Pastoral Care

How Parents Can Help Their Children Manage Exam Stress

Exams are a common source of stress for many secondary school students. They can cause anxiety, worry, and pressure to perform well. While some stress can be helpful to motivate students and keep them focused, too much stress can have negative effects on their mental and physical health.

As a parent, you may wonder how you can support your child during exam periods and help them cope with stress. Here are some tips that may help:

1. Encourage healthy habits

One of the best ways to help your child manage stress is to encourage them to adopt healthy habits, such as:

• Eating a balanced diet that provides enough energy and nutrients for their brain and body.
• Getting enough sleep, which is essential for memory, concentration, and mood.
• Exercising regularly, which can boost their mood, reduce tension, and improve their physical fitness.

2. Help them plan and organise

Another way to help your child manage stress is to help them plan and organise their study schedule and exam preparation. You can:

• Help them set realistic and achievable goals for each subject and exam.
• Help them break down large tasks into smaller and manageable steps.
• Help them create a timetable that balances study time with breaks and leisure activities.
• Help them find a suitable study environment that is quiet, comfortable, and free from distractions.

3. Listen and communicate

You can also help your child manage stress by listening to and communicating with them regularly. You can:

• Ask them how they are feeling and what they are worried about
• Listen to them without judging, criticising, or interrupting.
• Acknowledge their feelings and validate their concerns.
• Express your confidence in their abilities and potential.
• Praise their efforts and achievements, not just their results.
• Avoid comparing them with others or putting too much pressure on them.

4. Teach them coping skills

Another way to help your child manage stress is to teach them coping skills that they can use when they feel overwhelmed or anxious. You can:

• Teach them relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, meditation, or mindfulness.
• Teach them positive self-talk, such as replacing negative thoughts with more realistic and helpful ones.
• Teach them problem-solving skills, such as identifying the source of stress, brainstorming possible solutions, evaluating the pros and cons of each option, and choosing the best one.
• Teach them distraction techniques, such as engaging in a hobby, listening to music, reading a book, or playing a game.

5. Seek professional help if needed

A fifth way to help your child manage stress is to seek professional help if needed. Sometimes, stress can be too much for your child to handle on their own, and they may need extra support from a qualified mental health professional. Some signs that your child may need professional help include:

• Persistent or severe symptoms of stress, such as headaches, stomachaches, insomnia, fatigue, etc.
• Changes in behaviour or personality, such as withdrawal, aggression, irritability, etc.
• Changes in mood or emotions, such as sadness, hopelessness, anger, etc.
• Changes in academic performance or attendance, such as falling grades, skipping classes, etc.
• Thoughts or actions of self-harm or suicide

If you notice any of these signs in your child, do not hesitate to contact your GP or a mental health service for advice and referral.

Blue Tree Community Project

The Blue Tree Project acts as a beacon of hope and conversation starters to change the way we talk about mental health. As a community, we'd like to foster a 'it's ok not to be ok' culture, that encourages empathy for others and reduces the stigma around speaking up about mental health concerns. 

To do this, we need your help. If you can knit, crochet or weave, and you'd like to take part in this initiative, can you please create a blue square, of any shade or size, that can be joined together to 'yarn bomb' a living tree as a permanent fixture at the College.

All donations are gratefully accepted and can be dropped off to the Head of House office or to Administration.

The Pastoral Care Team