Exam Stress

[rockyracoon]

My daughter has always been a high achiever at school and has sailed through exams and controlled assessments with ease. Her mocks, just before Christmas, were fantastic and her predicted GCSE grades are all A* and 9.

After Christmas, she started to be sick in the morning, just before school. I took her to the doctor who felt is was stress and gave her some techniques to help. The vomiting went away on it's own, but, the tears have replaced them. She's always been a bit emotional, but could usually be talked down, However, she seems to be in such a bad funk and I don't seem to be able to help. She hardly revised over the Easter holidays and has done little homework, which will add to the stress that she's already put herself under and she'll be seriously be beating herself up in school today.

I try to tell her that she's not the only one that is struggling at the moment as it's a stressful time for anyone doing exams, but she's not listening or being rational about it at the moment.

I really don't know what to do. She's actually scaring me a bit at the moment. I mentioned going to the docs again, but she is adamant that she won't go. Not sure what the doc could do anyway, as the exams start in 3 weeks.

The school keep piling on the pressure, so that's not helpful. I will be speaking to her Head of Year.

Any advice?

[Tilly2]

Even on study leave, she should only do half hour slots. The hour, in between, will help to assimilate all that she has done in the half hour. Sitting revising for four/five hours at a time is not productive.

[rockyracoon]

She won't get study leave until half way through the exams, unfortunately. Even then, if the teacher decides to run the lesson, they have to go in. I'd rather she finished now and sorted herself out. I am on the verge of bunking her off, but, she would tell me off ;)