AS and A-Level Results Day: Here’s how to manage your teens nerves

AS and A-Level results day is just two weeks away, falling on 18 August. As we lead up to the day, which for many follows years of hard work and revision, teens – and their parents – will be anxiously preparing, particularly with data by MyTutor unveiling that 43% of parents now say their child’s self-esteem is linked to the grades they achieved at school.

As a parent, you can’t take away the sense of uncertainty, or award them their desired results. However, you can make a massive difference with advice, support, and practical help. As such, MyTutor – the UK’s most trusted tutoring – platform shares the go-to guide for helping you help your teen ahead of results day.

Keep a sense of perspective
As adults all know, results don’t define a person. It’s worth pointing this out to your teen and reminding them that there’s always a plan B, C, or even D. If they don’t get the results they’re hoping for, then this can help reassure them that they’ll be OK. There’s often more than one way to achieve their dreams. Help your teen to research alternative pathways so they’ve got an actionable plan. This could be summer programmes, work experience/internships, support with job applications or even working abroad whilst they travel the world.

Take their mind off results & relax
Worrying about results day won’t make it come any sooner; keeping their mind off it and enjoying themselves can be a helpful tactic. Listening to their favourite music, podcasts (as long as they’re not about exams!), or even watching TV can all help them keep their results worries at bay.

Get a good night’s sleep
It’s also a good idea to make sure your teen has a good sleep the night before. The last thing they need is to be feeling tired (and/or emotional) on the big day. With a good 8 hours of rest in the tank, they can wake up feeling refreshed and ready to tackle the day.

Reassure them
It’s important to reassure your teen that you’re there for them no matter what. Part of their anxiety might be about disappointing you (even if they haven’t said so), and reminding them that you’ll support them whatever grades they get can help a lot.

Telling your teen that results aren’t everything, and that the world’s their oyster whatever grades they get can help them find much-needed perspective. Finally, you can remind them if they’re really unhappy with their results, they’ll have the chance to resit the exam next term.

Get advice from people who have been through it
Talking to someone who’s been through the same challenges as your teen – and made it to the other side – can be a great source of reassurance and encouragement. At MyTutor, our tutors studied the same courses as teens in the past few years – and they’ve been tutoring teens through school closures too. Tutors can help your teen navigate their next steps and get them on track for the next academic year. You can check out our online tutors here, or book a call with one of our Tutor Experts. We can help find the right tutor for your teen and get them the support they need.