Empty Nest Quiz

ARE YOU READY?

Read and respond to each item below. When you are done, follow the scoring directions and see how YOU will be impacted by the “Empty Nest Syndrome.”

A. When it comes to colleges, your high-schooler thinks, “The farther away from home, the better.” Your take:

It’ll be hard with all that distance between us, but my kid is applying to great schools – I’d consider it.
Distance makes the heart grow fonder.
No way, No how – If something happens and my child needs me, I could never get there in time.

B. Your college kid comes home for visits with heaps and heaps of dirty laundry. Your response:

Of course I’d do the laundry – My child couldn’t identify fabric softener if I served it for breakfast.
Sort of annoyed, but the truth is, I like feeling useful.
Insulted – I’d say, “I’m not your cleaning lady anymore, pumpkin.”

C. Your kid, the ultimate adventurer, wants to spend the summer before college (and his life savings) in Europe. Your response:

Wow, what a great opportunity for both of us – I could use some time to myself or alone with my spouse.
Absolutely not – This is our last chunk of time as a family and we’re spending it on the same continent.
I’m not exactly thrilled at the idea, but I am prepared to negotiate, say, one month in Europe (with a calling card).

D. Your child says he’d like to hold off on college and get a job in another city for a while. You think:

If my child wants to work and consider options, he can do it from home.
I’m stumped – I’d worry my heart out, but it does seem like an interesting idea.
Great idea – My child needs to learn how to pay bills and take care of himself.

E. Just before Labor Day, you take a stroll through your college-bound kid’s room. The boxes are sealed, the trunk is half-packed…How do you feel?

Devastated – That kid is the center of my universe.
It’s bittersweet – This isn’t easy, but it’s time to cut the cord, and truth be told, I’m looking forward to the free time.
Elation – I can’t wait for the calm to descend on my home.

F. Your girlfriends, also empty-nesters, are planning a relaxing getaway at a spa in Mexico, departing the day after you drop your kid off at college. You:

Start packing – what better way to start investing time and energy in myself again?
Say, “No, gracias.” How can I go away when my baby needs me the most?
Start fretting. I’d love to rest and rejuvenate South of the border, and wonder if I can convince my friends to put the trip off a few weeks.

G. Your husband wants to turn your college kid’s bedroom into a gym, leaving your son’s bed in there so he has a place to stay during breaks. Your response:

I’d suggest we wait a year and then ask our kid how he feels about his room doubling as a gym.
Start pricing treadmills and Stairmasters.
I want our son’s room to always feel like his room, not like he’s sleeping at a gym. It’s not up for discussion.

H. You’ve spent weeks decorating the house for the holidays, buying presents, making wreaths and planning family outings, but your little scholar calls to let you know she will be spending Winter break at a friend’s house in Florida. You feel:

Heartbroken – and since I haven’t seen my baby in months and this is such an important time to spend with family, I’d demand that my kid come home for the holidays.
Hurt, but I’ll survive. I’d rather that my child was home for the holidays, but hey, who wouldn’t love the beach in winter?
Okay with it – I might even talk my hubby into taking a romantic holiday vacation.

Write down your response # next to the corresponding question. See how closely your response patterns matched the 3 types of Empty Nesters:

Question	Your Response	Empty Nest Alert	Soldiering On	Parent Reborn
A		3	1	2
B		1	2	3
C		2	3	1
D		1	2	3
E		1	2	3
F		2	3	1
G		3	1	2
H		1	2	3