Exam time is always stressful not only for children but also for parents. Especially when the child is having a board exam. So, here are some tips for parents to make their child’s board exam stress-free.
Board exams are stressful and come with anxiety. As it is important in a child’s career, performing well has become first priority for parents. Parents play an important role in a child’s every tough time.
The understanding, support, encouragement, and compassion from the parents give extra fuel to the child’s confidence and performance.
The pressure of performance in board exams is high for students. And for parents, there is pressure and anxiety for our children. How to deal with these all is a skill and mindset that we all parents have to achieve.
Because our children are still young and they have no experience of this kind of pressure and stress. To help them parents have to be more aware and alert, understanding their situation is another task for parents.
Here are points to keep in mind to make this situation a little more comfortable and less anxious for parents and children.
Communication is the Bridge
Communication plays an important role in the whole parenting journey. But here it plays the most important role.
Communication gives your child the comfort and warmth of your love after the whole hectic and stressful day.
You can know about their thoughts and goals for the future. Communication is like a secret formula that you can use in a multiple way.
Motivation, encouragement, guidance, life lessons, etc, you can give them while you are just having a communication.
But here is a caution, first you must listen to the child, understand their situation, problems, and condition then take a pause and think about what to say. Choose your words mindfully as it has a deep impression on a child’s heart.
Many times, Children do not adequately express their mental condition and we think that they are just complaining about their situation.
Always try to understand their underlying emotions through their words, facial expressions, and behavior.
Stay Calm and Relax around them
Parents always want their children to get a higher percentage in their exams. Always instruct them to study more and study hard.
Many parents hover around their children to supervise their studies and give lectures and continuous instruction before exams and after results.
This kind of action can trigger stress in a child. Parents think that if their child gets poor results, it shows their poor parenting and lack of control over their child.
They think about what other people will say if their child fails or gets a low grade.
Just because a parent has anxiety of failure, they start to control every activity of the child. Even do not allow the child to take a little break in their routine.
So, now the question is whether parents should not supervise their child’s study at all.
In my perspective, parents should. But in a mindful way.
In such a way where our word counts are lesser and the understanding of our words is higher. The deep conversation and total understanding of the child’s emotional condition.
Plan their Day together
Planning their day will be the best fit when you are talking about supervising study. But here is a hurdle that you must deal with smartly.
Talk with your child about the importance of their career and study. Ask for suggestions that will give you a glimpse of their need, need for space, entertainment, and free time for their interested activity.
Evaluate all the things that are important for them, things that help them to achieve their goals toward the exam.
Study planner
Make a study planner that includes their school time, tuition time, and self-study. Generally, parents have the burden of self-study. So, be conscious of their study time and remember that the same equation does not fit all children.
Do not compare your child’s study planner with another child. Also, focus on the subject where the child is weak and needs improvement.
The parent can teach them by themselves and keep a record of their growth.
Know your child’s most interesting subject and guide them to perform well in that subject. It will help them to get a high rank with less work.
Plan the week according to different subjects where parents can guide them to arrange a planner with equal focus on each subject and a little extra time when comes to a difficult subject.
Downtime planner
It is shown that when children are active in other physical and mental activities along with the study they perform well in their study.
Study shows that other activities like outdoor games and sports improve their physical and mental health. This will improve their concentration level, sportsmanship spirit, teamwork, etc.
Like physical activity, board games and puzzles also give their brain some exercise and will improve their confidence and performance in their study.
So, include some brain activity and outdoor activity in their planner. In this way, they get a break from their study and enjoy the game.
They feel fresh after activities other than study. They feel less bored and less reluctant to study and exams.
After all, life lessons, sports, and games are also as important as study and exams.
Eliminate Distraction
We all are human beings and our mind has some limitations. It needs some time to relax and wander, some time to do nothing, and just want time to waste.
The best way to eliminate distraction is to give distraction time.
We mostly focus on making time productive and think that wasting our time is just a waste of time. But our mind also wants some time to distract, to wander, thinking random and unimportant things we give the mind to relax.
Mostly our mind gets distracted when we are doing important tasks, and that is okay and happens to all of us. If you give your mind some distraction time as a reward the mind will focus more on the task effectively.
To set distraction time in your child’s planner give them time to think out of the box. They can relax and wander in their own thoughts and enjoy this distraction time.
It is shown in some research that if we give our mind some distraction time our mind will get less distracted when it comes to focus time.
You can also set distraction time as a reward where you give your child distraction time after completing a particular task.
This will increase their focus and they complete their task enthusiastically.
Related article – How much screen time should be allowed to children
Study Environment
The environment where your child studies is also very important. It should be neat and clean, cluttered- free and well arranged.
The room where your child study must be well lit and airy where natural light and fresh air can easily enter into the room.
The study area should be distraction free, means mobile phone and other gadgets should be out of reach.
Child has an easy access of all tools they need. Desk should be well arranged and decluttered.
These little steps can improve focus and concentration of child.
They are young enough to do this all by themselves, you have to just monitor this task.
Your Support and Trust
Children feel so stress and anxious when exam time comes near. They have peer pressure, teacher’s pressure, stress of performing well in test and exams.
After a long and stressful day, they are seeking for your love, support and compassion.
They want to be listened.
They want to be pampered.
They want the warmth of your love.
They want your support which gives them the fuel to fight the next day.
They want the strength of your trust that gives them confidence while dealing with some unfair situation.
Your words, your empathy works magically. Show your love, trust and support not only in the winning situation but also in tough situation.
Encourage them
Encourage your child whenever they need one. They are dealing with many things at the same time.
The frustration of the board exam is so intense that some times they frightened to face the situation. They feel lonely and tired, which leads them to the depression and other mental health problems.
Encourage them to face the problem, talk friendly, positive talks and some motivation gives them the courage to face their exam fear.
Stay in Realistic Mindset
Parents always want their children to be successful in every situation but the reality is different.
Children have their own ability and strengths, their own interests and personalities.
They perform well in some subjects with less effort whereas some subject makes them dumb.
It is true that all children do not rank top and it doesn’t mean that other children’s careers stop if they fail.
After all, failure is a part of our life, we all fail at some point in our life and that failure teaches us unforgettable lessons in our lives.
So, without putting pressure on your young ones, prepare your mindset with a realistic goal.
Here. acceptance is the key, where you accept your child’s abilities, strengths, and weaknesses.
Learn about the strength of your child and try to improve their weaknesses. Work on their ability, their skill, and their mind.
You will find an intelligent and skillful person in your child if you have the vision.
For parents to stay in realistic mindset is so important because many times a child can survive with his lower rank but parents cannot and that will change the whole scenario in a child’s life.
This is the most important lesson to learn in parenting.
Nutritious food is good for the brain
Board exams are the turning point for a child’s career and it is necessary to keep an eye on a child’s health, not only physically but also mentally.
A nutritious food is a must for a healthy brain and body.
Give your child healthy food, plan their meal so they get enough amount of protein and vitamins, and essential minerals.
Sleep is Must
They are teenagers and the big hurdle for them is social media and the internet. It consumes their time without any limitation.
After a long and tiring day, their mind wants some time to relax and to entertain they get to be attracted to the screen. They forget the time that is spent while scrolling the screen and they miss the time to sleep.
Sleep is an important factor for a healthy mind and body. It gives your mind to restart the next day. All healing processes happen while we sleep. And when someone miss the sleep time their mind will not perform effectively.
Children have to work with their brains all day, focusing on studying, learning, reading, and giving tests, all tasks need a fully alert and focused mind.
If one is not having enough time to sleep, it will directly affect their performance in study.
I hope this article will help you to deal with board exam stress.
All the best to all parents and children for the coming board exam. If you get value to this article please share it with other parents, may this help them to get rid of the stress of the upcoming exam.
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