Helping Kids Manage Stress During Testing Season

Warmer temperatures, spring break, prom, graduation and the finish line to the school year are in sight for your teens. With these fun times also come challenges that can affect your teens’ confidence in positive and negative ways. Among them: testing season.

Experiences with mid-terms, standardized tests and finals will challenge your teens’ knowledge along with their confidence and ability to handle stress.

To ensure your teens receive the support they need to tackle testing season challenges, consider these tips:

1. Shift your focus.

Final grades are often top priority during this time of year as they are seen as indicators of success. While grades are important, solely focusing on achieving a score or grade can create stress and impact teens’ stress levels. To help alleviate this pressure, shift the focus toward learning the course material. When your teens truly learn and understand the content, they can translate it to positive test results.

2. Help them prepare.

Be interactive. Have study sessions with your teens. Make it fun. Have them verbally share their insights on the material in their own words. Preparation is key to growing confidence and minimizing stress.

3. Be understanding of their needs.

Check in with your teens; ask them how you can help. If you’re unable to provide the support or guidance that they need, reach out to peers, teachers, tutors and other family members who could best help with their academic challenges.

Confidence, communication and interaction with your teens contribute to their positive decision-making both in and out of the classroom. Keep these tips in your back pocket and check out the Coaching section of our website for more information.