Examinations and school tests cause a certain amount of stress for teens. This is normal and often the type of stress that is needed to push your teen to do his/her best. But too much stress will have the opposite effect and can hinder your teen’s grades. Here are ways that you can help your teen tone down test stress at home.
Be positive about your teen’s abilities. Your teen may experience some self-doubt or worry that the test may be 'too hard'. Sympathize with your teen but remain confident that he/she is capable of handling the test.
Provide a quiet place with all that your teen needs to study. I can’t stress enough how important it is for a study place to be ‘study ready’ for your teen. All the right tools at home will help your teen succeed at school with very little stress as it will give him/her a can-do attitude.
Provide nutritional food that your teen likes for breakfast and for dinner and snack the night before. These meals will set up how well your teen’s brain works on test day. A hungry teen, or one that was hyped up on junk food the night before, will be tired and lethargic. This can cause undo stress that may have your teen missing answers he/she does know.
Have your teen get some rest and stick to your normal routine. Don’t stay up late to go over the information one more time. Routine and habits will help your teen keep his/her stress under control.
Be sure your teen knows how to take a test. Follow these quick rules:
- Read and follow all of the directions.
- Read each question through before answering.
- If you don’t know the answer right away, move on to the next question and come back to it.
- If there is time, check your answers.
Prevent test stress long before the testing starts. Require that your teen keeps up with his/her class work and homework. Learning takes place over time. If your teen’s history teacher wants the students to read the chapters for homework, it needs to be done as much something that is turned in for a grade. When your teen keeps up with his/her reading and note-taking, then studying for a test becomes reviewing, instead of cramming. It’s an excellent habit to teach your teen. Check your teen’s notes, ask about what is being learned in class and what your teen needs to do for homework. Make asking your habit when you hear, “I don’t have homework tonight.”
