What can I do to help my child deal with exam stress?

The ROSE ruleSome children sail through exams with very little stress. In fact, some parents wish their children would get more stressed about exams! For others even small tests cause real anxiety.

There are lots of ways to help your child deal with exam stress, from practical things like providing healthy food and helping him to getting organised to actually supporting him with revision.
This simple rule covers the four things your child will need during exam time:

• Revise and recap
• Organise time and work
• Sleep and rest
• Eat healthily
  

RevisingRevision needs to be active: reading through notes will not make them stick in your child's memory. Encourage her to make notes, to highlight key points and words and to go over each topic several times.

• At the end of each topic, suggest she makes a short list of the main points. These will be useful for last minute revision the night before each exam.
• There are plenty of websites which offer revision games and activities as well as practice papers with mark schemes. Using a variety of techniques will help all the information to sink in.
• Praise your child when she is working hard. Small rewards can be a real incentive to work, too
  

Getting organised

• Work out a revision timetable together early on so that your child allows enough time to cover all the topics she needs to revise. Ticking off each topic as it's done can help revision seem more manageable.
• Make sure your child is setting herself realistic targets. Trying to cram in too much creates stress and prevents learning.
  On a calendar, mark exam dates and get a thick pen to cross off exam days when once they're over. This will help you both feel that there is an end in sight!
• Help your child to organise her clothes, food and pens the night before each exam. Feeling organised about the little things will help to cut down on stress.
  

Sleep and RestEncourage your child to get plenty of sleep and to take regular breaks while she's revising. Remind her that her brain will work better if it's rested.

• Trying to cram in last minute revision the night before an exam is generally a bad idea. It will make her panic and might even affect her performance the following day. It's much better to have a relaxing evening the night before each exam so she can do her best the following day.
• Exercise, even a walk to the shops, will help your child to concentrate when she gets back to work. It can also help her to sleep better.
• Discourage your child from drinking caffeine-rich drinks like tea, coffee and cola in the evening as caffeine can disturb sleep.
• Make sure she has her alarm set for the next morning! Waking up in a panic or even arriving late for an exam only makes things more stressful.
  

EatingIt's important to eat a healthy balanced diet all the time, but during exam times this is vital. Eating well will help your child to focus and do her best.

• Try to discourage her from eating lots of sugary snacks, as these can actually stop her from concentrating.
• If the school allows children to take a drink into the exam, do make sure your child does so. It will help her to stay alert. This is especially true during the long exams your child will sit as she gets older.
• Exam stress can make some children lose their appetites. If this happens, encourage your child to eat light meals or sandwiches.

Adapted from BBC UK