The final days before an exam can feel like a climb up a steep mountain for the whole family. As a parent, you aren’t just the one keeping things on track or the one watching the clock but also you are the Chief Calm Officer of your home. While your child is wrestling with the textbooks, your role is to manage the energy of the home ensuring it feels like a supportive training camp rather than a pressure cooker. Remember an exam is just a snapshot of what they know on one specific day, it isn’t a final verdict on their bright future. By balancing a steady heart, a smart strategy, and the right fuel, you can help them cross the finish line with their confidence intact.
PHASE 1: MINDSET & RESILENCE
1.Managing the Stress by keeping the battery full : Instead of trying to control stress, think about releasing it. Stress is like steam in a pressure cooker if it has no way to escape it eventually boils over so it needs a way out.
Simple ways to manage the stress during exams:
- The Venting session: Give a few minutes or at least 10 minutes to your child a day where they can complain, cry or vent without you giving any advice. Just listen. Once the steam is out, the brain has more room to think.
- Gain Calmness via Yoga & Pranayama: Teach children that they have remote control of their nervous system: their breath. Simple yoga breathing, like Bhramari (Humming Bee breath) or practicing Anulom Vilom can lower a racing heart rate.
- Physical Grounding: If they feel a panic attack coming on, ask them to name 5 things they can see and 5 things they can touch. This will move their focus from the scary future back to the safe present.
- Validation over solution: Avoid validating them. Instead of saying ‘don’t worry’ try this ‘I can see you are working really hard, and its okay to feel tired’. When they will feel understood they’ll calm down faster.
PHASE 2: EFFECTIVE LEARNING
2. Strategic Study Habits: Quality over Quantity: Effective studying is not defined by the hours spent at a desk, but by the quality of engagement with the material. Not every subject should be studied the same way. Teaching your child these different tools will make their study time much more effective.
- Math and Science: You can’t learn math by reading a book or science by reading the list of diagrams. These subjects require active practice. Encourage your child to solve five problems a day rather than reading 20 pages of notes. For science, drawing the steps of a diagram helps the brain remember it better than reading a list.
- Languages: Quiz them. Take a quick 5 min chill – pill quiz during breakfast or while driving. Frequent short sessions are better for language subjects than one long hour.
- After reading a chapter of history or humanities, have them explain the main plot points to you in a minute. By this summary method, if they frame the topic in their own words, they truly understand it.
- The 50/10 rule: The brain loses focus after 50 minutes. A 10 minute break to stretch or drink water is a must. Also breaks should not include screens as it drains the mental energy further.
PHASE 3: THE BIOLOGICAL EDGE
3. The ‘Brain Power’ Diet : The brain consumes about 20% of the body’s energy and a child’s ability to focus is directly linked to their blood sugar levels and nutrient intake. During exams, its demand for steady glucose and specific nutrients spikes. To avoid ‘mental fog’ let’s see the healthy options we can give them during exams:
- Stable Glucose: Avoid sugary snacks and white bread. They lead to a crash in mid – study. Instead choosing options like oatmeal, wholegrain toast or sweet potatoes will help release energy slowly.
- Combination for Focus: Ensure that they get plenty of protein and healthy fats to keep their brain sharp. Healthy options can be eggs, Greek yogurt, dal, paneer, tofu, walnuts, chicken and seeds.
- Hydration: Even a little dehydration can make a child feel tired and grumpy. Encourage consistent water intake. Make sure they have a water bottle nearby. Replace tea or coffee with peppermint tea which will increase alertness. So called energy drinks can be replaced with coconut water or plain water infused with cucumber.
PHASE 4: EXECUTION
4. The Final Countdown : Pro tips for Students
Night before Exam:
- Stop studying maximum by 9 pm. The brain needs rest to save the day’s information. Cramming past 9 pm usually results in forgetting everything by morning because the brain is too tired to store it.
- Check all pens, pencils, keep ID, Admit card and clothes the night before to avoid morning panic.
During the Exam:
- Go through the paper. Mark all the questions you know and write their answers. This buys you confidence and calms your heart rate.
- If panic hits, put your pen down To center yourself gently, close your eyes and take 3 to 5 deep breaths practicing Anulom Vilom (breathing from nostrils alternatively). This Yoga practice instantly balances the left and right brain, clearing mental fog and restoring absolute focus. While checking you don’t just re read your answer instead resolve the problem on a rough page to see if you get the same result.
As Swami Vivekananda ji taught, “All power is within you, you can do anything and everything”. He urged children to have faith in themselves, believing that the secret to success lies in concentration of mind and the courage to “Arise, Awake and stop not until the goal is reached”.
AUTHOR: KARISHMA
