How to Deal with Parental Stress About Exams
It’s well-known that home tutors don’t just deal with their students for home tuition, but also with their student’s parents. Working with parents who aren’t all that interested in hearing what the tutor has to say or who allow their emotions to get the better of them may be very challenging for home tutors. Being unable to get along with them, however, might have negative effects on the tutor’s career and business because they are essentially the tutor’s clients. Dealing with parents can be challenging for home tutors, but there are several strategies to make the situation easier and build a positive rapport. And this will especially be tested in times such as exams season when everyone, including the parents, starts to feel the pressures of it.
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Do parents also feel exam stress?
The short answer is yes. These are their children we are talking about and students aren’t the only ones who are stressed for their upcoming exams. Many parents can experience stress during the test season, and if their symptoms aren’t appropriately addressed, they may hurt the student’s preparation. It makes sense that parents would want their children to perform well on examinations, and as a result, they could worry about the results and how they might impact their children’s future.
What are the signs of parental stress?
Even if stress can be easily identified when it’s at its worst, there are some warning indications that tutors should watch out for that parents may start to exhibit during this time. Tutors can assist students to avoid stress buildup and deal with it before it worsens by being aware of these indications. Here are several indications of stress in parents that tutors should watch out for.
Being unnecessarily angry
People who are under stress will also begin to struggle more with controlling their anger. Parents are likely to be under stress if they start to shout when speaking to tutors or if they start to get extremely impatient over the smallest things.
More anxious than usual
Anxiety is another indicator of parental stress. Stress is starting to set in if the tutor notices that their student’s parents are becoming more tense and anxious than usual. When parents begin to approach their child’s home tutor with every concern under the sun, this becomes more obvious. In other cases, parents will even contact tutors and ask a lot of questions about hypothetical situations that haven’t yet occurred. Additionally, they might begin to discuss how anxious they are for the impending tests as if they will be the ones sitting for them.
Nagging
While tutors usually welcome parent calls or texts as a way to build a positive rapport with them, persistent contact with the tutors might be a sign of helicopter parenting. This may be a result of the parents’ high levels of stress, which prompt them to inquire about their child’s progress after the tutor has just spoken to them. A simple call or message from the parent can evolve into a full-on session, and if they do it frequently, it might come off as nagging.
Scolding their child
While tutors usually welcome parent calls or texts as a way to build a positive rapport with them, persistent contact with the tutors might be a sign of helicopter parenting. This may be a result of the parents’ high levels of stress, which prompt them to inquire about their child’s progress after the tutor has just spoken to them. A simple call or message from the parent can evolve into a full-on session, and if they do it frequently, it might come off as nagging.
How can tutors handle parental stress?
After discussing the telltale indications of stress in parents that tutors should be able to spot, the next logical step is to understand how to deal with stressed-out parents. As was previously stated, parents should be actively involved in their children’s education. By assisting parents in managing their anxiety related to their children’s exams, tutors may make sure that the student won’t be adversely impacted by these feelings.
1. Don’t disregard parents’ feelings
Parents’ feelings during this time are valid, just like student worry during the examination season. It’s essential to remember that tutors shouldn’t be eager to dismiss their emotions or calm them down because doing so can make them worry even more. Instead, tutors may help them realize that they also share the same concerns and that they understand how they are feeling.
It’s also crucial to remember that tutors shouldn’t allow their own emotions to get in the way of their work. When parents begin to express their concerns about their children’s examinations, tutors can sometimes get defensive. Some tutors might interpret this as a subtle jab at their abilities to help the student with their studies, although this isn’t always the case. In order to avoid making the situation worse for both the parent and the student, tutors should be more empathetic with parents since anxiety can be an indication of parental stress.
2. Lend an ear
Tutors should be prepared to listen to the parents of their students in a situation like this, just like they do with their own students. Even if the worries aren’t too significant, they can still be very important to the parents, and the tutor should take their worries seriously. Maintaining eye contact with the parent when they talk about their worries with the tutor will demonstrate that the tutor is paying attention. Consequently, tutors should prevent from cutting them off while they are still speaking. It’s preferable to let them voice their minds and let everything out before the tutor reacts or offers suggestions.
3. Give progression updates
When parents are uninformed of how their child is growing academically, they begin to worry. Some parents will worry even if they lack concrete evidence of their child’s success or failure. Parents sometimes need confirmation that their child is making progress and is capable of handling the approaching exams. Showing anxious parents evidence of their child’s growth is the greatest method to deal with them.
The tutor may present the student’s practice test or paper results to their parents. They can also compare the student’s progress with the scores they received before they began tuition. Additionally, tutors can go over the steps they are taking to make sure their student is ready for their tests with their student’s parents. Knowing how well their child is progressing and how they are prepared for the test will reassure parents.
4. Offer solutions for their concern
The next logical step is to propose ideas on how to address the concerns mentioned once the parent has expressed their worries regarding their child’s performance in the approaching tests. The tutor can offer to spend more time and concentrate on the specific weak area or subject initially if the parent is concerned the student will struggle with a certain subject. The tutor can offer to extend the class time if the parent is concerned about how much free time the student is wasting. However, if there is no implementation, presenting solutions is useless. Because of this, tutors can ask the parents to enforce the modifications for their own preparations. This will decrease the parents’ anxiety about the exam while also involving them in their child’s academics.
Conclusion
Stress is something that everyone can feel regardless if they are a parent, tutor, or student. As such, it’s important to understand that everyone goes through stressful situations, and finding a way to diffuse this before it blows up can help both the parents and the students. Remember that parents can also affect their children’s studies and may increase the tension between them. This will not help the child at all when they are preparing for their exams. It’s best to be patient and show understanding.
Carelle
Carelle is a teacher who has been through the ups and downs of the teacher and learner life. She wishes for every learner to gain educational satisfaction that will help embody the people they want to be in the future.
