You finally have some highly coveted down-time on the couch when, all of a sudden, a friend of your spouse arrives and you're faced with the decision of staying horizontal or getting up to say hello.
Having time to chill-out on the sofa to watch a movie or even take a nap is often a treasure and necessity but, at the same time, it's also important to acknowledge a guest's presence by standing or at least sitting up.
The level of formality can vary depending on who the visitor is. A more formal greeting might be in order if it's an adult guest and a less formal one for, say, one of your children's friends. So before being faced with this dilemma, have a family discussion ahead of time to determine the minimum standard for how a visitor to your home should be greeted.
It's also fair, during that conversation, to let a family member know that there may be times when you prefer not to be disturbed to say hi; for instance, when you're watching your favorite sports team on TV or napping in a bedroom.
Hear more about showing respect and regard for whomever is visiting by listening to this podcast of Awesome Etiquette.
This episode was originally posted in June 2017.
