Hi readers, it’s Emily and William here this week talking about answering telephone calls.

We want to talk about this as we know it’s difficult for some people to answer phone calls, including us! Take me, Emily. I’m fine answering the home phone if I can see who is calling. If not, I won’t pick up, and they will have to leave a message on our answerphone.

This may be frustrating if Mum’s at home but busy doing something else, and I don’t answer the phone. She does understand though.

As for my mobile, if I receive a call from an unknown number, I won’t answer but will wait to see if they leave a message. If I want to call them back I will.

We both prefer talking face to face to people, to using a device. I, William, have got better at answering the phone. I used to be very nervous but the more I do it, the easier it gets. If I see an unknown number, it may be my sister in America, so I do answer the phone. If it’s not her, but someone trying to sell me something, I just say ‘sorry, no thank you’ and put the phone down.

If I, Emily, receive a nuisance call, it sometimes sends me into panic mode as I don’t know what to say. I usually just say “Sorry, goodbye!”, or simply put the phone down and hope they never ring again!

We don’t like these nuisance calls, and worry how it affects vulnerable or elderly people, as they may give money to fraudsters just because it’s nice for them to hear from someone. What do you think about phones readers? Do you think they invade our lives too much?

The writers of the Our View column are supported in their editing by The Friendship Club– a project for adults with learning disabilities, run by People First Dorset