It’s the time of year that students and parents both fear: exam period is upon us!
With these exams comes stress, bringing with it some delightful side effects such as acne, insomnia, increased heart rate and bad moods - and that’s just you! There’s no doubt that your child is feeling the pressure as well, and they probably have their own way of coping, leaving you and your protective parental instincts feeling a little bit useless.
You may have heard people talking about the benefits of being mindful. It’s something that western cultures picked up from Buddhist traditions decades ago. Mindfulness is not a religion however; it is simply a beneficial technique or way of behaving that Buddhist followers use. A lot of scientific research has been done on the effects of mindfulness in adults and in the last decade or so this has increasingly turned to mindfulness in children.
Every child has the potential for greatness. However, there’s no particular success or happiness gene, or a “one-fits-all” formula that does wonders. Being happy and successful means different things to different kids, but one thing that they all must learn is how to face struggles, failures and challenges, since they are an inevitable part of life.
The question is, what do extracurricular activities mean and why are they important?
Here’s a little secret: extracurricular activities are simply any activity you do outside of your school work. Easy enough, right?
Well okay, that’s great, but why are extracurricular activities important?
Isn’t getting great grades in school good enough? And if you do participate in other activities, why does it matter? Doesn’t everyone do at least one activity that has nothing to do with school?
The single biggest factor for a successful school year is a child’s confidence and self belief. It affects every aspect of their lives, although it is most keenly felt at school, where differences are measurable against peers.
