Anxiety is a feeling of worry that accompanies the anticipation of a challenge or something new. Students easily get anxious during exams, tests and first day at school. It is natural for anxiety to set in before exams no matter the age or class of your child(ren). However, if well managed, it can help them channel the right energy to overcome challenging situations.
Causes of exam anxiety may include fear of failure, poor test scores, inadequate exam preparation, poor class participation among others. Helping your kid(s) to manage anxiety takes time. You can help your wards by trying some of these tips at home.

Plan proper preparation. Cramming and last minute exam rush increases anxiety. Exam and test preparation should not start when exam timetable is released; proper preparation means studying early in the term. This will allow your kid(s) enough time to study at their own pace thereby reducing stress and anxiety.

Set time apart proper breaks while studying. Taking regular breaks can help the brain stay refreshed and focused. Be sure your kid(s) do not engage in time consuming activities such as video games, social media and television during breaks as this affects attention and encourages procrastination.
Use humour after studies to help ease stress..

Be sure notes are neat and up to date. Go through notes to ensure that it is neat and up-to-date. This will help your children stay active and involved in class which improves understanding and eases studies.

Ensure that stationeries are supplied. You won’t want kids feeling less loved by having to borrow essential stationeries from classmates. Your ward(s) will have a hard time staying up to date with lessons without adequate supply of stationeries.

Make sure home works are taken seriously. Homeworks help students demonstrate their knowledge. Ensuring that your kid(s) do homeworks gives them opportunity to review study materials at home which boosts learning.

Be sure your kids practice past questions. Practicing past questions is an essential part of exam preparation. This will help your kid(s) stay focused on the exam question style and also identify subject areas to focus on.

Spend time studying together and help them realize that they are smart enough to succeed. You should also plan a reward for meeting targets and be sure that they don’t dwell on mistakes or previous failures.