Avoid school stress

Stressed from school: So you can help your child!

Text last updated: 2023-03-16

Reduce school stress: How to make the pressure to perform bearable?

As a parent, you want your child to have a successful school career so that many opportunities open up for his or her later career path. This can trigger pressure to perform, which is felt even by the youngest children in elementary school. It is not uncommon for preparations for tests, exams, classwork and completing homework to dominate everyday family life. School stress can also affect your child's health, learning success and enjoyment of learning. Read here what triggers school stress and how you can counteract as parents.

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Reduce school stress in a targeted manner: 10 tips for parents

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  • Children need rituals, fixed rules and reliability. This also applies to the daily routine. Provide a comprehensible structure without hectic: This includes enough time for meals together, for doing homework, for leisure activities and relaxing time out from school.
  • Also ensure sufficient sleep and fixed bedtimes. According to the World Health Organization, eleven hours of sleep is considered ideal for elementary school students.
  • Schedule free time for your child. Outdoor play and exercise provide physical balance, encourage creativity and self-confidence. However, leisure activities and too many appointments in the afternoon should not be an additional stress factor. Your child needs enough time for themselves, to rest, dawdle and do nothing.
  • Exercise in the fresh air and sports activities are particularly suitable to reduce stress.
  • Help your child learn effectively and keep order in school supplies. A tidy desk without distractions promotes concentration. Pack already in the evening with your child the satchel, this avoids hectic in the morning.
  • Question your own expectations: encourage, but do not overtax your child. Each child has its own learning pace.
  • Make it clear that mistakes are not a bad thing. Praise your child regularly for his efforts, regardless of the result such as grades.
  • Do not punish your child when he brings home bad grades. Not even with withdrawal of love. In any case, your child should know that you accept him as he is - regardless of academic performance and grades.
  • Do not constantly compare your child's school performance and grades with others. Take out performance pressure and do not stress yourself. Rather, practice composure. This is good for you, your child and family life.
  • If performance deficits appear in individual subjects, targeted tutoring can be helpful to take pressure out and reduce fear of failure. But you should know: Parents make pretty poor tutors for their own child. Impatience and emotions make well-intentioned joint learning difficult, so practice not infrequently ends in arguments. Learning support with an external tutor is much more efficient and, moreover, good for the family climate.

Where can we find help and advice?

At the first conspicuities, the class teachers and liaison teachers are contact persons number one. They know where there may be learning difficulties, whether there are behavioral problems, whether your child feels comfortable in school or not. The experienced teachers can also give you advice on how you can best support your child in school matters.

The school psychological service in North Rhine-Westphalia offers students and parents help with school problems and educational issues. At the counseling centers you can get independent and free support in many areas, from learning motivation to dealing with bullying.

You can also turn with your questions and concerns to the education and family counseling centers in NRW. You can find a counseling center near you via the finder of the bke-Bundeskonferenz für Erziehungsberatung e.V. The counseling is free of charge and anonymous if desired. You can reach the parents' phone via the number against sorrow 0800 0 550.

If your child shows health problems over a long period of time, it is important to exclude serious diseases. Turn in this case directly to your pediatrician and adolescent medical practice.

Child psychologists can give you valuable tips and develop strategies against school stress together with you.

The Internet site www.schulpsychologie.nrw informs about help in school and family, also calls contact persons in your proximity.

Further information on the topic of school stress and exam anxiety can be found on the portal Deutscher Bildungsserver.