How to keep your teen distracted from the dread of exam results
Although the summer months tend to bring endless hours of freedom and excitement for your kids, they can also bring a sense of dread to your older children – particularly those who have just completed big exams.
As the summer days drone on, their anxieties over their impending exam results can start to take over their mindset. So, as they continue to worry about whether or not they’ve achieved their goals, there are a few things that you can do to help take their mind off of their exams.
Below, we’ve devised a list of our top suggestions on how to keep your teen distracted, entertained and as content as possible during this post-exam period. From sporting activities to quality time together, hopefully these will help to ease their worries:
Take up a new hobby
The summer months are the perfect time to get them interested in a new hobby! There are plenty of options to choose from, such as painting, cooking, photography, or gardening.
Get sporty
If your teen tends to enjoy playing sports in their downtime, make sure that they don’t lose their interest amongst their exam worries. Alternatively, you can encourage them to take up a new sport, where they might find a new talent and form new friendships.
Plan a day trip
It’s always important to spend some quality time with your teen during the summer, especially if they’re planning on heading off to university soon! Whether it be an afternoon at your local shopping centre, a trip to the cinema to see the latest blockbuster, or a wander around your favourite museums, your teen will appreciate your efforts to bond with them.
Get musical
Musical instruments are a great hobby to take up to distract yourself from worries, and if your teen has a love for listening to music, they will love getting into the creative side of it. Will it be guitar, piano, violin, or drums? The choice is theirs!
Family game night
Board games are a great way to release some extra energy and stress, so why not host a family game night in your living room? Whether you choose to play an instant classic or a new game on the market, get the whole family involved and enjoy deciphering the rules together.
Pick up a new read
There’s nothing more entrancing than picking up a new novel and getting lost in its world! If your teen is struggling to focus on anything but their exam results, perhaps suggest a new book to them, as this might help to put their mind at ease. Plus, if it happens to be a book that their friends also adore, it can become an amazing conversation topic for them to chat about for hours!
Movie marathon
Although you should try to keep their screen time to a minimum, we’ll never say no to a movie night! You could either base your movie selection on a franchise (such as Harry Potter or The Hunger Games), or you could select your films from a particular genre or era – how about 2000s films, such as The Princess Diaries and High School Musical? Or what about beloved rom-coms, such as Notting Hill and When Harry Met Sally? The choice is up to you!
Practice meditation
When things become too much for your teen to handle, it might be worthwhile introducing them to the powers of meditation, mindfulness or yoga. When used daily, these practices can help to manage your levels of stress, introduce a calming mindset, and improve your mental well-being overall.
Get a part-time job
If your teen is looking for a routine to keep them occupied during the summer, then a part-time job is the perfect way to distract their mind from any exam worries! Not only will a job fill up their empty summer days, but it will also give them some extra money, as well as valuable working experience.
Redecorate your bedroom
If your teen feels like they are stuck in a rut waiting for their grades, they might enjoy putting their time and energy into starting a new project! One option that we would recommend is getting them to redecorate their bedroom. This doesn’t have to be an overwhelming task that breaks the bank, but giving their room a fresh makeover will also help to clear their mind and make them feel more at peace in their personal space.