My kids don't know how to use a phone. Not FaceTime — an actual phone call. Dial a number, wait for it to ring, say hello, have a conversation, say goodbye, hang up.
So I built them a phone system. 901-910-2684
It runs on a Raspberry Pi using FreePBX and Asterisk, connected to a real phone number through VoIP.ms. There's a SNOM 870 desk phone in the living room that the kids can pick up and use.
But the best part is the IVR — the Interactive Voice Response menu. When someone calls our number, they hear: "Press 1 for Irene. Press 2 for Callie. Press 3 for Mommy and Daddy." The kids have their own extensions. When their phone rings, they answer it.
I also built AGI scripts (Asterisk Gateway Interface) that let the system do things like look up caller ID, route calls based on time of day, and play custom hold music.
The result: my 8-year-old can now call Dad by picking up the phone and pressing a speed dial button. She knows to say "hello," wait for a response, and end with "bye, love you." That's a life skill she wasn't learning from an iPad. The 2 year old knows how to press 4 and talk to Elmo (a nightmare version of Elmo, but you get the picture)
Total cost: a Pi, a used desk phone, and a $3/month VoIP.ms trunk. Worth every penny.
#VoIP #PBX #AI #Maker #ParentingHacks
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