While holiday time is full of joy and fun– it can also be stressful for kids, parents, teachers and schools.
School counselor Malene Dixon from KIPP Sunnyside High School takes time to share quick tips. Updated December 4, 2025..
As counselors we tend to notice something around winter and holiday times – an increase in the number of our students who are stressed, depressed, anxious, and struggling to cope with everyday life. Mid-term exams and the holidays can lead students to have stress levels that are even higher than usual.
For parents, teachers, and youth workers this is a great time to check in with your kids even more than usual to find out how they are feeling.
Questions schools and parents can use to check in with your students
Teenagers especially may not be open to sharing many of the details of their lives with you so here are a few suggested conversation starters:
- Is this a stressful time? (sometimes starting with a closed-ended question first gets them to an easier answer they can build off of)
- Is school stress, friend stress, or holiday stress the hardest? (again, a closed-ended question can make it easier for them to identify their source of stress)
- What was the best thing that happened at school today? (What was the worst thing that happened at school today?)
- What is one thing you wish you could change about your day?
- What did you do during lunch today? What did you eat for lunch? Who did you eat lunch with?
- Tell me something that made you laugh today.
While mid-term and test time can be stressful we also know that our students can navigate challenges and hard things. This is a great time to normalize their feelings of being stressed (because it is stressful to have a significant percentage of your grade hinge on one test), and to share some of your experiences of stress and struggle.
We do want to support them so here are a few tips to help your child prepare for their upcoming mid-term exams:
Test-Taking Tips for Students and Parents
- Parents, be aware of what’s happening. Here are some test taking support ideas.
Students, some tips for you.
- Set a goal for yourself in your different exam areas. Knowing your target can help reduce stress.
- Play out the worst case scenario a bit – to help them understand that even the worst case scenario is not that bad. Like I told my daughter “I’m sure there are 50 year old people doing great who failed their history final, and people not doing great who aced their history final.”
- Be well rested. Get a good night’s sleep at least two nights before the exam.
- Use positive self talk and have a positive attitude about the exam: “I can do this. I got this.” As the saying goes, “talk to yourself like you would your best friend or someone you love.”
- Go to tutorials and study sessions before the exam. Let teachers help you. Sometimes students feel like they need to have a specific question. Just go and be in the presence of other students and teachers focused on the same content.
- Eat a healthy meal before the exam.
- Take your time.
For school leaders and staff, remember the stressors happening for students now. It could be academics, social, or home and financial. Schools too can provide spaces to name the stress and help students relieve it. Hot cocoa days, stress breaks, etc. can help name what students are already feeling.
For parents, though many people think of the money they need to spend during the holidays…the top thing you can spend for your kids during the holidays is time…spending time with them is the most valuable. Sing some favorite songs together, watch a holiday favorite movie together, cook food together.
Excited to see everyone refreshed in the New Year.
