I have to constantly work with JJ to learn how to behave appropriately both socially and when we’re at home by ourselves. It’s unrelenting because he just doesn’t seem to get it as easily as some other kids. There are glimmers of sunshine though amongst the clouds.
I’ve started to let him answer the phone occasionally. He does ask if he can answer it which is good. I usually really don’t like it when I ring up someone and their kid answers because it’s hard to have a conversation with a kid. Sometimes they hang up on you, most times you just don’t understand what they are saying and you haven’t rung up to speak to them, you’ve rung to speak to their mum or dad. I now understand why parents let their kids answer the phone, it keeps them off your back for a minute and they’re a good screening device provided they can tell you who it is.
However, when JJ started answering the phone he would just say ‘Who is it?’. This is probably because that’s the first question I ask him if he does answer the phone so he’s just short-circuiting any social niceties by asking it straight out.
I’ve said to him, it’s polite to say hallo when you answer the phone, before you ask who is it. The other morning he answered the phone. He picked it up, he hesitated, then said, ‘Good morning, who is it?’.
Some of it’s sinking in I thought to myself. I made a point of telling him that he was very polite when he answered the phone because I’ve got to do a lot more positive reinforcement to make it sink in to him to keep continuing the good stuff.
