Here's what some of you had to say:

* Business calls are still a real challenge for me as my girls are only 3 and 5 but we are working on it! Many are done after bedtime or when Dad is around to take over. Then I can hide in my office with the cordess! Another thing that helps is to quietly explain to my 5 yr old that Mommy is working and will take care of things after the phone call is over. A business associate of mine has taught her 7 year old that if he interrupts her while she is on the phone, she will ALWAYS turn down his request so he now writes it on a piece of paper and she says 'yes' much more often!

*Handling a phone call all depends on what is happening around your house at that moment when it rings. My children are usually good. They know when I say "it is mommys business line", they usually quiet down. I am also fortunate to own a business that deals with children and so all my clients do as well. If one of my kids comes into the room screaming while I am on the phone, the client is usually very understanding of the situation. I will, if necessary, put someone on hold if my three year old completely loses control. Her room is where she sits until I finish the phone call. She does not like to be in her room when all the action is downstairs, so I do not have to put her in her there very often. Then there are the really crazy days....when an answering machine or voice mail can save the day. If you run a business from home you all know that many options can be used when dealing with phone calls and I think I have used every one.

*I usually try to talk to the kids if they're here before I pick up the receiver and ask them to please be quiet while I'm on the phone. Of course, they usually take this as a cue to eat desserts from the freezer or else pull all the cushions off the sofa and build a fort! If it's a very important call and the noise is unbearable, I ask if I can return the call at another time. Most of my contacts are also moms themselves (I'm a freelance writer and designer) and are pretty understanding.

*I never make a phone call without first putting on the TV or a video for the kids. I give them a snack and juice and tell them that I can not be bothered. When I receive a phone call I do indeed lock myself in my bedroom after telling the kids that I'll be on the phone and they are not to bother me. If the kids are out of control when I get a call, I let the machine pick up and get them settled and return the call. My kids are 5 and 7 and phone calls are definitely the biggest problem.

* I never answer the phone if someone is crying or irritable! It's disaster waiting to happen! Those calls are, however, returned within 15 minutes. When the phone is answered, I go into a different room where I can still monitor the toddlers.

*The first time I knew there was going to be a problem, I was interviewing a source for a freelance story, when my 8-month-old daughter decided to eat her first live cricket. She was gagging and frightened by the wiggler--I was horrified. Since then, I use my caller ID to check if an incoming call is an understanding family member/friend. If I don't recognize the #, I gently put my daughter in her playpen in her room, close the door and dash for the phone in my office area. Yes, she cries for a moment, but is soon distracted by toys and gets over it. If this is not practical, then I let the answering machine pick up and I return the call ASAP.

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