DaMoshe > I try very hard to have the Afikomen before chatzos, and if possible, to finish the 4th cup by then too. … So I tell my kids beforehand that I want to hear what they have to say,
Upon second reading, I don’t fully agree. I thought you have a problem with kids reading school-prepared divrei Torah that may or may not correspond to what you want to talk about. At the same time, the whole point of the seder is to engage children. If they have something to say on their own, they should say it, maybe in a way you can answer him. The same applies to guests, especially if they are not very observant/knowledgeable, the goal is to get them into the discussion. In some circumstances, you do not even need to read the whole Hagaddah. I am machmir on the main Torah mitzvah of sipur yatziyat mitzrayim than finish 4th cup by chatzos (even number of cups is midrabanan!)