DD1 loves talking on the phone, she's not quite 2 yet but could talk under water with a mouth full of cement (much like myself), she has actually called DP while 'playing' with the phone before.
She tries to say hello and at the end she says bye or c-ya and hands me the phone.
I will be teaching her emergency numbers once she's a bit more controlled (right now it's chatting to ppl for fun nothing else) and how to contact us.
My younger brother used to answer the phone from about 3yrs of age, he had been taught to say "hello Ji speaking" it was so damn cute.
I know other children though who have no phone manners at all, their like 12 and still can't string together a hello or a proper goodbye, those children though were never 'allowed' to answer the phone, it was drummed into them the phone was not to be touched and they were not to answer it, mum or dad were.
I think it may just be she's a nervous person, maybe do some test calls from your mobile to home, some 'practice' calls on a fake mobile or something, get a friend to call her at home and see how she goes.
Can you do role play with her and practise at a non stressful time? First practise without a phone, and then go in another room and get her to call you or you call her using another phone. Then get someone else who will go gently with her and give her time to talk.
Getting laughed at can't help if she is already anxious about talking on the phone.
I would suggest role play too. DS1 is going to be 7yrs in September and I have taught him from a young age to answer the phone with "Hello this .... speaking", and he can ask who is calling and so on and hold a conversation very well with whoever is on the other end. He can also make a call to his cousin (who is the same age) and hang up after they have sorted out their plans and not told the parents Lol.
I have just started with DS2 and he will be 4yrs in a couple of weeks. He answered the phone for the first time last week and got it right with "Hello this is ... speaking" just a bit slow on wanting to hand the phone over.
DD1 is almost 4 and she can answer the phone. She answers by saying 'hello, nina speaking'. She doesn't care who's on the other end, she has a good ole' conversation with them anyway. She can also phone out if it was absolutely necessary. She knows how and when to call 000, and she knows how to find dh's phone number in the phone.
it was so damn cute.
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