One September Day

Friday, October 23, 2009

Telephone Voice

"Hello McCarthy's, This is _______, How may I help you?"

Every family answers the telephone in a different way.
This is how we answer.
We also get a lot of compliments on our children being polite, and respectful when they answer the phone.
I do not say this in a boastful way - please understand that I am not like that.
This is just an area that we have trained our children to meet a standard of being polite, and they are not allowed to answer the phone until they are able to do this.

I journal this why? Scenario:

Phone rings .... I am speaking to my children in a not -so - nice voice, the middle of a conflict, and the children hand me the phone... I go from a hearty-conflict voice, to a sweet-soft "Hello McCarthy's, How may I help you?"

THIS IS OUR TELEPHONE VOICE... Changed in an instant from frustration, maybe anger, ungodly speech.. to a "sweet, hello - how are you?" Voice.
Not so good.

So when I am training my children to use their telephone voice, it is understood, that we not ONLY answer the phone sweetly, respectfully, and politely for others to benefit,,, but we are called to remember Scripture - and our speech should exemplify this all of the time.
"Pleasant WORDS are an honeycomb... sweet to the soul, health to the bones."

May we teach our children, by example, in WORD and DEED, to use our telephone voices ALL of the time.

11 Comments:

  • At October 23, 2009 at 2:55 PM , Blogger Kami said...

    I can relate to this so much! I, too, am one who has a telephone voice. It's what has landed me so many of my past jobs! However, it's not so fun when others witness that you have that voice, but it may not be how you're exactly feeling!

    I love this post - thanks for sharing!

     
  • At October 23, 2009 at 7:31 PM , Blogger Aspiemom said...

    I used to be a Receptionist, so I always have the telephone voice, too, and my son was trained the same way.

    Your post reminds me, tho, of how we often treat others with more courtesy than our loved ones. Even when getting after my son I should remember to be respectful and loving - my husband, too.

     
  • At October 23, 2009 at 10:51 PM , Blogger Verna said...

    It is sometimes very difficult to keep that nice sweet phone voice. Especially if the person on the other end of the line is screaming bloody murder at you for something you have no control over.

    I also have to remember on day years ago... when My father was feeling a bit mischievious when our party line phone rang and answered it Beachy's Fishery which fish are you looking for.
    No we didn't have fish around, he was refering to his many children around the living room that night.

    Thanks for sharing. I hope I can remember to always keep that pleasant phone voice even when the customer on the other end is angry about something.

     
  • At October 23, 2009 at 11:24 PM , Blogger Kari said...

    Uh-oh. Conviction, because I have done that and I've even realized it immediately and realized "I can help being mad at the kids or hubby if I'm able to change my attitude in a split second."
    Such a good post :o)

     
  • At October 24, 2009 at 9:08 PM , Blogger Michelle (She Looketh Well) said...

    Oh, the dreaded telephone voice! I was quite convicted when my children pointed out that I had a different Mrs. 'Blank' voice! What they mean was that when my dear friend calls I talk so sweetly to her!
    Yikes, not good. I do desire with all my heart, though, to talk to them in this way too. I was just praying (crying) about it tonight.

    Thanks for the reminder.

     
  • At October 26, 2009 at 4:49 PM , Blogger Holly said...

    I love how you answer the phone. I just say hello. I think this post is a good reminder that we should always be gentle with our words. Although, sometimes it isn't easy!!

     
  • At October 26, 2009 at 11:46 PM , Blogger Unknown said...

    I so need to remember this every second of the day!

     
  • At October 27, 2009 at 3:50 PM , Blogger Angela said...

    Wow, this is good.... Thanks, September!

     
  • At October 30, 2009 at 11:25 AM , Blogger inadvertent farmer said...

    Yes...it amazing me how sometimes we treat strangers so much better than our loved ones. Thanks for the reminder. Kim

     
  • At November 2, 2009 at 10:34 PM , Blogger Marcy said...

    My oldest daughter and I were just talking about this same thing tonight. We talked about how we snap at each other so easily but put our best foot forward when we are at church. So wrong and so easy to do! We have the "Pleasant words are a honeycomb.........." verse on the bathroom mirror at our house!

     
  • At November 20, 2009 at 10:17 AM , Blogger busymomof10 said...

    So true! A good post!

     

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