As a parent, it’s hard to see our teenagers going through such stressful periods and you realize that any help they can get will be worth it. I remember going through all the preparations for my exams and realizing I needed a lot more help at home. My learning style suited having some extra support and talking through things for me to understand and process a lot of information.

If you have a teenager who seems to be stressed out during these periods, it might be useful to be their anchor where you can and support them, from helping them to write informative essays to taking the pressure off them when it comes to life at home, and here are some handy things you can do that go a long way.

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Teenagers receive pressure from all angles when it comes to exam season; they have to do well as they are told their whole life depends on it. Some teenagers might thrive under this pressure but others can go in the other direction. I was unfortunate and when I was down the route of procrastination and being extremely unfocused, I needed someone at home to keep me in a steady, healthy routine when it came to schoolwork.

These times for teenagers are some of the first moments of genuine academic pressure; therefore, they are going through a lot with the need to perform academically well. They are also trying to figure out how to process these kinds of emotions.

While your teenager might not know what they want to do with their adulthood, they might think they want to be a musical artist, but you must keep them on track academically because you never know that it might come in use when they grow to figure out what they want to do.

How To Support Your Teenager Through Exam Season?

You know your child best so you will be able to figure out a routine where you both can work hand-in-hand together. If you don’t know how to help them and they don’t know what to ask for, these are some fundamental ways you can support your teen.

Physical support
Mental support
Emotional support

Encourage Conversations

Open communication can give your teenagers the chance to unload some pent-up stress and anxiety. Remember to listen and wait till they are finished before interrupting, this way, they can feel like they have someone to lean on during such a stressful time.

It also gives you enough time to think of solutions or how to properly support them. For example, if they are stressed about mathematics or unhappy with the way they are learning/revising mathematics, you can either consider a tutor, speak to the school about extra guidance or research some ways they might find useful.

When you are emotional, it’s hard to see all the options to help, even if they are right in front of you so be sure to listen carefully and point them in the right direction.

Set up a Study Area

Sometimes all you need is your own little space to get some work done. During my exams, I always struggled with revision because I was in a busy house with not enough room for a desk or a little space to call my own. In the modern day, there are fold-down desks attached to walls to maximise your space.

Showing your teenager that you care about their studies and are willing to help is extremely important. This might not always come in the form of buying a desk but could be as simple as dropping and picking them up from a library.

Help Build a Routine

Having a strict routine in place is important to make progress with certain things and studying falls into that category. You could start by introducing healthy new habits into their routine a few months before exam season starts or if it’s a bit too late for that, you could try talking to them about creating a routine and being their accountability coach, making sure they have a balanced routine to prevent any last minute panics.

Make Time For Socialising

While exam season is important, so is their social life. As teenagers, it is hard to not want to spend every minute with their friends but depriving themselves completely of that part of their lives isn’t healthy mentally or physically.

To process all the new things you’ve learned, you need breaks, even if it’s an hour or a day you allow them to dedicate to themselves, it can go a long way with their motivation and mental health during these periods. It’s okay to have a break and they need to know that but then also to not take advantage of “needing a break.” This is where routine and socializing go hand-in-hand.

Maintain a Healthy Diet

Not only is this good for their physical health but also their mental health. Only introducing healthy meals around this time is great for energy and overall health, which is what they need during a mentally draining period. Therefore, setting aside time to eat a heart-healthy meal and some moderate exercise will motivate them to work out some stress and boost their attitude toward studying.

You could encourage this behavior by working out with them and eating the same meals or maybe by buying them some quality loungewear that they will be excited to use at home and in the gym. I know that would work for me.