How to support your child during the exam period

It is exam season in South Africa. Matric pupils are writing their exams, and soon other grades will also be starting as well.

We all know that the exam period can be very stressful for the learners. If you are a parent wanting to offer your child support or looking for the best way to help them get through the exams, here are simple yet effective things that you can do. 

Know their timetable

The first steps in ensuring that you support your child for exams is to know what subjects they are writing, on which day, and at what time. 

For subjects that you know that your child struggles with, hire a tutor to help them. 

Ensure they have stationery

There's nothing worse than not having the tools you need in order to study or to write your exam. So, check that your child has study material and stationery, to avoid them having to borrow from others. 

Do house chores

This is not the time to be making your child cook and do dishes or clean the house. This is the time to allow them to focus all their energy on studying and ensuring they pass their exams with good grades. 

Be mindful of noise

Don't play music too loudly or have the volume of the TV turned up high when your child is studying. 

You can compromise TV and loud music for just a couple of weeks until exams are done. Alternatively, you can have the noise during the times that your child is taking a break from studying. 

Give them space

If you don't have a study room in the house, you can create a study space. This can be created by putting a study table, a lamp for late-night studying, and a comfortable chair. 

Allow them to rest

Rest is very important in helping a child to function at the optimum level. If a person is tired they might not grasp as much information as they would had they had sufficient rest. So, listen to your child. If they tell you that they've studied enough and they just want to rest a bit, do not force them to study. 

Cook nutritious food

Give your child food that is nutritious. Cook vegetables and have fruits readily available in the house. Eating the right food will benefit their body and mind. 

Let them know they have your support

Let your child know that you are proud of how far they've come and that they have your full support for the exams. Show them that you believe in them and know that they're able to pass.  

READ: Matric 2019: How to ensure you are ready for your exams

Image courtesy of iStock/ jacoblund