Exams ahead? Don’t Stress, Do your Best, Forget the Rest…

For most children, and parents, the exam period is an extremely stressful and anxious time! Stress can reduce the efficiency of exam performance. As a parent, you can help your child stay cool during exam. All you need to do is prepare his body and mind…

Prepare his body:“the mind and body are not separate. What affects one, affects the other.”

– Having a balanced diet is essential: eating nutritious food plays a critical role to give your child’s body the energy it needs to function during a test.

– Drinking lots of water: the brain is one of the most important organs in the body that needs to be kept hydrated to be fueled. Its function depends on having abundant access to water. When your child’s brain is functioning on a full reserve of water, it will be able to think faster and be more focused.

– Make sure your child is having enough sleep: especially during the week before and during the exam period, let your child go to bed at a reasonable hour to energize his body so he can perform at its peak level.

– Encourage your child to engage in a physical activity during exam period: according to scientists, exercise releases beta-endorphin, a natural substance in the body that enhances emotional well-being and improves energy level.

Prepare his mind: “The greatest weapon against stress is out ability to choose one thought over another.” William James

– Encourage positive self-talk: teach your child to think in a positive way by using these positive affirmations everyday: “I always do my best”, “I believe in me”, “I can do anything”, “I am proud of my efforts”, “Good things happen to me all the time”, etc….

– Let your child practice mindfulness: in a research conducted at Cambridge University, where students were encouraged to practice 8-15 minutes of mindfulness daily, they found out that mindfulness training improved wellbeing during exam period and helps build resilience against stress.

– Teach the power of visualization: train your child to spend 5 minutes each day imagining doing the exam, feeling calm, relaxed, well-prepared and confident, answering questions with ease, visualizing positive results

– Give your child a mental vacation! your child needs a rest during the studying period. Change his focus and let him choose some helpful distractions such as practicing hobbies or spending some time outdoor, or even visiting family.

(Credit: Haifa Dada, youth, parent & family coach and cognitive behavioral coach/addiction recovery coach)
www.emerge-coaching.net