My children stress… and me even more!

© Provided by Yabiladi

Ladies, all moms say it! Looks like they’re the ones having their exams. Whether the children are in elementary school, high school or even in higher education, parents are stressed and do not know what to do to help them. Do you remember ? Not so long ago, we ourselves were stressed students, who in turn stressed the parents… So, help our children, and above all, help ourselves…

Organize and encourage!

It’s true, ladies, that everyone wants the best for their children. We dream of a prosperous future for them, and we know that a flawless education is the key word. The problem is that our little ones feel this pressure and do not want to disappoint us. They in turn feel guilty for not being able to make us proud! And in addition, they most often try not to show anything!

As ex-students that we are, we can clearly see that they sleep badly, eat little or too much and sometimes even suffer from various physical ailments.

Ladies, we can play a big role on the eve of exams. Certainly, the idea is not to study for them, but to give them an example and help them to organize themselves. For starters, even if time is tight, that’s no reason to deprive him of fun activities. A child needs to play, to breathe. This is also valid for teenagers. If he plays a sport, it’s his time to recharge his batteries and get motivated. Physical preparation is very important, you have to sleep well, eat well and take your mind off things. On your children’s menu, fruit and vegetables for vitamins, meat for protein, and above all lots of hydration.

Remember also that it is better to opt for several short periods of study rather than one long day or evening. Encourage your children to sleep early and wake up early. Sleep helps the brain memorize the information learned, and then, upon waking up, the neurons are more apt to learn.

And we don’t forget the mental preparation too! Do not hesitate to encourage him when he recites a faultless lesson, for example. And then, when he gets stuck on an exercise, don’t scold him! He needs to trust himself! Remind him of his successes and tell him you know he can do it! Your child is very sensitive to these expressions of affection. He will remember it on D-Day.

And we parents…

We tell you once more, children smell absolutely everything! But they misunderstand it… For them, mom and dad are stressing over us, that means they don’t trust us enough for this exam, they know somewhere that we’re going to screw up!

Parents must therefore make an effort not to show their concern. Attention, it is not a question of taking this period lightly either! It’s not regarding giving them sentences like: “If you mess up, it doesn’t matter, you’re still young! You will make up for it next year!”

So you have to find a way to be in the middle: Not too stressed, not totally disinterested! Every child is different. But as a general rule, it is necessary to control the preparations, without being too much on the back of the children. He must feel this confidence and above all he must know how to manage on his own and be responsible for his actions.

Also lead by example by bringing home some work. Be organized, working at fixed hours without forgetting to entertain yourself. And then, make vacation plans with him. Talk to him regarding what you plan to do this summer, and involve him in your decisions. He will feel that the end of exams means the beginning of holidays and rest.

And then, the day before exams, make sure he has a fun activity that he likes. The dice are already thrown, it is not now that he will learn, he needs rest for more concentration. Take him out for some fresh air or an ice cream. And insist on the confidence you have in him!

Good luck, to you ladies, and to your big and little ones!