Exam stress and anxiety go hand in hand. Over time, the kids have a lot of problems coping up with the increased stress. It is natural for middle-schoolers to get stressed before exams. This excessive stress can, however, be bad for both grades and the mental health of the kids. As a result, it should be taken care of thoroughly by the parents.
Stress can, however, be of two types- a good one and a bad one. Just because it is stress does not necessarily mean it has to be bad. Exam stress is mostly found in school going students. One main reason for increasing stress is the lack of confidence in kids. These kids often feel that they may not be able to give their best in the examination. The fear of failure is very much evident from their faces only.
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Stress and Children
This increased fear of failure, however, forces the kids to undertake various wrong paths. Since these kids feel that they can never be enough, they eventually proceed to cheat or tend to lie. These are very common in teenagers.
Parents have a role in increasing the exam stress. Most parents have high expectations for their kids. These parents expect their kids to do their best in exams and when they fail to do so, these parents become extremely disappointed. To ensure that the parents aren’t disappointed, the children take up wrong measures to fulfil the desires of parents.
Parents, Stress, and Child
The parents must understand that their children look up to them as inspiration. The children will always move to parents for any kind of help. Therefore, they expect their parents to be supportive of their decision.
As far as parents are concerned, they should understand that not every student is the same. Just because one guy scored perfect marks, does not mean the other one would too. Therefore, as parents, you can play an important role in curbing down the stress for your kids.
Parents should help their kids understand that exam stress is pretty easy to deal with. Instead of reinforcing your wills and wishes on the child, you should work towards helping them cope up with the already existing pressure. Being friendly and supportive of your child will play an important role in increasing their confidence, way more than you expect.
How to help them?
Parents if you have been noticing your children falling into the trap of exams anxiety, make it a point to reach out to them. Some of the prominent tips that will help you help your child deal with exam stress include
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Identify the signs of stress
Your kid is never going to tell you how they feel about the upcoming exams. Therefore, it is your responsibility to check for possible signs of stress. Some of the most common signs of stress include tension, isolation, sleeplessness, loss of appetite, headache, and fatigue. You should help your children come out from the trap of stress. As parents, you should ensure your child that exam is nothing to be worried about and that things can run smoothly.
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Confront the child about what is worrying
The first thing to know is what your child is concerned about. Knowing the areas of strength and weaknesses can be extremely helpful in the long run. If your kid talks about their problem, it can be a great relief to them. Once you know what has been bothering them, you will be able to find solutions most easily. Staying calm along with your child can be a great boost to them.
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Help them make a study schedule
One of the best ways to ease the pressure on your kids is to help them understand the value of the study schedule. Most kids cannot keep up with their studies because of no study schedule. This leads to them becoming less confident for they aren’t prepared with the chapters yet. You should, however, help your kids prepare a thorough study schedule that can be helpful for them. If the students are prepared in advance, they won’t be stressed out. Instead of last-minute studying, the kids will have enough time to carry out last-minute revisions.
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Take Them Out
Scared kids often become victims of depression. The increasing pressure of approaching exams will eventually make your kids feel scared and then depression. To prevent any such thing from happening, you should ensure that you interact with your child. Working parents may have a tough time but there is nothing better than taking them out to help them. Instead of forcing unrealistic expectations, you should ensure to be positive. You’re positive about them, will help them stay positive and relaxed.
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Change their diet
Diet also plays an important role in exam stress. The wrong diet will increase stress but the right diet will not only help them stay prepared but will also contribute towards ensuring good health. Mostly during exams, the kids become prone to unhealthy eating habits. Therefore, parents should ensure to keep a check on the diet of the kids. As parents, you should give them fresh fruits, whole grains, and vegetables. The diet of your kids should be protein-rich so make sure to give them watermelon, flaxseeds, sunflower, almond, eggs, sprouts, pulses and more.
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Ensure your child is getting enough sleep
Children tend to disrupt their sleep cycle during exams. Lack of sleep can also be one of the main reasons why your child is not able to concentrate on their lessons. As a result, you should ensure that the child is getting enough sleep. A daily sleep of 8 hours can be one of the best ways to enhance concentration.
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Promote breaks
You should allow your child to take an in-between break study. Small breaks between studies can help the kids become more concentrated and eventually enhances the power to retain memory. Forcing your child to study for a long time on a stretch can be harmful to them. You should, however, encourage your kids to take breaks every two hours.
As parents, you should help your children develop a positive notion towards studies and exams. You need to stop putting pressure on your child and help them learn in ways they think is the best for them. Staying calm can be the best way to cope with exam stress.
