Exams are undeniably a stressful period for every kid. You may try to hide it, but it affects the parents as well. It is only natural to want to help a child with everything.
Unfortunately, you cannot control many aspects of the examinations. Fortunately, there are things that you can do to foster confidence and support them throughout. Only remember not to advise them too much as this can cause even more stress.
Looking into the productive side of things, here is what you can do to make your child’s exam time a little better.
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Know Their Schedules
Do not wait until the morning of the exams to see whether your child is prepared. Make it a point to find out their test schedule.
Keep an online copy or pin it in a place where it is easily noticeable by the family members. This way, you will know the timing in advance and know where exactly to check up and wish luck.
Make a List
Amidst the tension, it is possible to forget some necessary things. Parents can always double-check each morning to see whether a kid is fully prepared and equipped for the exam day.
Also, check whether you can get them any additional supplements for learning. If the schedule is too tight, you can help them with some challenging topics, say, provide the link on how to write a good opinion essay, but do not try to help with all aspects at once.
Provide The Right Environment
It is almost impossible to maintain complete silence in a household, even when it is especially needed. But you can still reduce the noise to a large extent.
Respect the child’s privacy and strive to provide a good learning environment to study. Make sure that the distractions are at a minimum. On the same page, if possible, try to give them a break from their chores — coordinate family time and other group activities to grant the children more time to study.
Understand Their Stress
If your kid is feeling too stressed, do not hesitate to talk to them about it. Discuss with them how they are coping up with school. Recommend breaks and mindful activities if they want to relax.
Sometimes even a positive conversation with parents can help a kid get past the fear of exams.
Get Them to Eat
It is not uncommon for students to skip meals, especially when they are struggling with exams. Experts say that adequate nutrition and healthy dietary habits can increase academic performance.
It can improve their cognitive skills and allow them to be sharp during tests. Parents should ensure that their kids do not skip any meals, especially breakfasts.
Get Them to Sleep
Much like food, a good night’s sleep is also important for a kid to perform well during exams. Cramming the night before will not help your child’s brain to save up the information it just processed.
Moreover, it will also make them sleepy and can cause difficulty in focusing the next day. While few children might prefer studying late into the night, as parents, you should convince them of the importance of sleep.
Avoid Digital Distractions
Students now learn with the help of digital devices, so getting completely rid of them is not an option in many cases.
However, controlling digital distractions is almost a necessity while studying and exam preparation. What one can do is to install parental controls or app locks for specific applications such as games on these devices.
Another way to go about is to limit the time your kid uses these devices. This will reduce the diversions and enable them to concentrate.
Be Available
The best you can do as a parent is to always be there for your kids. Making them feel that they can always come to you with any questions, concerns, or even complaints will make them trust you.
Even if you are not able to contribute in any way, your mere presence might be encouraging enough for them. Giving them snacks, offering help with revisions, and other tiny gestures can go a long way in supporting them.
Keep Your Own Stress to Yourself
Last but not least, try not to add on to their stress. Do not assume that your child is not studying or has not taken exams seriously. Arguments are often counterproductive.
Constantly pushing and advising them will only make things worse. Instead, try to embrace positivity and motivate them.
Wrapping Up
Make your home a calm and pleasant place, ensure there is enough food at home at all times and be available to your child.
Reassure your child that the results are less important than the knowledge they get. Let them now that you will be there to support them at all times.