Spring term always seems to fly by compared to the Autumn term but with extra mock exams thrown in it’s hard to tell if it’s flown or dragged! In some ways it’s probably a bit of both, and the anxiety around how exams will be conducted has been a strain on our young people AND their parents.
Most teens I’ve spoken to, although they’ve barely been back at school, feel exhausted and in need of a good break, and I’m sure alot of this drain is emotional.
With many students facing extra assessments after Easter break which are being used as a backup plan in case of formal Summer exams being cancelled again, there is uncertainty around how to prepare, and just how to juggle revision with the topics which still haven't been taught - compared to much needed downtime and social interaction.
As with any walk of life, work/life balance is important - so here’s my 5 steps to supporting your teen in preparation for the Summer term:
How can I help? Even if it doesn’t seem like it, our teens are putting way more pressure on themselves than anyone else could, so try to avoid using terms like ‘need’ and ‘should’ which tend to raise levels of anxiety. Using the pronouns ‘we’ and ‘I’ can really help avoid conlict too when used instead of ‘you’. Once the Easter celebrations are over and the family’s had a chance to unwind a little, try asking ‘what can we do to get you feeling ready for next term?’ or ‘how can I best support you?’.
Organisation. This can be a tricky one to broach if your teen seems reluctant to accept support but it’s worth persisting with if possible. Due to the way adolescent brains develop, one of the last parts to reach maturity (aged about 25) is planning and organisational skills. This is why the once very particular 10 year old who liked to keep colours in one pencil case and maths equipment in the other suddenly seems incapable of organising a pair of socks! At their age, they literally cannot sort out academic planning in the way adults can, so it’s vital that we step in to help guide them in order to reduce extra anxiety. This can range from reorganising a bedroom to writing up a revision timetable together.
Get outside. Given how cooped up we’ve all been this almost seems ridiculous to add to the list but it’s essential for ALL of us to get outside each day and get some exercise, even if it’s just for a dog walk. Trying to get some green time has been scientifically proven to have many beneficial physical and mental effects so it’s ‘off to the woods I go - to lose my mind and find my soul’.
Set the Pace. It’s always tempting after a heavy half term to put aside all work and leave it to the last moment, but this tends to add to hidden stress levels. If your teen is heading for exams it’s a good idea to set small acheivable tasks each day of the holiday starting as early on as seems fair. Unless we’re really enthusiastic about something, our attention spans aren’t that long, and for children in general, we’re talking about twice the chronological age. Try to limit revision tasks to half an hour - a youtube video, flashcards, mindmaps…
Electronics. This one always makes me very unpopular but here’s the truth of it… we think we can be productive while chatting to mates on social media, watching episodes of Friends, or playing games online… but we can’t. It’s also important to remember that our teenagers’ amazingly spongey brains are busily pruning all the ‘unecessary’ skills and honing the important ones. It’s basically a case of use it or lose it at this age. To curb the risk of developing a strong synaptic pathway to Candycrush success, it’s probably best to put a limit on the electronics during study time.
If you would like to discuss how I can help your child, book a complimentary Discovery Call here:
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