What NOT to Say on the Phone

"Hang on.  I think my mom's on the toilet ..."

That is what Adolescent Girl (AG) shared with me when I returned a phone call this afternoon.

I don't even know AG's mom ... but you can bet that she's just become to me a faceless woman on a toilet.

I received a message on my phone last night from a mom making phone calls for my son's home room teacher.  She was soliciting items for Friday's Valentine's party ... and hoped I could return the call.

So I did.

And when the phone is answered, AG very politely asks who is calling (like, I bet, her mama taught her), and then very politely asks me to wait just a moment (again, I bet, like her mama taught her) ...

But then ...

"MOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMM!!!"

She screams this away from the phone, but I assure you, she couldn't possibly have muffled the phone one little bit.  Eek!  My ears were ringing!

"MOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!"

Oh my word!  I SO remember doing this when I was AG!  Maybe you do, too?  Anyway, I am now making a mental note to instruct my sons (who, thank goodness, will never be AGs, but rather ABs) to refrain from this barbaric insult to the ears of the caller.

Then, AG is speaking again to me, and is very politely instructing me to, "Hang on.  I think my mom's on the toilet."

Ach!  TMI!  TMI!

Note to self:  Instruct sons to not share potty info on the phone either!  I've no desire for other poor unsuspecting folks to be picturing moi' on the pot!

So, there's the beginning of my list, "What NOT to Say on the Phone" which I intend to share with my sons ... tonight!

1. Don't scream for me from the phone - come find me, or take a message.
2. IF I am on the toilet ... or in the shower, for that matter ... or doing any other unseemly thing ... simply say, "She can't come to the phone right now.  May I take a message?"

I'd love to avoid future embarrassments!  If you've other phone etiquette for kiddos to add to my list, please, please, help a sister out!!!

And, oh ... just for kicks ... I found this pic while searching for "toilet images" on Yahoo! 

You're welcome!