[minkajane]

DS is 4. I have a hard time hearing voices normally and it's even worse on the phone. Today, he got SO frustrated with me because he was trying to ask me something and I just wasn't getting it. XH says he often can't understand DS either, but he seems to have an easier time of it than me. DS is very articulate and speaks very well for his age. It's only on the phone that I have trouble.

How old was your DC before you could understand them easily on the phone?

 

[limabean]

I'm able to understand my 4yo DS on the phone, and have been able to since he was about 3, but I know what you mean -- they sound so different on the phone! I'm always struck by how young my DS sounds on the phone. I mean, I know logically that 4 is very young, but he just sounds soooo tiny when he's on the phone for some reason!

 

[Drummer's Wife]

I can understand my 4 yo if he talks clearly (not babyish and quiet like he does sometimes). But then I don't talk to him on the phone often, at all. DH, however, doesn't ever seem to understand anything he says. Even if I coach him, like "say, Daddy, can you bring home some milk?" On my end, it sounds fine but then he'll hand the phone back to me and DH will say he has no idea what the kid said.

 

[MusicianDad]

Understand that in order for a telephone signal to maintain it's integrety over longer distances, the sound is acctually filtered to cut out the highest and lowest pitches of sound. For a young child that could mean that their message is getting filtered more then an older child or an adult because they have a higher pitch voice all ready.

 

[bwylde]

I can barely understand my 6 year old on the phone but I have trouble hearing and he's not used to speaking on it. My 4 year old has never spoken on the phone so I don't know. We're always together so hardly any opportunity for phone converstation (and if we're apart talking to them makes them miss me).