By Pam Lobley of pamlobley.com

QUIZ:  Are You Ready to Welcome Your Son Home from His First Year at College? 

You’ve missed him so much, and he’s had a great year. Now he’s coming home. Are you ready? You may think you are, but surprises lurk!  Test your knowledge here.

1. Should you ask your son how many times he washed his sheets during the year?

       A. Yes.

       B. No.

       C. I said NO!

2. For the first night your son is home you should

       A. Make reservations at his favorite restaurant.

       B. Cook a special meal for the whole family.

       C. Explain that your other son is busy with youth group so he won’t be around for dinner, and you were too busy to buy any special food, but there’s probably some good stuff in the freezer.

3. When your husband gets in the house after the 18 hour Auto Train/highway-driving marathon of bringing the college boy home you should

        A. Chat excitedly with him about all the cute things the dog did while he was gone.

        B. Pour yourself a glass of wine and show him the adorable new towels you bought.

        C. Leave him alone to pass out cold on your bed.

4. When you see your son hefting his suitcases into the hallway you should

        A. Offer to do his laundry.

        B. Mention how his arms have gotten a lot hairier this year.

        C. Keep that “hairy arm” thought inside your head.

5. When your son tells you about the summer plans he has made with his high school friends you should

        A. Bark at him, “After you’ve gotten a job, mister!”

        B. Smile and nod even after you’ve stopped listening.

        C. Alert him to the fact that next weekend he will be staying home with his brother and the dog while you and your husband have a night away together FOR ONCE IN A DARN WHILE.

6. When you see that awful pile of stuff he has dumped in the hallway you should

        A. Ask him repeatedly in a high pitched, cheerful tone to take some bags upstairs “on his next trip up.”

        B. Take a few bags yourself on your “next trip up” as you check on your snoring husband.

        C. Step around the pile, pour some more wine, and think, “It’s going to be a long summer.”

7. When your son goes to the basement to “have a quick workout” at 8 p.m., you should

        A. Feel hurt that he doesn’t want to sit chatting with you on this first night home.

        B. Feel weird that this night is not special at all.  Should you have done something differently?

        C. Settle in to the sofa and watch all the “Kathie Lee and Hoda” episodes that you have DVRd.

8. At 9:30 p.m., when everyone is done sleeping/home from youth group/finished their workout, you should

        A. Realize, alas, that here is nothing good in the freezer.  Dig out some old red sauce and scrape off the freezer burn.

        B. Throw a load of laundry in … might as well get started.

        C. Hug your son for the fifth time.  It’s so good to have him home.

If you answered “C” to all of those questions, you’re ready!  Enjoy your summer.

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About the Author

Pam Lobley’s book “Why Can’t We Just Play?” is a sweet and funny memoir of a summer she spent “doing nothing” with her kids. You can keep up with her at www.pamlobley.com, or on Twitter.