Exam season is drawing ever closer and with it will come the inevitable nerves, stress and disruption to both the student and their families. Here are eight ways in which parents can identify and help children and teenagers to cope with and stay on top of any exam pressure they may be feeling.
1. Identify exam stress early
Look out for warning signs that your child/ teenager is stressed or suffering from anxiety
Signs include sleep disturbances, erratic/ poor eating, low mood, low confidence, frustration/ anger, queasy tummies, headaches and flaring up of skin conditions such as eczema
2. Set realistic goals and expectations
Understand your child’s/teenager’s strengths and interests and focus on those, whilst acknowledging their weaknesses. Reinforce that failure is a normal part of learning
