Exam stress - tips for parents

The exam season can be a stressful time for parents and children. Parents can play a key role in helping their children cope with exam stress. The best way to support your children is by following these tips:

• don’t place unnecessary pressure on your children to gain certain grades. They may feel they have failed if they don’t achieve what they thought was expected of them
• encourage children to take regular breaks, eat snacks and exercise
• help them revise by leaving them the space and time to do so. Be relaxed about chores or untidiness and understand they might be moody
• allow your children to revise at nights if that’s what works best for them however do make sure that they get enough sleep to keep their energy levels up in the day
• be supportive and help alleviate their worries by talking to them
• let them know that ChildLine has produced a series of revision tips to help beat exam stress
• be positive, help them put the whole thing into perspective. They can always take an exam again
• tell them exams don’t have to be stressful and send them a link to ChildLine’s new video clip on unusual way to beat exam stress to cheer them up.