child send to friends stays permanent somewhere, even though it's deleted from mobile phone data. Kids should know what to share and what not. Anything that is called private should not be shared with common friends or complete strangers. It may prove risky.
- Cell phone is not for learning lessons: Mark Zuckerberg has made the Facebook for group interaction and notes sharing. How many kids truly do that over facebook? Make them understand cell phone is not for learning lessons but for passing information. If your child need to discuss a lesson with a friend ask him to invite that friend or visit to his place. Reason: You can make better communication face to face; lessons can be learnt better through eye contacts. There is no ideal limit, but I feel a conversation if required longer than 10 – 20 minutes need face to face interaction.
Children should learn cell phone manner and understand, technology comes with responsibility. If they have a mobile phone luxury to call a friend any minute they also need to understand when not to call and when to put down the phone. Rules should not be hard on kids only , if parents follow the basic etiquette, normally children tend to follow some part through observation and some part through teaching.
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