With cases of COVID19 increasing every day in the world, it is becoming more and more stressful and frustrating for the students who have put in all their labour to prepare for the competitive exams for years. The saddest part is they are unaware of the date of the examination, on which their future depends. As the cloud of stress looms larger and heavier in the household, it is extremely important for the parents to handle the situation sensitively. Both you and your child are going through intense stress and healthy communication is the need of the hour.
• Communicate
Talk to them frequently. Sit back over a cup of coffee, or watch a movie together once in a while to let them know that they are not alone. Talk about exam stress and try to motivate them with personal stories. It works wonders. It is extremely important to understand that each subject is challenging in its own way. Healthy communication is the key to deal with stress. This will not only keep your child motivated but also improve her reasoning and problem-solving skills.
• Monitor their studies on a regular basis
Actively participate in your child’s routine. No matter how busy you are, never put your child’s studies at the back-seat. Take some time out regularly to monitor your child’s progress. It becomes difficult if you are not from the same academic background, but try to be as involved as you can. Simple questions like, “Have you completed the unit? Could you solve the remaining questions?” will help you to be on the same page as your child. Chalk out a schedule so that there is enough time for revision. Revision is the ultimate key to success in any competitive examination.
• Give them nutritious food
With all the extreme pressure of examinations, children often skip their meals. It is extremely important to take special care of your child’s diet during exams, making sure she is getting ample of healthy nuts, fresh fruits, and green vegetables included in her diet. A nutritious diet will ensure that your child stays healthy, has improved concentration, and gives her best during the exams. However, occasional cheat diets like Biriyani, Fried rice, Chilli Chicken are also necessary to maintain the zeal of the students.
• Make them take breaks
Continuously studying for hours at a stretch tires out the brain and decrease its ability to retain knowledge. Allow and encourage your child to take short breaks between studies. A power nap, a little bit of stretching exercises, or listening to music will provide him renewed vigour. However, don’t allow your children to access social media during these breaks. Using WhatsApp or Facebook can cause major distractions, recovering from which can ruin a lot of time.
• Never judge or compare
Most of the time, parents keep on comparing the mock examination marks with other children. This has a far more dreaded effect than one can even imagine. It breaks apart friendship, lowers the child’s confidence and hurts the sentiments in an unimaginable way. In many cases, the individual’s score in the exams may not necessarily reflect her true potential. Never question her calibre on the basis of her scores or compare her with her peers.
• Minimize the distractions
Having a peaceful ambiance is extremely important in order to maintain concentration. Allocate a well-lit, disturbance-free space in the house as your child’s study room.
Being a medical aspirant myself, I can assure you all that the best support that you can ever get in order to cope with stress is your parents. But you, being parents must simultaneously understand that these exams are not the end-all of life.
-Shankhanila PalchowdhuryA graduate student in Journalism and Communications, I am an avid reader, writer, blogger, foodie and movie buff. Based in Kolkata, I am extremely passionate about trekking, travelling, exploring and building new relations every day.
I am sharing a few hacks so that you can help your child bust the exam stress, without stressing yourself.
• Avoid Putting excess stress
Be supportive. Often patents over-burden their children with unrealistic expectations. Over-pressurizing causes stress, the adverse results of which will definitely be evident in the final results. Different children have different paces of learning. Extreme pressure can even lead to nervous breakdowns, getting out of which is truly difficult. Just believe that your children are trying their level best.• Communicate
Talk to them frequently. Sit back over a cup of coffee, or watch a movie together once in a while to let them know that they are not alone. Talk about exam stress and try to motivate them with personal stories. It works wonders. It is extremely important to understand that each subject is challenging in its own way. Healthy communication is the key to deal with stress. This will not only keep your child motivated but also improve her reasoning and problem-solving skills.
• Monitor their studies on a regular basis
Actively participate in your child’s routine. No matter how busy you are, never put your child’s studies at the back-seat. Take some time out regularly to monitor your child’s progress. It becomes difficult if you are not from the same academic background, but try to be as involved as you can. Simple questions like, “Have you completed the unit? Could you solve the remaining questions?” will help you to be on the same page as your child. Chalk out a schedule so that there is enough time for revision. Revision is the ultimate key to success in any competitive examination.
• Give them nutritious food
With all the extreme pressure of examinations, children often skip their meals. It is extremely important to take special care of your child’s diet during exams, making sure she is getting ample of healthy nuts, fresh fruits, and green vegetables included in her diet. A nutritious diet will ensure that your child stays healthy, has improved concentration, and gives her best during the exams. However, occasional cheat diets like Biriyani, Fried rice, Chilli Chicken are also necessary to maintain the zeal of the students.
• Make them take breaks
Continuously studying for hours at a stretch tires out the brain and decrease its ability to retain knowledge. Allow and encourage your child to take short breaks between studies. A power nap, a little bit of stretching exercises, or listening to music will provide him renewed vigour. However, don’t allow your children to access social media during these breaks. Using WhatsApp or Facebook can cause major distractions, recovering from which can ruin a lot of time.
• Never judge or compare
Most of the time, parents keep on comparing the mock examination marks with other children. This has a far more dreaded effect than one can even imagine. It breaks apart friendship, lowers the child’s confidence and hurts the sentiments in an unimaginable way. In many cases, the individual’s score in the exams may not necessarily reflect her true potential. Never question her calibre on the basis of her scores or compare her with her peers.
• Minimize the distractions
Having a peaceful ambiance is extremely important in order to maintain concentration. Allocate a well-lit, disturbance-free space in the house as your child’s study room.
A genuine effort from your side will help your child win over all his insecurities and help him deliver his best in the dreaded exams easily.
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