Phone Etiquette for the Work at Home Parent

One of the most difficult parts of the world of the work at home parent to manage is the use of the telephone. Children, especially toddlers, are not always on their best behavior when Mommy or Daddy needs to use the phone. There are some ways to help keep the decorum in your home office when you’re on the phone.

Try to schedule your phone calls. If your home-based business is one in which you make most of the phone calls, plan to do so at a certain hour, such as naptime, everyday. If you receive calls, ask people to call you at a certain time so that you can schedule the time you’ll be on the phone.

Talk to your child about good behavior. Many adults believe that their children intuitively know how to act when Mommy’s on the phone. The truth is that it is a lesson that children have to learn. Sit down with your little ones when you are not on the phone and explain that you have to speak to people for your home-based business and that means that they have to be quiet. Be sure to praise your child when he or she behaves when you’re on the phone.

Leave the room. If your child does not behave, you will have to leave the room. One of the reasons that some folks are not likely to take work at home parents seriously is that screaming children in the background don’t give the impression of professionalism. So if your little one cannot behave, one of you must leave the room and shut the door. Don’t let your business suffer because of the temporary tantrum of your little one.

When your children do misbehave, and they certainly will, there should be definitive consequences. Maybe Timmy gets an extra night of washing dishes or Mary has to sweep the porch if he or she doesn’t behave when you’re on the phone. Be sure to make these consequences very clear before they happen and be consistent when you’re little one doesn’t adhere to your behavioral standards.

You can teach your child that phone time is not the time to misbehave. By requiring consistency from your child, you will show him or her that good behavior when a parent is on the phone is a must in your home. Then you can get on to working your home business.