BENGALURU:Exam time is here and so is stress and anxiety amongst children. As much as we would like to do away with stress during exams, we cannot completely get rid of it. Perhaps, we can guide our children to combat these emotions in an effective way. Feeling nervous before exams is natural. While we cannot eliminate anxiety, we can certainly alleviate it. Some of the suggested measures are as below:
● Unconditional love and support from the family goes a long way in building self-confidence. The feeling of support under any difficult situation immediately puts them at ease. Sometimes, positive criticism does more harm than good. Encouraging words like “you can do it” should be used often with growing children as it helps in boosting their self-confidence. One thing that we can gift our children is good self-esteem. It helps them to act independently, with responsibility and take pride in their achievements. Our voice becomes their voice and negative words can lead to self-defeating thoughts. The child will not know the good intentions of the parent behind this and will think that he is not capable of achieving anything.
● A healthy lifestyle helps children deal with exam stress. A minimum of 7-8 hours of sleep, healthy diet (which should consist to 3-4 different coloured fruits and vegetables daily, a good balance of carbohydrates and proteins), staying hydrated and 30 minutes of exercise is a must for them. Stress and anxiety result in the release of the stress hormone called cortisol, whereas exercising releases endorphins which trigger a positive feeling in the body and improves memory.
● Pressure in children could be self-created, peer pressure or due to over-ambitious parents. To combat this burden, children can have a buddy, a teacher or a counsellor (someone trustworthy) who can address these issues and process their fears in an effective way. Talking about how they are feeling and reaching out to trustworthy people will help reduce pressure and make them feel more in control of the situation.
● The fear of failure is another factor which weighs heavily on their psyche. Positive attitude and positive self affirmations help children in overcoming this fear. Looking into the mirror and making positive affirmations in the morning and before retiring to bed help in boosting their confidence. Children can write negative thoughts on a paper and replace it with positive thoughts. It is important to empower children to think of possible solutions to their problems.
● Systematic and routine plan is very important. Last minute studies, reading without understanding lead to severe performance anxiety. Therefore, systematic routine plan with day to day schedule and timetable will enable them to achieve their goals in an effective way.
● They should set realistic goals and celebrate achievements, small or big.
● Should attempt the difficult chapters and subjects first thing in the morning and make sure there are no distractions. Early to rise and early to bed should be the mantra.
● Take breaks in between studies to refresh. Study for 40 minutes and take a break for a few minutes. Go for a walk, listen to your favourite music or play with your pet, which can be great stress busters.
● Meditation and deep breathing exercises help to relax and energise the brain, increases concentration and reduces tension.
● Reach out for help in times of distress. Children and parents should not think that reaching out to a counsellor is a taboo.
Be filled with self belief and drive and nothing can stop you. Treat your problems as a learning for future, make mistakes but learn and don’t repeat, just move on.
– Counsellor, Bethany High School, Bengaluru