Parents' guide to exams: Getting them motivated

The parents' guide to exams: Exam tips and advice

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'They don't realise how important this is'

Everyone has hopes and dreams that their child will be hugely successful and when you think they're ruining their chances by not revising enough, it can be really frustrating.

The most important thing to remember is not to nag them. Let them know that as long as they try their best, that's all you can ask. Pressuring them will just add to their stress and make them more likely to give up completely.

'They want to go out with their friends and have no motivation'

Whoever decided to give teenagers important exams at the same time that they're developing a social life and interest in the opposite sex really didn't think things through. You'd hope that your kids would be able to see that all that stuff can wait and passing their exams could potentially affect the rest of their lives but a teenage brain isn't always that rational.

'I remember the rows I had with my mum during my GCSEs.' says Sarah, 24, from London. 'She banned me from going out with my friends so I used to sit in and refuse to work in protest. I realise now that this was completely pointless but at the time I just remember feeling it was all so unfair, I'd do anything to annoy her.'

This is a good example of why forcing your child to revise rarely works. They need to want to do it for themselves and however frustrating it might be for you - all you can do is try to encourage them and reach some sort of compromise.

Tell them that they can go out for two nights/ afternoons a week, or whatever you think is fair and that they can choose when that is (barring the days before exams). If they've got clear rules to start with then they won't be constantly asking for more freedom and you won't have the same row over and over again.

In the end, the majority of teens will knuckle down and take it upon themselves to revise when they need to - you just need to trust them a bit and give them the chance.

By Charlotte Gunn