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Original poster

Your top tips for keeping stress levels low during GCSEs?

32 replies

loveyouradvice · 28/03/2018 16:13

Hi.... just five weeks to go until first GCSE paper....and today is the first day of holidays!

We're starting to think about how to best support her through her revision marathon.... and hoping she'll have lots of ideas when we plan over next few days.... She knows how she wants to do the revision and says she is committed to regular bedtimes (!)...

What are your top tips - from experience? Or things you're planning to try?

One friend suggested that you keep them doing the mundane tasks like emptying the dishwasher etc so they have downtime that isn't just mates and screens....

I'm thinking about suggesting some fun undemanding things that are satisfying and engage your brain so it isn't doing stress cartwheels.... like cooking or local dance classes to keep some sort of exercise going....

OP posts:
Leeds2 · 28/03/2018 21:11

I used to take my DD out for lunch at our local garden centre, perhaps three times a week. Got her out of the house, made her take a break, forced her to talk to me (although I avoided the revision word) and made sure she ate something reasonably healthy.
She didn't go into school at all once study leave had started, apart from exams, but found it useful to go to the local library on occasion, just for a change of scene. Again, got her out of the house and doing at least a little exercise by walking there and back.

TheSecondOfHerName · 28/03/2018 20:22

Me three!

giddybiddy · 28/03/2018 18:29

I had also assumed you were talking about the parent, and was going to recommend wine!

hertsandessex · 28/03/2018 17:03

Reading the thread title I was assuming the answer was a bottle of wine a night but now realise you were referring to DC rather than parent.

DailyWailEatsSnails · 28/03/2018 16:48

I think there's a lot to be said for keeping to regular routine, at least wrt light duties. If she usually empties the dishwasher, then she still empties the dishwasher -- would be my approach. Life is more important than exams.

Talking them thru their revision plan once or twice a week just so they know they are on top of things, seemed helpful.

We always have a take-away big pizza on last exam date, to celebrate! I don't celebrate results formally -- don't really agree with that.

TeenTimesTwo · 28/03/2018 16:24

With DD1 we made sure she had fresh air and exercise every day.

We also kept praise levels high, 'you'reworking hard, that is the best we can hope for, you deserve to do well' that kind of thing.

We also did small

Original poster
loveyouradvice · 28/03/2018 16:14

Oh .. and I liked the idea suggested by another poster of celebrating the hours put in... having a chart for 100 hours and them being able to see the hours they've achieved as they go...So they can see what they are achieving rather than feeling freaked by how much they have to do....

Look forward to hearing yours!

OP posts: