Everyone dreads that time of the school year when tests are coming up. It’s when kids seem to be most miserable, and all they can think about is study and the stress that comes from that.
Some kids will not cope with the stress very well and will have nervous breakdowns or will procrastinate because they have so little confidence or so much fear. Others will study themselves into exhaustion. As test time approaches, it’s a good idea to make some changes in your kid’s schedule and help them do better at studying and taking the tests.
Cut Back on Their Chores
One of the biggest areas where kids stress during test time is when it comes to their chores. They think they won’t have time to get everything done, and while it is a good idea to give kids chores to do, there may be times where you need to take some of the load off of them. Test crunch time is such a time. It’s smart to give your kids a break so that they can spend more time studying and less time stressing. If they are constantly thinking about not being able to get their chores done, not having time for studying or not having time for play, they will be miserable and stressed. If you need some help keeping up with the chores, you may want to hire a house cleaning service to at least do some of the housework.
Get Them Involved in Stress Relieving Activities
While studying is important, it is easy to get into a mindset of studying all the time and not making time for leisure or fun. Kids need some personal time and some playtime, and you can choose activities that will get their minds off the test and the studying for a bit and relieve some stress.
What works well for relieving stress? Playing outside or any kind of outdoor activity is a good idea, since it oxygenates the heart and lungs and boosts positive hormone levels. You can also let them watch movies, play video games, read books, and hang out with friends.
Help Them with Their Studies
Your kids might be struggling to study and not tell you that they are. Maybe they think you won’t know how to help them or maybe they think you are too busy. Take time to sit down with them and ask them what they are having a hard time with. You can also help them study by drilling them on what they are supposed to know. This helps them to feel connected to you and not so alone in their battle with the upcoming tests.
Keep the Pressure Off
Let your kids know that while tests are important, what is most important is that they learn from their school. So, if they do poorly on a test, you can help them go over what they missed and help them understand what went wrong. This is a lot better than berating them for a poor score.
