How do you support your child from getting too stressed which could have an impact on their final performance?
 
This is an immensely stressful time of year for both parents and students who are preparing to sit their exams in January. The pressure can cause children to begin to dip in their performance and have an adverse effect on their final results.
 
As caring parents there is a lot you can do to support our child and ensure that they enter the exams in the best frame of mind.
 
This list may help you with some ideas to relieve your child of the stress.
Remain as calm as you can when talking to your child about the exams and schools next year. It is very stressful for you with the uncertainty of where your child will be offered a place, but your child will pick up on any stress that you may have about where they will attend. This will add extra pressure as they will want to please you and not let you down.
 
Don’t overload them with tests. Whilst children need to practice tests repeating the same tests over and over again without your child having a chance to reflect on their mistakes and practice small sections where they are making errors.
 
If you feel that your child is getting over anxious about the results reassure your child that as long as they do their best you will be proud of them. If your child walks into the exam believing that they have no other worries than the papers in from of them they will perform much better.
 
Reward the effort they are putting into their work. I don’t mean financially but through relieving them from some of their chores or promises of little treats.
 
You know your child best of all, if you sense a change in their behaviour such as becoming more withdrawn, lose of appetite or a change in their general demeanour your child may be over stressed and anxious about the exams. Reassure them that they will be OK, give them small manageable tasks to complete so that they can feel success.