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With weeks left to prepare for the Primary School Leaving Examination or PSLE, this is officially the final stretch. 

Should your child ramp up revision efforts during this time? Here’s our take: if your child has been consistently completing schoolwork and keeping pace with the class, there’s really no need to push harder. In fact, cramming can be detrimental — the more your child tries to absorb information within a short time, the more they may forget! 

Instead of signing your child up for additional tutoring sessions or study camps, consider switching your focus to prioritise your child’s well-being, both mentally and physically. This approach will ensure they are in the best possible condition to tackle the exams. 

Not sure where to start? Read on for some science-backed suggestions!

Be Mindful of Screen Time

Several studies have tracked school performance alongside screen time at home, and although findings differ, it’s been suggested that even one or two hours of recreational screen time per day could already have a negative impact on test scores. We understand that this is a tricky area to navigate, especially when parents rely heavily on their screens too. But it’s also good to be aware of what the experts have recommended — no more than one hour of screen time daily on school days, and four hours per day on weekends.

If you feel that screen time limits are restrictive, consider looking at the types of screen activities that your child is indulging in. Spending several hours learning to code, for instance, is a great activity that should be encouraged. On the other hand, activities such as TV viewing and playing video games have been linked to lower grades, especially for teens. 

A good way to think about screen time is whether your child is primarily creating something, socialising with someone, or consuming a ready-made product. If your child’s online activities are heavily skewed towards passive consumption, you can encourage your child to branch out and try other activities, such as having an online chat with a friend or picking up a new skill from an e-learning platform.

Often, children spend too much time on screens because they’re bored and don’t have anyone else to engage with. It’s something for parents to reflect on, and there are no easy answers, but even a small improvement is a good step towards a more balanced lifestyle.

Don’t Stinge on Sleep

In a sleep study conducted several years ago, researchers used Fitbit trackers to collect data on teens’ sleep patterns for a semester, with a surprising finding — a student who sleeps seven hours at night, every night, will do better than a student who sleeps 7.5 hours on one night and 6.5 hours on the next.

The good news is that there’s still time to get your child into a healthy sleep routine, of ideally eight hours sleep per night. This means that if your child needs to get up by 6am in the morning, they should be in bed by 9.30 or 10pm at the latest. Do also pay attention to your child’s pre-bedtime routines, to ensure that nothing is keeping them awake. For instance, some children enjoy listening to audiobooks before bedtime, but if the stories are compelling, they could end up staying awake much longer than anticipated.

Plan on going to bed much later than your child? Be mindful of the light that filters into your child’s bedroom as they sleep. Although it seems harmless, at least one study has shown that chronic exposure to light can elevate one’s level of cortisol, a stress hormone that has been linked to depression and lowered cognition. There’s an easy solution to this — simply close your child’s bedroom door at bedtime.

Watch Your Child’s Diet

According to some studies, what children eat can directly impact how well their minds work. For instance, even a mild lack of iron can reduce the brain’s ability to use dopamine — a key chemical for thinking — and this can lead to problems with learning and memory. Shortages of certain vitamins and minerals like thiamine, vitamin E, vitamin B, iodine, and zinc can also hamper a child’s ability to think clearly and concentrate.

If your family often consumes convenience foods and snacks, this can also contribute to a caffeine, sugar, and sodium overload, which may cause your child to feel sluggish or experience mood swings. Naturally, this won’t put your child in the best state to study or take an exam.

Only have the bandwidth to make tiny changes? Start with the simple act of cutting down on sweet drinks like sodas and bubble tea, and have your child drink more water instead. For more ideas on how to switch your child to a healthier “exam diet,” read our guide.

Make Exercise Non-Negotiable

Many parents clear their kids’ calendars in the weeks leading up to the PSLE, so that more time can be devoted to revision. But when kids are cooped up all day, they may feel restless and frustrated, and develop an increasing aversion to the never-ending pile of work. 

In schools, physical education lessons may also be put on hold to give Primary 6 students more time for academics. This is a pity, as exercise is known to benefit the brain. First, it boosts blood flow to the brain, which delivers more oxygen and nutrients. This helps create new blood vessels and enhances connections between brain cells, making it easier for them to communicate through neurotransmitters.

If your child already loves to play sports, do continue to make that option available for them, at least twice or thrice a week. For children who don’t enjoy sports, they can benefit from a long walk in a nearby park, to give them a much-needed break from their books and devices. 

Need a compelling reason to encourage children to stay active before the exams? Here’s one: studies have found that children who are more active show greater attention, have quicker mental processing speeds, and perform better on tests than children who are less active!

Want to chat with other parents about PSLE 2023? Join the conversation on the KiasuParents forum.