Exam Stress

3 December 2018

By: Vidhya Shailesh, SoulKids Program manager, www.soulkids.org 

Exam time can be a stressful time for children. The burden of expectation from themselves and their parents, peer pressure, performance anxiety can all lead to stress among children. Children need the support and understanding of their parents the most during this stressful time.

Here are a few simple guidelines for you to support and help alleviate stress for your children during this period.

1. Don’t add to their stress

Make sure as parents, you are a source of comfort for them rather than adding onto their stress. Have realistic expectations of your children and try not to impose your own expectations on them. Let them know it is normal for them to feel nervous and talk to them to help them release their own anxiety. Frequent talks, simple breathing exercises, keeping track of their own study progress can all help them feel better.

2. Follow a healthy eat and sleep routine

Support them by helping them eat regular meals, which are healthy. Ensure they get enough sleep. A rested mind is several times more effective than a tired mind.

3. Encourage them to organize their study time and take regular breaks

Organized children feel more in control and chances are they will be less stressed out. Help your children create a study timetable. Help them do it themselves and resist the urge to create one for them. If children create their own timetables that they are comfortable with, they are more likely to stick to it. Ensure there are sufficient breaks in between. Encourage them to exercise, go for short walks, and play something, read a book during their breaks. Breaks must that help them rest their minds so they feel more refreshed.

4. Help them take ownership and responsibility for their work

Children have to take responsibility for their own performance. Only then will they be willing to put in effort on their own accord. Constantly pushing them to study will only cause them frustration. Guide them to this understanding. Children who are motivated and self-driven are the ones who take responsibility for their actions. To this effect, help them set achievable goals for themselves.

5. Remind them to focus on the task at hand

An important aspect of time management is to remind them to focus on the task at hand. The idea of upcoming exams can overwhelm children and they can loose sight of what they need to focus on. By getting distracted with the many exams they must give, their efforts only get dissipated. Remind them to focus on the tests one at a time.

Children must learn and understand that only efforts produce results. They must also understand that scores are a feedback to help you understand what you need to work on. Appreciate their efforts rather than focusing on the results.

At SoulKids® we teach children that there is no substitute for hard work. Only with hard work and focus, can results be accomplished. It is natural for children to feel anxious and worried about their exams. Keep the focus on the effort and learning and not on the results. Keep a positive mindset and attitude and encourage them to do the same.

To find out more about our programs and one-on-one coaching, please visit www.soulkids.org or email us at soulkids@soulcentre.org.

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