To prepare for the June exams, set up a quiet study space, start a study plan early to avoid cramming and study in 15 to 30 minute sessions with 5 to 10 minute breaks. Encourage homework, class participation and study methods that suit your child’s learning style, and use revision techniques such as diagrams, past papers and practice testing.
Extra-mural activities become too much when a child can no longer do their homework, sleep 8 or more hours, spend time with family or see friends. Choose activities your child genuinely enjoys, check that they are valuable, fun and confidence-building, watch for mood swings or exhaustion, and consider the full costs before committing.
Warning signs that a child is being bullied include lost or damaged belongings, unexplained injuries, frequent headaches or stomach aches, changes in sleep or eating, fear of school, declining marks, withdrawal from friends, low self-esteem and mood swings. Not every bullied child shows signs. If you suspect bullying, seek help immediately from teachers, counsellors or psychologists.
A bullied child can respond without violence by firmly telling the bully to stop, ignoring them and walking away, and never fighting back physically. They should talk to a trusted adult, stay with friends, avoid places where the bully corners them and keep a diary of incidents. Activities such as sport, art or martial arts can build confidence.
Reading with your child works best when the focus is on understanding rather than how much is read. Keep reading pieces short and discuss them in a relaxed, distraction-free setting, create mind maps and summaries for school subjects, use poems and pictures to explore language, look up words in a dictionary and keep a word bank of interesting phrases.
