Should Children Have to Greet Their Parent's Guests?

A polite hello is always appropriate. I assume that you are talking about teenagers who are old enough to be somewhere else on their own. Why should the children have to hang out with the guests of the parents for an extended period? They are not the kid's friends. What is interesting and entertaining to the adults would probably be flat out boring to teenagers. It's polite to say hello, perhaps spend a bit of time being nice to mom's/dad's friends, but unless it's some kind of family party, it doesn't seem necessary to make the kids hang out unless they want to.

Greet: Yea. Why not? However, if they are guests of the parents & the child has a different activity or event going on, I see no reason to make the kid stay.

Why do I suspect this is part 67 of "I don't want to give up my room and share a room with my sister when my aunt and uncle come to visit once a year."?

Yes. Greeting ANYONE who comes into your home is the base absolute lowest form of civility. Anything less is intolerably rude.

How old are your kids?
I assume you mean house guests????
If so, and these are house guests, well then sure, they ALL must have met and greeted each other. The parents introduce everyone, if no one knows each other yet etc.
But aside from that, a child, especially if in school HAS their own schedule and activities and what not. So no, the kids do not HAVE to be home, just because the guests are home. Life and a child's/parent's schedules, does not HAVE to stop, just because they have guests.

So again, do you mean house guests???

We have house guests occasionally. We ALL greet each other including our kids. But then, we and they have their own activities. We are not joined at the hip and we/my kids activities do not "stop" just because we have house guests. Nor do my appointments or schedules etc.

Do what your parents want you to do or get a job and move out.

They're my guests, not hers. If she was in the living room when they arrived, then I expected her to acknowledge their presence. If she was in her room when they arrived, I did not make her come out for the express purpose of greeting them. She greeted them when she came out on her own.

If they were staying overnight or longer, I did not expect her to be present every minute that they were there. She had her own social life, and I did not require that it come to a grinding whoa because I had people over.

Frankly, there is no "one" answer to this... we really need to have more details...

How old are the children, are these guests "friends", or "acquaintances"? There's a big difference between the two......

Sounds like you mean guests who are staying the night? This hasn't really been an issue for us, as our kids are very young. Growing up I think I was home as much as possible when we had overnight guests, but I did go to school and other activities. When we had company I usually spent time with them rather than my friends. I guess it depends on how well the kids know the guests, but it is polite to spend some time with them.

If the family is having company, yes. If you're having a grownup only night, then no. When book club is at my house or I have the ladies from work over for a game night, my kids are not required to come down and say hello, but if they are passing by the room, they know it's polite to do so. If my kids are not going to be having dinner with the company, not necessary. When my sisters were young and my parents entertained a lot at night, they HATED having to come down in their pajamas to say goodnight to our parents, in front of the guests

No, they are the parent's guest, not the childrens. If it's family then they should say hello and spend some time with them but not every minute of the visit.

Yes to the first part, no to the second. If my children are home when I have company, of course they say hello to whoever is visiting. Why wouldn't they?

Do they have to be there when the guests are? Depends on the situation. If I'm having some girlfriends over just to hang out, it's not a command performance for the kids. If a friend who we haven't seen in 5 years is in town, or we're having family over for a holiday dinner or special event, then I expect them to be there unless there is something else very important that they have committed to.

Depends on the age and the occasion
but no not every time

Children should absolutely greet their parents guests in a cordial manner. Older children don't have to be home, UNLESS their parent's require it. If they require it, then the child should honor their parents.

I agree with Riley. You sound just like the petulant child that posted before about not giving up her room to guests. What is this all about anyway?

Children should always acknowledge/greet guests in their home. Once they are old enough without being told, when young you tell them "Say hello to Mr./Mrs so and so.
It is a matter of respect to adults, something that seems to be lost on our upcoming generations.
As far as them being home, unless its a relative who wants to see them, no they dont need to be home.

Common courtesy dictates that, IF the children are home, they should greet ANY guest that comes into the home. Then they can go and do their thing.

They should not be forced to be at home if there are guests there, unless those guests are close cousins or the like. Then it's common courtesy that they spend time with their family members. However, previously planned events and activities should still be attended.

Depends on their ages. Little ones, not so much, you attempt to teach them the basics of civility : ), but they don't really care. The older ones, definitely, acknowledge the people that just walked into your home. I do not expect my kids to be home with my guests. Why would you even want that? You'll have together time at the dinner table and then everyone goes their own way with their own friends or chores or personal time.

My kids are younger... but if I have company it is usualy family & they are here to visit the family not just me or daddy. But if they had other plans, I don't force them to be home... as well as I try not to have visitors when the kids have plans - ends up being to much for me.

As to greeting guest... I don't "require" it, but my kids love having visitors - so they do anyways. I also don't "require" the kids to give hugs or kisses - if they want to give a hug or kiss on the check they are aloud, but I don't let anyone force my kids to give hugs or kisses.

I guess yes.....what would the exception be? Um....the guests show up and your child doesn't have to say hi because.....they are so busy cramming for a life or death test and they are sequestered in their rooms and don't know any guests are there and can't come out until the test and you're taking them food and water and they have a bathroom in there? Maybe? I still think they should be polite when ANYONE'S guests arrive...But what do you mean home when the guests are home? If you have relatives visiting for three weeks? No, they shouldn't have to be there every minute the guests are.....how old are the kids? So much depends...but I'd say, yes, they need to be polite. Why not? I'm polite to my kid's guests.

Children should greet any guests that come into their home, but they shouldn't have to be home, unless the guests are there to see them.

IMHO, If they are home, then they should greet the guests but if the guests do not have children for them to play with/entertain, then they don't have to stay home the entire time the guests are there. If the children arrive home while the guests are there, they should greet them.

If they are in my house, or anywhere else, of course. It's rude to not say hello to company.

I wouldn't make my son stay home if he had plans elsewhere, but I would expect him to greet my guests and talk to them before he would leave.

It depends on if the guests are family or personal friends. If they are family, then yes, I would expect my son to stay home and visit with them. Friends, no.