A-Level and GCSE Exam results day stirs up a lot of emotion for both students and parents. Here are my top tips for dealing with exam day disappointmentA note to the young person making sense of exam results. Its somehow engrained in us to focus on the negatives, but actually, there are nearly always positives we can take away from a situation like this. Right now, you need to focus on those positives and subdue disappointment before it consumes you. Take some time to reflect on the disappointment but do not dwell on things that cannot be changed. Firstly, remember this. You made history. You not only survived a global pandemic you also managed to (pretty much) teach yourself for a whole year and deal with a whole new set of examination stipulations, this was not part of the plan. In fact, all plans were pretty much out of the window. If the teachers, parents, and guardians didn’t have a clue what was going on, then how could you possibly be expected to…but you did, you got on with it and you tried your absolute best. This may not have been part of your plan, sometimes our lives take a sharp turn and lead us down an unexpected road but, although it may not feel like it right now, more often than not, these unplanned road trips end up bringing us more happiness. There are alternatives, resits, different courses or a complete change of plan. Talk it through with parents and professionals that you trust to give you sound advice. Stay around people and do activities that can help you relax, ultimately you need to be kind to yourself. A note to the parents supporting young people with exam disappointmentIt’s easy enough for us to say ‘they’re only exams’ but to young minds this has been their main goal in life for so long. The main thing your child needs right now is your support. Don’t try to wrap them up in cotton wool. Talk things through calmly and try to let your child find their own solutions without forcing your opinions (or sometimes your own disappointment, after all you’ve been routing for them for a long time too) on them. There's no denying that exams are important, however they are just one measure of success. Initially there will be much upset, but this should start to ease given time. If you start to notice changes in behaviour, signs of stress and anxiety, try to encourage them out of their surroundings, get outside, take a day trip, go see a movie together or even a splurge in the shops, it may not change the results but may clear their minds to allow them to think about what steps to take next. Above all else approach this time with love and and not anger, there are solutions, you just have to work together to find the right one for your child. Useful links: https://www.youngminds.org.uk/ is a fabulous website split for both young people and adults UCAS | At the heart of connecting people to higher education have specialists who can navigate you through your options. Worried about your teenager? - NHS (www.nhs.uk) a great resource for parents worried about their child’s mental health. Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families are offering free sessions between 16-19 August to give you some tips on how to support your child & their mental health. For help during a crisis click to see the Help Now page. If you are struggling with exam results and need somebody to talk to you can contact me for a free 20 minute introductory call Click on the button below.A year ago today we were gripped with uncertainty, not knowing what the immediate future held for any of us and I'm not really sure where the past twelve months have gone to be honest. It almost feels lost, like a blur. In my ‘real life job’ I've worked longer hours as more and more people reach out to talk about their anxieties about the world around them. And you know, us counsellors and therapists are not immune to experiencing these anxieties ourselves. I for one did not think for a minute that we would lose so many loved ones and that collectively hundreds of thousands of lives would be cut short. I know death is sadly an unavoidable event that comes to us all but we would not usually have to deal with it in such high numbers, being reminded every time we turned on the TV or read the news.
Help! How do I deal with my own back to school anxiety?I'm anxious about my child going back to school! You've talked to your mummy friends for months about the day the schools reopen. Discussed what you will do at 9am on Monday 8th March 2021. Got a bit over excited to be getting your dining table back and clear away the homeschool. Envisaging having a cup of tea in peace for more than 5 seconds. But now that Monday creeps closer you have a nagging worry, will they be safe, how will they manage without me, how will I manage? Know that this is completely normal and you are not the only person to feel this way! Think back to that first day at school, remember biting your bottom lip trying to stop your tears as you looked on at your baby now grown into a happy 4 year old full of excitement as they set off to explore, make friends and learn. And remember when you picked them up after that first day of school, you probably couldn’t shut them up as they described the friends they'd made and the games they had played. Our children have missed out on so much and although as adults we may be apprehensive there are things we can do to ease our anxieties and send them off on their first day of school just as we did when they were 4 years old. So what can you do;
Most of all, just take your time, do what you can in your own way and be kind to yourself and each other. Demi x #backtoschool #returntoschool #backtoschoolanxiety #backtoschool2021 #selfesteem #TherapistMidlands #covid #IntegrativeTherapistMidlands #OnlineCounsellingUK #counselling #mentalwellness #mentalhealthsupport #OnlinetherapyUK #telephonecounselling #mentalhealthmatters #mentalhealth #therapy #therapistsofinstagram #mentalhealthawareness #selfcare #selflove #love #depression #30minutetherapy #childrensmentalhealth #parent #parentanxiety #covid #covidanxietyrelief #covidanxiety This week sees the launch of #childrensmentalhealthweek and there are some great, free resources for families to access via their website www.childrensmentalhealthweek.org |
AuthorDemi Shakespeare
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