A is for attack anxiety. Try deep breathing and some yogic exercises. “The mind is like a muscle, and like any other muscle it needs to be trained, strengthened, and reinforced with healthy habits,” says Chennai-based yoga teacher, Divya Srinivasan. She suggests bindu tratak and kapalbathi which “will not only train the mind and nervous system to be alert while studying, but will also help keep the breath steady and the person calm.”
B is for brain you don’t want to overload. “Encourage your child to maintain a very regular routine, in terms of food, sleep, some amount of fresh air and sun. It is important they wake up and go for a walk — let them use this as a time to chat with you and reduce stress,” says Dr Shraddha Kapoor, Associate Professor, Human Development and Childhood Studies, Lady Irwin College, Delhi.
C is for a chill pill, not coffee. Kids and parents often down cups to stay awake at night. “It’s okay to pick a coffee shake in the evening over a cola, but it’s not okay to drink many cups.” says mom to two, Ritika Samaddar, Regional Head – South Zone, Max Super Speciality Hospital, Delhi. Coffee and tea dehydrate, as they are diuretics.
D is for dine-in , because you don’t want a bad bout of gastroenteritis. Sonam Shah had advised her 16-year-old son against eating out before the pre-board examinations, but on his way back from tuition, he did just that. “He was sick for his maths exam and did rather badly,” says Shah. She now packs a couple of home-made cookies in his bag.
E is for exercise. “It builds, physically, mentally and posturally,” says Dr Pushpinder Bajaj, a Delhi-based sports medicine specialist, whose daughter took the board exam a few years ago. A tennis player, she would hit the court twice or thrice a week even during her exams. Just the act of mobilising the body gets the muscles going, increases adrenalin and prevents the onset of back problems.
F is for fight. Not flight or giving up, on a child struggling to put in effort. “There’s usually something interfering with studying, from a developmental point of view (dyslexia, attention disorder), or they could be going through a difficult time emotionally, or it could be that their self-esteem is so low they don’t believe in themselves. If the parent gives up, it’s a double blow,” says Dr Amit Sen, a psychiatrist and co-founder, Children First, Delhi. “Keep the faith. Tell your child you’re in this together and make the effort you can and we’ll deal with whatever happens,” he says.
G i s for group learning. If your child is isolating herself in a room with nothing but her textbook for company, this is a good option. Research shows that studying can be a collaborative process. Peer-assisted learning increases confidence, reduces anxiety and stress, and has an effect on development of the learner’s future responsibilities, says a study published in the Journal of Advances in Medical Education & Professionalism .
H is for hugs. Every child needs a loving and warm environment, and touch says it well. Hugging releases a hormone called oxytocin which “is linked to increased levels of social interaction, well-being and anti-stress effects,” says a report by the National Center for Biotechnology Information. Your child not a hugger? Offer a shoulder massage or back rub, tousle his hair, or plant a kiss on the forehead.
I i s for identify — a good time and place to study . “Understand what your child is most receptive to studying at what part of the day,” says Delhi-based home-tutor Laiqa Hussain. He may need a warm-up at the beginning of the day with something he finds easy, then go on to maths and science, and prefer to do languages in the evening, for instance.
J is for jam. Those mobile phones. “Ration time, maybe 45 minutes, so your child doesn’t feel deprived. Technology helps, with exchanging notes, for instance,” says Hussain. And avoid it completely at night.
K is for kindness. “Give your child unconditional support. Say, ‘I want you to do your best and I will love you no matter what.’ Say it a 100 times, if you need to,” says Dr Kapoor. Also, avoid comparisons, especially with yourself, siblings, friends, friends’ children.
L is for learning that can’t take place if there’s “inefficient and inconsistent content coverage,” says an article on employmentnews.gov.in. It talks of memorising, binge-studying, not making notes, as being problems, and advocates focussing on one thing at a time, planning the day, and mind-mapping.
M is for motivation. “Highlight what your child does well, and speak to the tutor and school teacher so all of you focus on the same thing,” says Hussain.
N i s for nutrition. Samaddar has a diet chart for herself and her son. “The meals are usually well taken care of,” she says. It’s the snacks that are a problem. She provides things her son likes: almonds and fruits, for instance. She is also giving him an omega-3 and a multivitamin supplements.
O is owning up. It’s a time for parental introspection. Dr Usha Sriram, an internal medicine specialist from Chennai, has seen students hyperventilate to the extent that they experience raised blood pressure, sweating, a tightness in the chest, a fuzziness in the head, stomach cramps. “There are appetite changes, girls may stop menstruating and sleep may be disturbed,” she says. It’s important to understand where the fear and anxiety is coming from. She advises parents not to ignore physical symptoms and seek a doctor’s help.
Not for your child, because it usually results in what kids consider lectures! Give one to each other, if you have a school network. Often, joking about things can take the edge off the stress. Talk to friends about other things besides exams, so you’re not spending the day worrying.
Q is for quit worrying about the future . “It’s not the time to talk about long-term goals. Focus on the short term instead,” says Dr Kapoor.
R is for realistic goals. It’s not about you, it’s about your child. “The tension transfers,” says Priya Tyagi, erstwhile Deputy Head Teacher, Shree Satya Sai Vidyalaya, Jamnagar. In her experience, unrealistic expectations cause the most stress.
S is for socialise , in person, not on social media. “It’s good for children to take a break and meet their friends, just as long as they’re not speaking about studies again,” says Dr Sen.
T is for time table. Set one in tandem with your child, write it out and pin it up, so everyone’s clear on the plan.
U is for unwind. With family. Anu Jain, mother to two, in Delhi, is clear that dinner is family time, no matter what. “It’s a time for sharing, even though your children may never realise it,” she says. This keeping to the routine helps bust the stress her children may feel.
V is for ventilation. A study by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, USA, found that poor ventilation in classrooms correlated with absenteeism due to sickness. Throw open the windows and let in the air and natural light.
is for water. Samaddar says the brain needs water just as much as the body does. “Often, a child will complain of a headache, and parents think it’s stress. It may be, but it may also be dehydration. The simple way: place two bottles of water on the desk, to measure how much your child drinks. “You can also bring in the vitamin C with lime juice,” she says.
X is for X out junk food. “They have no calorific value, often postpone or even stand in for meals, and must be avoided at this time,” says Samaddar. Can’t do without French fries? Make them at home.
Y is for Yoga.Exam Warriors , by Narendra Modi, says, “Yoga strengthens the brain and the nervous system. This sharpens the mind and improves blood circulation…When one practises the various asanas and pranayama , the ability to concentrate improves.” The surya namaskar in the morning will wake the body and the mind.
Z is for Zzz Many kids like to study at night. As the exam closes in, though, it’s best to shift their study routine to the daytime, so their bodies get used to sleeping and waking at the same time as exam days. And use the half-hour before bed to cut off from studies, says the University of Leicester.
