PW invited parents of Excellere World School, Gurgaon to share their insights on how they ensure their children experience a stress-free exam season

“My mantra is very clear. When the academic term begins for my children — Yash Vardhan (class III) and Harsh (class VI) — I advise them to maintain a home-work routine from day one followed by an hour of self-study and revision. Weekends are for question hour and mock tests. This way, their academics are up to date with minimal stress during the exam season. Plus I always remember to have normal conversations with them and remain mindful to leave out the word ‘exam’.” — Ajay Vir Yadav, project head, Bharti Infratel Ltd

“It’s important to treat children as God’s gifts for nurturing in a loving environment. They are not pressure cookers for our desired recipes. On exam days especially, it’s early to bed and early to rise for my 11-year-old son Arnav (class VI) and eight-year-old daughter Avni (class III) so they can join me for a brisk morning walk followed by some yoga. Trust me, it works wonders! On weekends between exams, apart from cooking their favourite meals, we encourage them to watch TV and cycle during breaks from exam preparation.” — Monu Chauhan, plant head, Antech Engineers

“I believe the key to a relaxed exam season is adequate sleep, healthy and regular meals and some recreation. Monitoring the academic progress of my children — 14-year-old Naman (class VII), nine-year-old Mayank (class IV) and five-year-old Harshita (UKG ) — on a daily basis without micromanaging, makes it easy for me and my wife to plan our time with them and advise them accordingly. Since we are aware of our children’s strengths and weaknesses, we only have realistic expectations from them.” — Sandeep Kumar, bank professional, HDFC

“Exams are inevitable and an integral part of students’ lives. Our children look up to us for inspiration. Therefore, it’s our duty to help them overcome the stress that comes with exams. I have made it a practice not to compare my children — Tanya (class VII) and Divyanshu (class IV) — with their peers. Instead, I appreciate their strengths while convincing them to work on their weaknesses. I help both my children to plan exam preparation well in advance and work out a stress management plan as well.” — Vijender Singh, hospital administrator, SGT University