The Mental and Emotional Component of the NNAT

A common problem for NNAT parents is figuring out, how do I emotionally and physically prepare my child for the NNAT test? Preparing academically for the NNAT test is one thing; after all, parents can use workbooks, online practice questions, online games, and so much more to get their child ready for the test. In some ways, as grueling as it can be for parents to go through these materials to get their child familiar with the format and content of the NNAT test, it’s at least easy to figure out what you’re “supposed” to do.

But it can be more confusing for parents to confront how to get their child’s “head in the game,” so to speak. How do you explain to the child what will happen in the testing room? How do you get them ready to sit still for a half hour or even an hour as the test approaches? How do you ensure that your child gets a good night’s sleep the night before the test? What should they eat for breakfast the morning of the exam?

These are all important questions – and they all have a bearing on your child’s chances for the NNAT test. It’s important to get your child familiar with the idea of taking the NNAT test early on. Telling them, “you’re taking a test tomorrow!” can make them nervous and get their anxiety up before the test. It’s better to get them acclimated to the idea of taking a test early on.

And, of course, it’s important that your child get a good night’s sleep and eat a wholesome breakfast the day before and the day of the test. Again, the best way to make sure this happens is to make it a habit. Get your child in the habit of going to bed early and eating good foods in the morning. That way it will be old hat by the time the test rolls around.

Putting Your NNAT Child on the Path to Success

As I’m sure you (just like every NNAT parent) know by now, it’s that time of year again – Back to School time.

Maybe your NNAT child has started classes already. Maybe they’re still enjoying the last few days of summer. But regardless of when school starts in your district, soon enough your child will be in the thick of it. With school getting ever more selective, and colleges and the job market becoming more and more competitive, the odds are not on your child’s side. It’s imperative that your son or daughter begin the school year prepared – and that you do everything you can to help them stay step ahead of the pack.

Most important is that your child is prepared for the NNAT test when they take it this year.

So I’m asking you: what are you doing today to make sure that your child doesn’t just survive, but that they thrive, this school year and beyond? If your answer is “nothing,” your child is in serious danger of falling behind – which could put educational and career opportunities out of your child’s reach. Forever.

Fortunately, it doesn’t take much to get your child one step ahead of their classmates – and give them a great shot at not just keeping up, but breaking ahead of the pack. Start by getting them used to the concepts and types of questions that they’ll see on the NNAT test. Do this in a fun way so it doesn’t feel like even more “work” just as they’re starting to get back into the swing of homework.

As the school year progresses, move on to more established NNAT practice materials like workbooks. This will put your child in the mindset they need to be in to sit through what can be a very long test.

By taking back-to-school and the NNAT test seriously, you can help ensure that your child reaches their full potential.

Calm and Collected for the NNAT Test

Taking practice tests for the NNAT test before sitting down to actually take the exam is a great way to get your child ready for the exam. Your child may get nervous before the test and it’s a good idea to give them an idea of what they’re going to face on the NNAT test.

 

The NNAT test is often used to determine which kids meet the criteria to be accepted into a gifted and talented, or G&T, program. Many kids get nervous or anxious before taking the NNAT test. It doesn’t help if you’re nervous before the test – your anxiety can rub off on them. That’s why it’s important to both reassure them and give them an idea of what they’ll face on test day so they go in feeling not only calm, but confident!

 

There are a number of ways to get your kid feeling calm for the NNAT test. The first is to start preparing as early as possible. You don’t want to burn your kid out by cramming for the NNAT at the last minute, forcing them to sit still for half an hour when they aren’t used to doing so for an extended period of time. Start out gradually and build up your child’s focus so that when the NNAT test rolls around, they’ll be able to sit still and focus.

 

Also, talk to your child about what will be on the test. Get their skills up to snuff so that they won’t be stumped if any hard questions pop up on the test. Use a variety of materials to prepare for the test so that your child doesn’t get burned out using the same materials over and over again.

 

Finally, the day before the test, make sure your child goes to bed on time. And the morning of the test, give your child a good breakfast. Send him into the NNAT rested, ready, and confident!

Back to School, NNAT Style – Part 3

Test preparation.The NNAT is a difficult test and it’s a bad idea to send your child in cold. Get them in the game with proper test prep. Use different materials to keep your child engaged and excited.

Understand what your child’s teacher expects. So many parents send their children into the classroom without having any idea of what the teacher wants or expects. Speak to the teacher and get a feel for their teaching style and what they want to see from your child this year.

Vision of success. Nothing creates success like imagining it. The same is true for your NNAT child. If you imagine what success looks like for them, it will be more likely to come about. If you don’t know what you want your child to achieve, they’ll never get there.

What are your goals for your child? This one tracks with the one we just talked about. You need to know where you see your NNAT child in a year, five years, ten years – and where they see themselves! This will give you a goal to reach for so you can build a roadmap to get there.

eXpect the best. Since we’re talking about expectations, here’s another good tip: don’t ever expect less than the absolute best for your NNAT child. Don’t be harsh or mean, but let your child know that you’re sure they can excel, and that you won’t take no for an answer.

You are responsible. Accountability can be scary in any endeavor in life, but none more so than parenting. You’re ultimately responsible for your NNAT child’s success – or failure. Don’t let yourself forget it.

Zoo trips. Don’t forget to take time out to smell the roses. Take field trips with your child to the zoo, museums, or just to the park for a picnic. Your child will leave mentally refreshed and ready to get back to work!

Back to School, NNAT Style – Part 2

In our last NNAT themed post, we talked about creating an A to Z list for back to school. Today we continue that list!

 

Listening. Listen to what your NNAT child tells you about school, their academic progression, and everything else school-related (or otherwise!) Your child communicates with you all the time, and it’s up to you to listen.

Munchies that are healthy. In the hustle and bustle of everyday life, it’s easy and tempting to grab fast food that isn’t so good for you. But keep in mind that in addition to the health benefits of eating good food, your child has a much better shot at doing well on the NNAT test and in school when they’re eating foods rich in vitamins and nutrients.

Never give up on your child.In the process of preparing for the NNAT, doing homework, and everything else that goes along with the school year, you will inevitably get discouraged. But make sure your child always knows that you have their back.

Options.Keep your child’s options open. The NNAT is a gateway to a Gifted and Talented test. But also look at private schools and good general education schools. Your child is most likely to succeed when they have several avenues available to them.

Practice, practice, practice. Whether it’s the NNAT or soccer, your child will only get better with practice. Use practice questions for testing, academic exercises for school, and physical exercises for sports and well-being. Your child will thank you.

Quiet the naysaying voices. Every parent has voices in their head telling them they’re doing it wrong. (If anyone says they don’t, they’re lying.) Don’t listen to these voices. Not only do they discourage you; your child can sense your anxiety and it rubs off on them in a variety of ways.

Read regularly. Nothing ups your child’s academic game like reading. Do it often.

Spend quality time. In the manic schedule of a school year, it’s easy to forget to spend real, quality time with your child. But it’s important that you spend some one-on-one time just talking and hanging out.

Back to School, NNAT Style

Can you believe that your NNAT child is already heading back to school? It’s amazing how quickly the summers fly by. It’s so hard to get your bearings toward the beginning of the school year, which is why we’ve put together an A to Z list to help you organize the back-to-school season for your NNAT child.

Here’s the first part of the list. More will follow in the weeks ahead.

A. Assignments. I know, nobody likes doing homework. But there’s a reason schools send home work for your child – and it’s important that they give their best effort so they have a shot at going to a good school and landing a rewarding career.

B. Be ready for the NNAT. If your child is taking the NNAT this year, you need to be ready. Get started now.

C. Common Core. These new state standards (not quite as hard as the NNAT – but still no picnic!) are rolling out in almost every state in the year ahead.

D. Don’t panic. Make use of the many resources available to you so you don’t get overwhelmed – and neither does your child.

E. Excellence. Always push your child to excel. Whether in school or on the NNAT test, it’s important for your child to stand out from the crowd.

F. Find out the date of the test. If your child is taking the NNAT test in the fall, put the dates on your calendar now. This gives you a finish line to look forward to – and lets you know how long you have to get ready.

G. Get your child excited about school. Many children get depressed when it comes time to go back to school. Don’t let your child be one of these! There are so many wonderful things about school – and it’s your job to make sure your child knows about them.

 

An NNAT Summer

For NNAT children and their parents across the country, it’s slowly sinking in that summer is fast coming to a close. While it’s of course important to prepare for the school year and for the NNAT test in the fall, it’s equally important to enjoy those last bits of summer while you still can. The last thing you want is for your child to head into the school year drained and stressed. Here are just a few ideas for fun things to do with the rest of the summer:

Go on a road trip

Lots of NNAT kids love going on road trips! Nothing is more fun than heading out onto the open road with mom or dad and taking time to see the sights! If you live near the ocean, drive along the coastline. If you’re near the mountains, take a ride up into the twisty roads! This is a great way to bond with your NNAT child – and it’s fun!

Go camping

If you’re even halfway outdoorsy, camping is a great way to bond with your NNAT child. Pack up the car with camping supplies – tents, sleeping bags, firewood – and head into the great outdoors. If you aren’t the camping type, rent a cabin for a night or two! You’ll still get to enjoy that rustic camping feeling, but with a real mattress – and maybe even air conditioning!

This is an especially great idea if your child is a boy or girl scout who needs to know how to rough it in order to earn merit badges or otherwise advance in their troop.

Go to the water park

What NNAT kid doesn’t love a good water slide? For that matter, what NNAT parent doesn’t love a good water slide? Take advantage of the hot weather and have some wet, wild fun with your little one this summer! If you’re not a water kind of person, try your local amusement park. Whether you like roller coasters, bumper cars, or skee-ball, it’s almost impossible not to find something you love at your local amusement park.

NNAT Back-to-School Checklist

For NNAT parents across the country, it’s back-to-school time again. It seems like the sales start earlier and earlier every year! It’s important to make sure that your child is ready for the beginning of school well before they step foot in the classroom.

 

That’s why it’s a good idea to put together a back-to-school checklist that will ensure that your child has every advantage at their disposal when they begin classes in just a few short weeks.

 

Remember, if your child is taking the NNAT test in the coming school year, it’s super important to work practice for that test into the time leading up to back-to-school.

 

1 month before school starts

 

Practice 10-15 minutes per day with practice questions and other activities for the NNAT test. Make sure your child is familiar with the general format and content that they’ll encounter on the test.

 

Shop for clothing and a backpack.

 

2 weeks before school starts

 

Continue practicing 10-15 minutes per day for the NNAT test.

 

Carefully look over the back-to-school list that your child’s school may have sent you. Begin planning to purchase the items on the list in the coming weeks.

 

Begin getting your child to bed on time. If your child is up late the week before school, they won’t be able to focus during the long school days.

 

1 week before school starts

 

Complete any back-to-school homework that your child has been asked to do, whether it’s writing book reports or completing math worksheets.

 

Keep practicing for the NNAT test. Don’t let your NNAT practice slip just because the school year is looming.

 

No matter what grade your NNAT child is going into, things will go much more smoothly if you get a head start on preparing for the school year. Make sure your child is ready not only for the NNAT test, but for all the challenges that the coming school year will throw their way!