How to Help Your Child Handle the Stress of Tests

Admit it, everybody tightens up a little as they begin working on a test. There's a rush of adrenaline, follow by a flash of doubt. "Oh, no, what if I don't know the answers," crowds our thoughts even before we look at the first question or problem. Our minds seem to go blank. It happens to most people, adults and children. So how do we, as parents, help our children get past that mind freeze at test time?

There are some things you, the parent, can do to help before test time.

1. Try to make sure the child gets a good night's sleep the night before a test.

2. Get up early enough to get ready without being rushed and stressed.

3. Eat some type of breakfast, be it cereal, some type of fast food biscuit, or even toast.

4. Make sure your child is prepared with pencils, paper, etc.

5. Don't talk constantly about the test. Talk about your plans for tonight. This will help him see past the test.

Strategies to help your child take a test with calmness and confidence.

1. Make sure he knows to always read the instructions first. Teachers have been known to be tricky by handing out a test with twenty or thirty questions on it for a ten minute test. But when you read the instructions, they inform you to pick out five questions and answer them or only answer odd number questions. So it is important to read the directions and make sure you know what you are supposed to do.

2. After reading the instructions, he should begin the test by filling in standard information, such as name, date and any other required information. The very act of writing these details will give him a sense of beginning. He's gotten started on the test.

3. He should read the first question or problem. But if he doesn't know the answer or how to work the problem, simply go to the next question. Don't spend over a few seconds on each question. He should keep reading the questions until he finds one that he knows the answer to. Explain that by moving on to questions you know and can answer, you don't waste time on the ones you drew a blank on. That way you don't run out of time and leave many questions blank that you did know the answers to. Once you have answered all the ones you know, start back on the ones that gave you trouble. Tell him to read the questions carefully because sometimes a question you answered holds clues to one you weren't sure of. And the more questions you answer, the more relaxed you will become. After all, even if you don't answer all the questions, you did get the ones you know done.

4. Remind your child to take deep breaths and if he begins to get nervous, to simply close his eyes for a moment and relax. Tell him to remind himself that It's only one test. Tell him to do his best and you will be happy.

By helping your child learn how to deal with taking a test, you are teaching him how to deal with stressful situations. Once instilled in your child's mind, these strategies can be used throughout his life to help him handle life's trials and problems.