Standardized tests can take a tremendous toll on kids' nerves. The tests themselves are generally long, difficult, and high-stakes, and the pressure to do well often feels overwhelming. As a parent, you can't take the test for your child, but you can make sure they're prepared — emotionally, physically, and intellectually — to take it themselves.
Provide practice opportunities
Make sure they eat a good breakfast
There's a reason — a whole host of reasons, really — why people always talk about breakfast being the most important meal of the day. For one thing, eating a healthy breakfast has been linked to improved academic performance and higher standardized test scores. Ideally, your kids are already in the habit of having breakfast every day, but if they're not, make sure they at least eat something hearty and nutritious the morning of their test.
Help with logistics
Your child will be overwhelmed thinking about all the hypotheticals of the test, so you can help by staying on top of any practical considerations. For big tests like the SAT and ACT, make sure they're registered by the deadline, and confirm that you know where the testing center is and how to get there. CollegeVine suggests even doing a test drive a week or two ahead of time, so there's no chance (or at least less of a chance) that they'll get lost along the way.
You should also check that your child has everything they need in terms of supplies. Make a list a few days before in case you need to go shopping for anything, and then help them organize everything in one place the night before. For the SAT, the College Board has a list of things you should bring — your ID, No. 2 pencils, an approved calculator, etc. — as well as things you should leave at home.
Remind them to relax
"My daughter was very driven, so it was easy for me to be 'hands off,'" Donna Schwartz Mills told Mom.com. "She did competitive gymnastics in elementary and middle school, and either it taught her to be a perfectionist or, more likely, she was born with that tendency. If anything, I had to remind her to relax."
The point is: Kids put plenty of pressure on themselves to do well, so try not to add to it. You want them to succeed, of course, but it'll be harder for them to think straight if they're stressed and anxious. Consider teaching them some relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing or body scanning, in case they find themselves getting overwhelmed during the test.
Build their confidence
Give your child a pep talk the night before or the morning of their test. Remind them that they're ready and that they have the knowledge and skills to do well. Most importantly, let them know that you're proud of them and you love them, no matter what. Tests are not a measure of their self-worth.
