Helping your child through the stress that exams can bring can be tough. You want them to do well, but you definitely don’t want to be one of those ‘pushy parents’ that doesn’t allow your child any free time away from the revision papers. There are some very simple techniques you can try though, so read on to help your child do their best in their SATS:
Helping With Revision
The only thing that will help your child do well in their exams is planning. By helping your child to make a clear revision plan, you’ll help them to feel more in control of their work. Here are some great tips:
- Create a revision timetable for each subject.
- Break your child’s revision time into smaller chunks to help them better digest important information. Hour long sessions with little breaks at the end of each one are usually effective.
- Make sure your child has all of the materials they need. This could be essential books and other materials; you could even hire a tutor to help your child excel in certain subjects. MathsDoctor.co.uk supplies quality maths tutors at great prices, for example.
- Make notes short and sweet by using postcards and flashcards as prompts.
- Buy your child new stationary, including highlighters and coloured pens to make the information more interesting.
- Go through notes with your child yourself, and then listen as they revise a topic.
- Time your child doing practice papers.
Supporting Your Child
- As revision and exams can be so stressful, it’s important that you make home life as stress free as you possibly can. It also helps if other members of the household are aware that your child is under extra pressure, so allowances should be made.
- If your child has study leave in the run up to their exams, you should try to be home with them as much as you can so you can share breaks and ease their worries.
- Healthy snacks and nutritious food will help fuel your child’s brain ready to take in all of the information. Encouraging a little exercise can help too, by getting them away from the computer and books for a while.
- Try not to nag your child or make any demands when it’s time for their exams. Arguments are counter productive!
- The day before the exam, make sure your child goes to bed early and get’s a good nights sleep. Discourage late night cramming sessions! You should also make sure they eat a good, healthy breakfast on the morning of the exam.
Bribes and Treating
Some children are bribed to do well in their exams, and offered gifts or money to do well. This isn’t a good idea, as it gives the idea that the only worthwhile reward for hard work is money! It also tells your child that you don’t trust them enough to work hard on their own. This can affect your child’s sense of self worth, and also make them grow up expecting something for nothing.
Encourage your child to do well for their own sake. However, feel free to treat your child at the end of their exams, with perhaps a trip to the cinema, a theme park, or something else everyone can enjoy.
The tips above will keep your child motivated and ready to get some amazing grades on their exams!