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Year 12 can seem like the final climax however, it is important for us to acknowledge and remind our students that this is not the end. As a parent and carer you can make a significant difference in providing support, confidence and stability to complete their schooling and their HSC to the best of their ability.
On this page we have collated a number of ways we can improve their experience and support them through this difficult time.
Time Management
Time Management
Studies show that students who use effective time management perform better academically and are less stressed.
Our parents have so much lived experience to share with our students about the ways we can manage time effectively.
Helping our students to set clear, realistic and tailored study schedules is the best way to counter how overwhelming it may feel to be doing the HSC.
Having a clear understanding of how your child likes to study (whether they prefer lots of short study chunks such as the recommended 20 min of study and 5 min break or a 1 hour study chunk) as well as whether they are reward motivated can assist in identifying and sticking to the plan.
Stay Positive
Stay Positive
Positive language and gestures are important to communicating intentions of care and fostering a healthy relationship.
Use positive expressions that are non-judgmental and convey encouragement. For example, “how can I help with your study today?” Shows that you are here to help in a constructive manner whilst also giving them control over their own situation.
Avoid using negative expressions that convey disappointment or judgment. For instance: “you’ll never pass the HSC if you don’t do more study” or “do you really think it’s a good idea to go on social media right now?”. It is not constructive and is damaging to your relationship with your child.
Your child will be very sensitive to any criticism; even more so with the pressure of exams mounting. So ask questions that aren’t loaded with any judgement so that they know you are here to support them.
Healthy Lifestyle
Healthy Lifestyle
Exercise, eating and sleep are the top 3 priorities to not only support and increase academic ability but also overall wellbeing. Now is the time to develop lifelong habits to ensure your kids are healthy and happy.
Exercise: influences brain growth and helps pump oxygen into the brain which stimulates it. This
Eating: Food sustains the brain. A whopping 20% of daily intake obtained by food is used to power the brain. Study uses significantly more brain power and therefore needs more sustenance. Hence 'brain foods' such as fatty fish (omega 3-9) help with learning and memory , fatty avocado and nuts help your brain to work harder and antioxidant rich berries and leafy greens help fight off unstable molecules in the brain that cause stress and memory loss.
Sleep: There is significant evidence to demonstrate how important a good nights sleep is. It directly influences how well students perform in their exams as well as teenagers’ mental health.
Managing distractions
Managing distractions
There are so many distractions now in the world so it is important to identify what is a distraction and how to manage it.
Devices can definitely become a distraction with new surveys indicating that the average person checks their device 80 times a day and that increased usage over 2 hours leading to lowered language and cognitive scores.
However, in the age of Covid-19 it is important to acknowledge the use of devices in socialising and connecting with the outside world and friends. Current research indicates that screen time actually reduces anxiety and has a bi-directional relationship with depression scores.
So the best way to make the most of distractions is to identify them and harness them as a reward or to remove them. eSafety for parents and carers is a great resource for understanding more about digital resources and distractions.
Demonstrate calm and stress management
Demonstrate calm and stress management
A UNSW survey found that 40% of HSC students were suffering from symptoms of anxiety and depression. This is alarming as these early experiences shape how affected they are by stressors in future.
As a parent you can demonstrate calm and also work through a number of different tools to help them manage their stress. This can include:
meditation
breathing techniques
yoga
which are all shown to reduce depression and anxiety.
Please find linked below some tools:
References
References
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27531236/
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2158244018824506
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