Do you record everyone’s name on your answering machine’s outgoing message? I don’t, but I know of families who do. It never occurred to me how kind of silly this was until reading a rant in the current issue of, Cookie.
In the short piece, the writer pleads with families not to include everyone on the outgoing message. It was partly tongue-in-cheek but it also made a lot of sense. I suppose the families who do it think it’s cute but it’s really kind of silly to include young kids on the message, who as the author points out, “don’t use the phone, don’t like the phone, are repeatedly told to be quiet whenever someone else is talking on the phone, and when handed a phone either try to eat it or dial Jiangxi Province.”
Wanting to include all family members is a noble gesture. We want everyone to feel like they are equal partners in the family dynamic but where does it end? Should we include Fluffy and Rover on the message also? What about the pet goldfish or hamster? Your child’s imaginary friend? You get the point.
I think a simple, you have reached the Smith family, message is sufficient. It’s pretty darn inclusive if you ask me. Of course, with some women using their maiden name or for unmarried couples then you’ll have to hyphenate (you’ve reached the Smith-Jones family) but that’s so much simpler than reciting a grocery list of names. Some families go as far as letting each member (who can talk) say their own name. How cute!
Personally, I prefer not giving out any name at all just the number. Heck, I don’t even use my own voice. I use the pre-recorded stale you-have-reached-blah-blah-blah.
Of course, in the grand scheme of things, like most things in life it’s a personal choice. I can say that I would prefer the family messages to those silly ones or the ones that go on and on until when the beep finally comes you’ve forgotten what you called for. If you are going to do a family message just make sure the ones included can actually use the phone!
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