Exams not only help to get good marks, secure a better stream, or a scholarship, but a successful performance in exams can help boost the confidence of a child. While your child is facing a lot of pressure from school, friends and society, it’s your turn as a parent to make your child motivated and confident enough to prepare for the exam.
Here’s how you can support your children during the exam:
Don’t put much pressure on the students
Each year, crores of students appear for exams from different boards. You can imagine the immense pressure your child may face during the preparation of the exam with such competition.
As a parent, you should realize the stress factor and not set any unrealistic targets for them. During the exam, you should give an assurance to your child that you will be there to support them irrespective of the exam result. A gentle motivation and encouragement will be much more helpful to boost the child’s confidence.
Help them to manage time and prepare a timetable
While a child is going to face the board exam, they have to give proper time to revisions, solving previous year’s questions, memorizing, etc. They must have an hour or two for rest and recreation. Parents need to help their child create a proper time table to meet the daily study target and ensure that each day remains balanced.
In this process, they might not need your consistent help. But you have to be there at the initial phase to help them stay on track. It is the moment when as a parent you have to be firm forward yet supportive to your child.
Monitor the progress and encourage them to create Self-Help Aids
Daily assessments can do much to track your child’s progress. Encourage them to take up regular mock tests seriously. Figure out their strong and weak areas from the mock assessment. Also, please do not allow any extra time, restricting them to complete a paper within the given time limit. By this, they will be more organized at the time of the real exam.
Sit down with them, take an oral test. Once your child is done with each mock and oral examination, ask them to list the patterns of mistake, and areas needing further revision. In this way, they can create a better revision plan and can improve their performance efficiently with time.
Make sure you are giving proper attention to nutrition, exercise/activity and sleep
Your child needs to look after themselves. It is very common for students to forget to eat or sleep at a proper time when the exam is just one or two weeks away. They get busy with their schedule and due to stress, sleeping and eating on time, takes a back seat.
As a parent, you have to make sure that your child remains mentally and physically healthy during this time. Make sure they have a healthy and balanced diet. You can encourage them to take juice or fruits at a regular intervals. If your child prefers to study late at night, encourage them to take frequent power naps in the day time. This will boost the mental capability in such a stressful time.
And don’t forget physical exercise. Take your child out with you for a walk or a cycle ride. Make sure they have a regular break from studying for nutrition, physical activity and sleep.
Provide a proper environment for study
Do not create a national library in your home, instead create a calm environment. Make sure you are not organizing any house party at the time of exams.
Give your child the support they need during the examination, be that pillar and help them to flourish in their exam and not be afraid of it.