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Five tips for a stress-free exam time
1. Be a calm, positive role model.
Stay relaxed by eating well, exercising regularly, enjoying plenty of treats, going to bed early and getting on with your own life. Encourage your youngster to plan meals, treats and walks with you and invite them to join in but don’t expect miracles. You can only guide and step aside.
2. Relationships are more important than exam results.
High parental expectations and huge pressure on your teenager to succeed academically can have disastrous consequences. Make sure he knows he is loved and appreciated for himself, irrespective of his exam results. This is not the time for nagging, criticizing, blaming or coercing, but for words of praise, loving encouragement and notes of appreciation.
3. Listen and support without giving advice.
Be around to listen and be available for support – but not in your teenager’s face. Respect his need to chill out in his own way and DON’T KEEP ASKING QUESTIONS or making a fuss. Exams are a normal part of education and shouldn’t be blown up out of proportion.
4. Empower your child by giving him plenty of choices.
This is a time when youngsters feel they have very little control over their lives, so give them as much choice as possible about what and when to eat and exercise, how to plan their revision so that they are working at optimum levels [no more than 5 hours a day with a 15 minute break every 45 minutes, proper breaks for meals and 5 minute naps] and suggest they record their favorite TV programmes to watch during the breaks.
5. Avoid confrontation.
Now is the time to turn a blind eye to messy bedrooms, enjoy the loud music for a limited period and be grateful they’ve got friends on the end of the phone. Make the communication you have with your child unconditionally positive and be prepared to walk away when the issue isn’t critical.
