If your child is entering high school, university, or vocational training, this year can be a stressful time for them. Students must conquer the mounting pressure of countless tests, portfolios, presentations, and school interviews. A bad outcome, a failed achievement, or any negative feedback can significantly set back their academic goals. All the school stress may potentially jeopardize their mental health.
As a parent, seeing your child struggle with their school stress can feel like a helpless predicament. You can hire a private tutor or enroll them in college prep workshops, which may help academically. However, these resources won’t extend to their mental health. If their student stress becomes too unmanageable, they may need professional counselling services for guidance and support.
Along with counselling, there are ways to encourage your child when they need a mental health boost during their studies. Check out these strategies on how parents can help students relieve school stress:
Begin each school day stress-free.
Mornings are hectic for students. If they spent the previous night studying for a test, there’s a desire to sleep in longer before waking up on the next day. However, they also worry about oversleeping or not having enough time to prepare in the morning. Nothing stresses out a student more than being late for school, so time management is crucial.
As the parent, you can help a student prepare by taking care of some morning chores on their behalf. Your activities may include getting their lunch ready, setting out their clothes, and preparing an extra alarm clock. If your child has a test early in the morning, ask about the best time to wake them up. They will feel more reassured and less stressed, knowing that you are looking after their schedule.
Prepare balanced meals for school.
It’s not always easy to eat a balanced meal as a busy student. College students are especially notorious for skipping meals or eating at irregular intervals. While some students think studying is their top priority, remind your child that eating healthy is just as crucial. Not only is going hungry bad for their health, but an empty stomach will also cause irritability and stress.
As the parent, encourage your child to get their diet back on track. Begin by offering nutritious snacks to munch on at their study desks. These can include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, or nuts. The objective is to provide healthier alternatives to junk food like chocolates, cookies, or chips.
Next, pack a healthy lunch so that your child can avoid dining at the cafeteria or restaurant. Create a meal plan in advance, ensuring your child eats a hearty breakfast, lunch, and dinner with the essential vitamins. A great way to do this is to bring leftovers from dinner. That way, you aren’t doing extra work by making a separate lunch.
Eliminate stressful interruptions at home.
When a student is trying to study, getting interrupted constantly can cause stress and anxiety. Phone calls, television noises, or loud conversations usually get in the way of a student’s concentration. As the parent, do your best to either eliminate or minimize these interruptions. Start by keeping volume control. Encourage other house residents to use headphones, speak in quiet tones, and not disturb the student.
Sometimes, distractions may come in the form of a phone call or a doorbell. Although these interruptions may be out of your control, do your best to shorten their longevity. Ask if the other person on the phone can call you back at a later time. If possible, try not to order too many courier deliveries while a student is studying. If there is a delivery, make sure you accept the packages as quickly as possible to minimize the diversion.
Help the student to organize their schoolwork.
A student may feel stressed over the quantity of schoolwork. As they juggle multiple deadlines and complex instructions, these projects can quickly feel overwhelming. As the parent, do your best to help them stay organized. Make a to-do list that prioritizes each school project, the deadline, and its importance. For instance, homework due the next day has more urgency than studying for an upcoming test in the next week.
When making your list, focus on the projects that will make the most impact. If possible, encourage the student to complete the most stressful schoolwork first. Upon completion, crossing these tasks off the list will lift some of the weight from your child’s emotional burden.
There are so many mental health benefits to getting organized. It will keep the student on track throughout the day, which reduces the likelihood of rushing to complete a project. When students meet all deadlines and don’t procrastinate, their school stress will feel significantly lighter.
Encourage exercises and mental health breaks.
Exercise is good for stimulating the mind. When a student feels stressed about school, getting some physical activity may help to relieve the pressure. As the parent, you can accompany your child on a short walk outside, do yoga, or enjoy some light stretches. All of these activities will keep their heart pounding and get those endorphins flowing. Schedule some time to get active during midday to work off the morning stress and de-stress for the afternoon.
If a student feels overwhelmed by school stress, remind them to take a mental health break. Studying for too many consecutive hours will take a toll on the student physically and psychologically. It’s vital to sit back, relax, and take a deep breath from time to time. Deep breathing is a great way to restore balance and hit the reset button.
Need additional mental health support? Kari Walton Counselling Services offer professional family counselling services, which are ideal when students need help with managing their school stress.