Tue. Nov 19th, 2024

As parents the most useful thing we can do to help our children deal with exam stress is to keep calm and manage our own stress because stress is catching.   It may not feel like it but the reality is that the world will not stop turning if these exams don’t go according to plan and we are bigger than the certificates we collect, so keep things in perspective and stop stress levels from soaring.

  • Encourage them to imagine themselves in the exam hall, feeling calm, in control and able to do the paper and then finishing feeling successful and happy with their performance.  These walk throughs increase positivity and in the words of Henry Ford, “whether we think we can or we think we can’t we are probably right”.
  • If they are struggling with revision suggest they set an alarm for 15 minutes – we can do anything for 15 minutes and four of those = one hour.
  • Encourage them to be practical – write out the exam timetable so that they revise for the right subject on the right day; if they are worrying that they haven’t done enough revision encourage them to keep going and to focus on the areas they feel more confident about because it is better to do a few things really well than a lot of things badly.
  • Encourage them to get outside and take some vigorous exercise because it is the best way to relieve mental fatigue, restore mental function and increase positive thinking.
  • Don’t nag – it is white noise and unlikely to be helpful.  Instead encourage them by noticing when they are doing the right thing – tell them you know how hard it is to keep going and ask if there is anything you can do to help.
  • Encourage them not to burn the midnight oil the night before an exam as the benefits of knowing a few extra facts is outweighed by the lack of concentration caused by too little sleep.  Much better to read through notes in the morning.
  • The Exam Day Checklist:-
  • do they know where they are going and when
  • do they understand how the seating works
  • do they have the right equipment
  • Encourage themto eat well for energy
  • to drink to avoid dehydration – even mild dehydration has a marked affect on performance
  • to avoid friends who get stressed before exams – it’s catching
  • to read through the paper noting any specific instructions
  • to make a note of how many questions they need to answer
  • to start with a question they feel confident about answering.After an exam is over let them talk it through so that they can close the page on it before moving onto the next one.  Remember they will focus on the bad bits not the good bits so don’t panic.The choices our children make might not be the ones we would make for them and their lives will rarely pan out as we had hoped but it will be their life and their destiny and it will be no less valuable for it.
  • GOOD LUCK!
  • And finally – a thought to carry you through:-

Alicia Drummond is the author of Why Every Teenager Needs a Parrot (available from www.lets-talk.uk.com or Amazon uk), a psychotherapist and mother of teenagers who lives in Sussex and runs the Let’s Talk Teens Workshops for Parents.

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By Penny McCarthy

Penny McCarthy is a seasoned entrepreneur and co-founder of Parents News UK, a pioneering publication launched in 1993 to serve the needs of busy parents in Southwest London. Alongside her husband, Fergus McCarthy, Penny played a crucial role in the rapid expansion of the printed edition, which grew from a local startup to a widely circulated monthly publication with a reach of 192,000 copies across Kent, South London, and beyond. Under Penny’s leadership, Parents News quickly became a trusted resource for families, providing valuable information on education, entertainment, sports, and family-friendly events. Her vision helped the publication extend its influence with franchises in Northern Ireland and Cornwall, catering to a growing demand for accessible, family-oriented content. In 1997, recognising the importance of digital media, Penny spearheaded the launch of Parents News UK Online. The website initially mirrored the content of the printed editions and has since evolved into a comprehensive online resource for parents, achieving significant popularity with up to 700 daily hits. In 2017, the publication transitioned fully to an online platform, continuing to inform and engage families across the UK. Today, Penny remains deeply involved in the ongoing success of Parents News UK, focusing on innovative advertising opportunities and future growth plans. Her dedication to supporting families through accessible and practical content has made Parents News a cherished name in households across the country.

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