The mock GCSE exams are now upon us, causing no end of stress for parents and teenagers alike. According to a survey by Haliborange Omega-3 earlier this year, one in four mums worry that their teenager’s concentration levels aren’t good enough to absorb the amount of information needed in the run up to exams*.
But mocks can be a great way to start preparing for future exams and in the long run revising now will help your child’s stress levels when it comes to the real thing.
Steve Roe, Head Teacher at Fleetwood Sports College in Lancashire, has been a teacher for over 20 years. "Over the last few years I have noticed that more and more pupils and parents are becoming increasingly stressed in the lead up to exams, without a lot of advice being given about how to alleviate this stress."
Steve has a number of tips to offer parents as the revision period approaches:
Sometimes less is more
Don't let kids go mad and lock themselves away with the books 24 hours a day – ensure that their study plan allows for travel, periods of relaxation, eating and a decent night's sleep. Two to three hours is the maximum amount of time that teens can study before needing a longer break of perhaps an hour. Blocks of 30 minutes with 5 minute breaks work well within the 2 - 3 hour blocks.
Get them eating properly
Think of your child as an athlete in training for the Olympics. Keep a constant supply of fruit and veg in stock to ward off bugs and give them an Omega 3 fish-oil supplement such as Haliborange Omega-3 TeenSense to maximise concentration, with the odd treat to reward hard work.
Play pupil
Exams are all about showing understanding, so once your child has finished revising a topic, ask them to teach it to you. This will build their confidence and ensure that they really know their stuff. If you haven’t got time, anyone will do - a pet, a baby sibling, a poster of their favourite pop star – all practice is useful!
Good sleep is vital
Exam stress sometimes makes sleeping difficult. So, set a definite time to go to bed and make sure they stick to it. A period of gentle music, a light snack or a glass of milk and a warm bath will help aid relaxation before bed.