Start preparing for the big exam at the beginning of the year. Devise a practical and realistic timetable to help your child get the most out of the time he has available.

Students often struggle memorising information because it is unclear or confusing to them. It is difficult to remember something if you do not fully understand it in the first place. In order to remember new information presented to you, try to re-write the information that you are learning into your own words.

As we all know, it is advisable not to study the night before an exam or cram before a major exam. It is difficult to retain information if you study at the last minute. The key to recall information effectively is to frequently review your notes and study materials weeks or days before the exams.

If possible, jot down or highlight important information that will probably show up in an exam. You should adapt this study strategy after revising for an important topic. Through repetitive daily revision, you will eventually begin to remember and memorise information easily.

Encourage your child to form a study group with keen and motivated peer from his class, school or tuition centre. Host them at home with snacks and make arrangements with their parents for pick-up or to send them home. Such positive peer influence and pressure will spur your child to work harder and stay focused on his goals. It also makes revising for exams less dull and dreary. Just be sure that they’re the responsible types who won’t goof off more than they study!

Give your child a quiet place to work when focus is necessary. Remember that kids haven’t developed the same ability to screen out distractions that adults have acquired. Television, even coming from another room, is hard for kids to screen out. Soft music played in the work area can help mask distracting sounds.

A balanced diet is crucial for a good memory. If you eat too much, you will feel tired and drowsy to study. If you eat too little, you will feel hungry and fatigued. Therefore, both of these scenarios are obstacles standing in your way towards a better memory. Eat in moderation and you will study better!

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Does your child spend all his time studying or in front of the television?  Your child needs exercise – both for his physical as well as mental health. A good workout will boost your child’s memory.

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Stress is one of the biggest factors when it comes to bad memory. If your child is under stress, he is more likely to ‘forget’ things. So, make sure your child is not feeling any stress, especially before the exams.

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Children with music training have better memory than those that don’t! So play some soft music in the background while your child goes through her daily routine. Unconsciously, her memory will improve with time, as well as her taste in music!

Studies clearly show that children who take regular breaks between studies, remember better. So, give him a break, let him dance, play, or simply take a nap – anything to give his brain some rest.

This post was updated on September 20, 2019.