In small doses, stress can be a positive force that pushes us to stay on our toes and be at our best. However, too much stress can become overwhelming and turn into anxiety. Here are a few tips to help your child overcome their anxiety during exam season.
Some people are anxious by nature, whereas others become anxious only in certain situations. Even though anxiety is often invisible to others, it’s a very real disorder that manifests itself in different ways:
Anxiety has a negative impact on learning because it brings up all sorts of distracting thoughts that have nothing to do with the task at hand. These thoughts can be overwhelming and prevent your child from retaining, processing, or recalling what they’ve learned. When they look at their exam sheet, their mind goes blank.
Some children get extremely anxious because they’re afraid they’ll run out of time or that the questions will be very difficult. However, studies have shown that test anxiety has three main causes:
Anxious children tend to blame themselves for their failures and attribute their successes to external factors. To help your child feel proud of their achievements and cope with disappointment, try to strengthen their self-esteem.
If your child is feeling anxious about an upcoming exam, it’s important to be a good listener and to highlight the positives.
To help your child conquer their anxiety and dispel memory blanks, encourage them to use their inner voice. For example, they can self-soothe by reminding themselves of the following:
Fatigue, hunger, lack of focus, and a fear of failure can all contribute to test anxiety. Help your child adopt healthy habits to keep their stress levels at bay:
1. Eat well
If your child has a balanced diet and enjoys what they eat, they’ll find it easier to face exam days head-on. Some foods are especially good for concentration:
If your child needs an extra boost, you can also slip encouraging notes in their lunchbox. To learn more, check out our article on what to eat before an exam.
2. Take mental breaks
After a long study session, it gets harder for the brain to process information. It’s important for your child to focus their attention somewhere else. Here are some activities they can do after an evening of studying, before they get ready for bed:
3. Get enough sleep
A good night’s sleep is essential before an exam. Sleep helps your brain consolidate learning, reduces anxiety, and improves concentration, so make sure your child doesn’t pull an all-nighter!
4. Stay active and have fun
When exam season rolls around, studying is key—but so is staying active! After a study session, encourage your child to take a break. Having some fun can do wonders. Plus, exercise is a great way to reduce stress and improve concentration.
“My child has benefited from Alloprof’s services even though I’m available to lend a hand. I choose to donate so that all children, regardless of their situation at home, have free access to the help they need to succeed.” – Jennifer
Writing: Marie-Claude Ouellet
Scientific review: Fany Langlais, psychoeducator
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Rewriting: The Alloprof Parents’ team