Keep your child motivated during the board exam preparations

With CBSE announcing the tentative dates, the exam season for the academic year has officially begun. Students have pulled-up-their-socks and started preparations for their annual exams. 

Amidst all the hardwork, there can be times when your child loses interest in studies. Therefore, it becomes really important for you, as parents, to help your child stay motivated during the examination phase.

Most children deal with stress and anxiety during this time of the year. You (parents) may not be able to change this situation, but you can, however, take small steps to make it easier for your child. Your participation can act as a catalyst for increasing the performance of your child.

In this article, we will discuss some points to help your child score well in the board exams and reduce stress.

Be available
Maintain a strong relationship with your child. Have meaningful conversations, share your experiences & learnings, show an interest in what fascinates your child and explore the areas of interest.
Students usually go through a lot of stress, anxiety, and pressure during the preparation phase. Be around your child. Stay aware of their needs, whether it’s a cup of coffee to perk them up or just being available to address any concerns. Knowing that someone is there to help and support makes a huge difference to their mental well-being.

Use the right words
You must never compare your child with others of their age. This statement holds a lot of merit. Every child has his/her own strengths and allowing them to build on them can help them be successful in the long run.
You should avoid statements like, “Your future depends on this exam”, and “If you want to do well in life, you must do well in these exams.” It is good to make them realize the importance of marks & exams, but it should not be done keeping their well-being at stake.

Pay attention to health, nutrition, and routine activities
During the exam preparation time, many students get so busy in their study schedule that eating and sleeping on time take a back seat. As parents, you need to encourage them to eat a healthy diet. Give them lots of fruit and juices.
If your child prefers studying at night, you can advise them to take a few naps during the day.
Also, ask your child to step away from books for a while and take a small walk or a stroll at least once a day. 

Discuss their exam strategy
Most students don’t pay attention to their exam strategy and lose out on marks. Sit with your child, discuss and plan on things such as, how to write answers, how to make answers presentable, which questions to attempt first, how to divide time between various sections, etc. This will help them perform better during the final exams.

No one knows your child better than you do. It is good to be involved in helping your child with his/her preparations. Give them an assurance that you are always there to support them. Learn together. Grow together.

Happy Learning!
Team Meritnation