As thousands of students around the country get ready to sit the Leaving and Junior Cert Exams experts at St Patrick’s University Hospital warns parents to be mindful of their children’s anxiety at exam time.
Colman Noctor, advanced nurse practitioner says; “Whether you live with a highly motivated student or an unmotivated student the stress at home is likely to be high nonetheless. For parents, building up a young person’s confidence and self esteem at this time is key.
“If your teenager is a highly motivated student, the task may be to try and instil some sense of balance and perspective in their life. These young people are usually highly ambitious and can put themselves under tremendous stress to perform in state exams.”
Colman continued: “Good mental health requires a good sense of balance and in this case it is important to be available for the young person and offer prompts to take breaks and encourage the student to rest, sleep, eat and mind themselves. Always acknowledge the stress and perceived importance of the exams to the student. Repeated statements that the Leaving Cert or Junior Cert is 'not the end of the world' hold little value, because at this moment in time, to that particular student, it is!”
Paul Gilligan CEO at St Patrick’s says: “It’s important that parents try to keep examinations in perspective and acknowledge the efforts that their young people are making rather than emphasising the importance of the results.”
He concluded that: “It’s essential that young people’s mental health needs are supported at home during this transitional and challenging period of their lives.”
