As parents of past and current Year 11 and 12 students, we know how intense the lead-up to ATAR exams can be. It’s a time filled with late nights, quiet worry, and a deep desire to support our children without adding to their stress. In chats held amongst other parents, we’ve found a few simple things that really help during this period. We have shared them below in case they’re helpful for you too.
- Creating calm: Try to keep the house as peaceful as possible, especially in the evenings. Turning down background noise such as the TV, or making their favourite dinner, helps create an environment where they can focus and feel comfortable.
- Just listen: It seems we don’t need to have all the solutions. Sometimes our children just want to offload. A quiet nod, a cup of tea, and being present can go a long way.
- Supporting structure: It’s important to check in on their schedule and encourage breaks. A quick walk, fresh air, or a moment with the cat (or dog, or horses or goats… 😉) helps to reset their focus and their mood.
- Reassuring them they’re more than an ATAR score: Will these exams and their results define who our children are? No! Make a point to remind them of this. Their kindness, resilience, and efforts are what matter most.
- Nourishing with love: A healthy snack, a note of encouragement on the bathroom mirror, or just being there (even on the phone) when they finish their exam, reminds them we understand the pressure they may be feeling.
It’s okay to feel the stress with them. What matters is that we’re showing up, day after day, with belief in them. And honestly, we parents need kindness too! So, from all of us on the P&F Committee, we’re sending our heartfelt support to every student and every family preparing for exams. You’re not alone, we’re in this together!
A Prayer for Our Children
Loving God,
As our children prepare for their exams, calm their minds and strengthen their hearts. Help them to know that they are deeply loved, not for what they achieve, but for who they are. Be with them in moments of stress, give them clarity of thought, and surround them with peace.
Walk with them, and with us, through the weeks ahead.
Amen.
Parents & Friends Committee
