IN THE weeks leading up to exams, parents may feel there is little they can do to help their children to prepare. However, there are some very simple, the basic elements that can make all difference.

DIET

Because they are studying so hard, students do not place much importance on food. It is important that parents insist they do. Meal times can be readjusted to suit the timetable.

It is better if heavy foods, fatty foods or excess meat are reduced these are foods which are difficult to digest and use up a lot of energy in the process, leaving the student feeling sluggish. Fruit, vegetables and foods like potatoes are easily digestible and very nutritious.

Parents may find that students drink a lot of tea and coffee while studying. While it is not advisable to introduce drastic changes of habit, it would be advantageous if the intake of caffeine could be reduced, as it increases the pulse rate and can in some cases disturb the sleeping pattern.

Students normally take caffeine in order to produce the impression of an increase of energy levels. It would be helpful if the student could drink fruit juices, such as a mixture of pear and apple. This mixture is very sweet and is ingested into the system quickly and easily, producing a more gentle and longer lasting energy flow. Vegetable juices, which are highly nourishing, could be made but are more an acquired taste.

EXERCISE

As every parent knows, it is import ant that the student gets plenty of fresh air and exercise.

You may well be met with moans and groans about parents not knowing how much work has to be done etc. Don't give in. Explain that productivity increases dramatically when the brain is alert, and the brain becomes alert when it is introduced to regular doses of fresh air and exercise.

Exercise time can be combined with time spent with friends. Going for walks is ideal - as long as the conversation is not too academically orientated.

SLEEP

I have come across students who only come to life at midnight and retire as the dawn breaks, but it is far easier on the system if the student could stick to a more regular routine.

Some students study better in the early morning, taking free time in the afternoon. Others work better late in the morning, using early morning as a time to relax.

For the most part it would seem that little constructive study is done after 9.30 p.m. This is a time when parents may advise students to relax, have a bath, listen to music or watch television. Some students find it relaxing and reassuring to contact their friends by phone at this time.

TIME MANAGEMENT

Time management is the greatest challenge that the young person has to face, having left the structured atmosphere of school.

While it is necessary that students have the freedom to be on their own in the days coming up to exams, it is also very necessary that an alternative system of study is put into place.

Many students feel overwhelmed, not knowing where to start, and feel that however much they study, it is not enough. For this reason it is essential that each student makes out a timetable.

THIS suggestion may be met with a storm of protest - "I don't have time to make one out" or "I never stick to one anyway". But parents can help their child to create an effective timetable.

A timetable is imperative, but it is something that many people overlook because it seems to be too much trouble. However, time spent organising one's time is an excellent investment for the following reasons.

. A day spent alone, studying, does not stretch endlessly before the student. She or he now knows what has to be done.

. It means that at the end of the day, he or she can compare the work actually done with what should have been done, according to the timetable. If the student is up to date, he or she will feel very rewarded; if a little remains to be done, compensation can be made on the following day.

. It allows the student to think about having free time. How much of it do they need? What would be the most productive way to spend it? Actually inserting free time into a systemised timetable gets rid off "the guilts".

Sometimes it happens that when students are studying, they wish that they were taking free time and, when free, they feel guilty and think they should be studying. Therefore, study time is not as productive and free time is not as enjoyable because of fretting. The student can now really enjoy free time because he or she knows that the hard work during study time has merited the free time.

ALTERNATIVES

One of the main practical ways to reduce pressure for students is to show them that they have any number of alternatives.

It is helpful to go through a series of "what ifs" with your child - What if the university course with higher points is outside his grasp? Well, then he may get a course with fewer points.

What if he doesn't get the points to go to university? He has also applied to the DIT and regional colleges. What if he doesn't get the DIT or regionals? He will have applied for PLC courses. You can explain that all these levels of courses are like a series of safety nets - if you don't get one, you will land in another.

There is then the possibility of bouncing back again, from certificate to diploma to degree.

What if he only passes two subjects - does that mean he fails? No, it just simply means that a particular set of requirements were not met. The plan will have to change. It is not a question of failure, it is a question of change. It is important for parents to explain to their children that even if they only pass the one or two subjects in their exams, they are not "failures". They are simply people who have to make other choices.

Do I go back and repeat this exam or will I advance my career "on the job"? Not getting the expected results simply forces students to work at completely new alternatives.

We can explain to our students that it is impossible for any situation not to have alternatives - it is simply not in the nature of life. It may take a little time to find that other way. It may be a little frightening at first not to take the conventional school college job route. But we can also tell our children about the many so called "failures" in our lives which forced us to open our minds. So much so, that when we look back, we can see these events as having been real blessings in our lives.

A student who is shown that, no matter what the outcome, he or she is still loved and can still make a valued contribution to society is a very reassured student indeed.

Finally, we may have traditions within our families by which we can show support and encouragement to our children, even when they are sitting facing that paper, all alone.

I remember when we were doing exams, my mother would go to the church and light a candle for my brothers and sisters at 9.30 a.m. each day just as we would be getting our papers. It was tremendously reassuring for me to know that not only was my mother sending me her loving thoughts, but I also felt that all the hosts of heaven were on my side.

Maybe there would be some gesture that you could make that would be equally reassuring for your children?