Advice for parents as exams approach

Patents have been warned to be mindful of their children's anxiety as Leaving and Junior Cert exam time approaches.

According to Colman Noctor, Advanced Nurse Practitioner at Dublin's St Patrick's Hospital, says whether parents are living with a highly motivated student or an unmotivated student, the stress at home is still likely to be high.

"For parents, building up a young person's confidence and self-esteem at this time is key."

"If your teenager is a highly motivated student, the task may be to try and instil some sense of balance and perspective in their life. These young people are usually highly ambitious and can put themselves under tremendous stress to perform in state exams," Mr Noctor said.

"Good mental health requires a good sense of balance and in this case it is important to be available for the young person and offer prompts to take breaks and encourage the student to rest, sleep, eat and mind themselves. Always acknowledge the stress and perceived importance of the exams to the student."

Parrrents are advised that repeated statements that the Leaving Cert or Junior Cert is 'not the end of the world' hold little value, because at this time, these these exams are of extreme importance to students

At the same time, Paul Gilligan, CEO of St. Patrick's, said it was important that parents try to keep examinations in perspective and acknowledge the efforts that their young people are making rather than emphasising the importance of the results.

[Posted: Thu 31/05/2012]