How to survive your child’s exams- a parent’s guide to approaching the exam period
The exam period is upon us again and students nationwide will be preparing for the most intensive weeks of their school year. But parents can feel almost as stressed or nervous about the exam process as their children.
This guide from experts at Roedean girl’s school is full of tips and advice on how to make the revision and exam period a bit less stressful for all.
Finding the best revision tactic
Create a daily schedule to help everyone get into a routine. Facts are often at their most digestible first thing in the morning, so aim to maintain your child’s getting-up habit and start at 9am, as they would school.
Whether it’s mind-mapping or more traditional note taking, encourage your child to work out which revision style works best for them. Since university or professional exams could last well into their twenties, it’s a useful life skill.
Ideally, post the revision timetable somewhere the whole family can see it. That way, everyone knows what is meant to be being studied and when, and you can plan extra treats at the end of a tough session!
Turning off the tech
Your child will probably be online for part of their revision, but they need to focus on the subject in hand. Frequent Facebook and Twitter updates flickering in the background will be enormously disruptive, so keep the social media switched off while they are revising.
It’s the same for mobiles. Why not liaise with your child’s friend’s parents to agree on- and offline socialising time that fits into everyone’s revision timetable?
Getting the zzzzzz’s
It’s essential that your child gets enough sleep, especially during stressful revision time. Staying up revising until 1am the night before an exam will not help, no matter how virtuous it makes them feel at the time!
Equally, this is not the time to mess around with sleep patterns. Encourage your child to go to bed at the normal time, or perhaps a little earlier. Anxiety is by its nature tiring, so by the second week of exams they may be feeling the strain and will need quality rest.
Discourage the consumption of energy drinks. Experts recommend avoiding coffee and caffeinated drinks for at least four hours before going to bed.
Eating the right foods
Correct nutrition during revision and exams is vital. This is not the time to go on a diet and there is no truth in the myth that you work better on an empty stomach.
Help your child stay alert by preparing tasty, balanced meals and by providing healthy snacks for regular brain fuel. Tennis players are fans of bananas as they’re packed with potassium which is great for energy levels.
Water intake is equally important. If the brain is even slightly dehydrated it will work less efficiently, so keep a glass at hand and make sure your child has regular sips.
Although many people do reach straight for the chocolate at times of stress, it’s worth trying to resist. Eating chocolate before an exam will give a brief sugar rush, followed by an energy crash. Homemade flapjack packed with seeds and dried fruit is a better sweet treat than biscuits or chocolate.
Taking the air
Finally, ensure your child pops outside for some fresh air every couple of hours during the revision/exam period to stretch their legs and refocus their brains. Even a walk around the block can be invigorating and will help keep them motivated.
Zoë Marlow is Director of Admissions at Roedean, <a href=“http://www.roedean.co.uk/”>independent school Sussex</a>.
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