Exams can be a difficult time for your children. It can be stressful, and it can be very easy for the pressure to get to them. You can be there to help them through the rough patches. To lend you a hand in how you can help, I’ve collaborated with a Top Private Co-educational Boarding School to offer some advice on how to support your kids through the weeds of the exam period.
Watch For Signs of Stress
You probably have a decent idea of how well your children handle pressure and stress, but there are signs to look out for that may let on that the pressure is getting to your child. Are they more irritable? Have they lost interest in things that usually excite them? Make sure they know you’re available to talk to if they are feeling overwhelmed. Be present and encourage them to be open.
Help Structure Study
Revision is, of course, important during the exam period. But kids can often burn themselves out by going a bit too hard on the studying, staying up too late thinking that they can cram in more information that way. But having a healthy sleep, rest and study balance is crucial, and you can help them find that by working on their schedule with them, helping them keep in mind that it is ok to take breaks.
Make Sure They Eat Well
Your kids could become so focused on studying that they might forget to eat lunch or dinner. Be on hand to remind them to eat, be it handing them the food yourself or reminding them through texts and calls to keep to meal times. Make sure they’re going for healthy options as well, as their instinct might be to go for high caffeine, high sugar energy drinks and snacks, options which can often lead them to bruning out and becoming irritable.
Encourage Exercise
Keeping the body active can help the blood flow through the body and keep the brain feeling energised and alert. So, it is important to make sure that your child isn’t stuck to a desk the whole time during their studies. Encourage them to move about and get outside during their breaks to feel reinvigorated, as well as making sure they’re keeping healthy at the same time.
