NNAT Parents and Crises of Confidence

It can be hard for an NNAT parent to keep their head up. Preparing for a rigorous gifted test can be trying even on a good day – and the journey is inevitably frought with setbacks, crises of confidence, and a sense that we’re just not doing it right! This is made worse by the world we live in.

 

Specifically, it seems like “oversharing” has become the norm. I mean, do you really want to know that Bruce Jenner is transforming into a woman, or that Kanye is “dissing” yet another entertainer or that Justin Bieber has another monkey (for the record, he doesn’t … as of today, at least).  Why, I ask, would we even WANT to know this useless information?

 

This is also true of other parents who are preparing their child for the NNAT test. They regale us with all of their child’s successes – how they aced the practice test, are cruising toward a seat in their program of choice, how test prep doesn’t even make them break a sweat.

 

Well, fellow NNAT traveler, don’t let them get you down. Think about how many celebrities are presented to us as effortlessly wonderful parents, raising their kids while seeming not to lift a finger. You can’t check out at the grocery store without catching a glimpse of Mila Kunis, Gwyneth Paltrow, or Ryan Gosling looking like they’ve been provided with the “Secret Manual of Perfect Parenting,” reserved for only those who share every amazingly glorious and perfect detail of their lives with the masses.

 

It’s the same for every other NNAT parent you encounter. Their bravado masks a creeping insecurity, a need to hear that their child is as “great” and “wonderful” as they think they are. Just keep your own child on the straight and narrow – spend as much time preparing for the NNAT as you can, while also giving them down time to enjoy life – and you’ll see them blossom in no time.

The NNAT and the Journey of Parenting

The NNAT test tries even the most patient parent. It’s easy to say that you’re going to give up when the going gets tough and you think that your child isn’t going to make the cut.

I heard from a parent who had an inspiring story. They said that their child scored low on the NNAT test and they were worried that they would never make it into a gifted or other advanced program. This parent was devastated, and worried that their child wouldn’t be able to improve and retake the test the following year. But after some hand-wringing and self-doubt, they decided to do everything in their power to make sure that their child had every advantage available to them.

They worked with their child day in and day out for a year, ensuring that they were prepared the next time the NNAT came around. The following year, the child nailed it, scoring in one of the highest percentile ranges and making it into a top-flight program.

I commended them not only for making sure their child was ready for the test, but also for making a decision that will endure. By showing their child that they had what it takes for the NNAT, this parent also showed their child that they would do whatever it took for them to succeed in school and in life – and that the child had the ability to live up to those standards.

In other words, this parent set their child on a path to lifelong success – and not just by getting them ready for the NNAT test. Like so many other things, good parenting is a journey with no end – a lifelong commitment. Every success is not merely reason to celebrate, but also a call to look for new opportunities that will give your child the chance to succeed and, ultimately, reach their full potential in school and in life.

 

Reduce Stress by Making NNAT Prep Fun

Lots of parents worry that their child will choke when it finally comes time to take the NNAT test. They worry that in the high-pressure, time-limited environment of a test, their child won’t be able to finish all the questions. Or, worse yet, that they’ll get nervous and freeze up, becoming mentally paralyzed when it matters most.

These parents worry that their child’s homework won’t adequately prepare them for the NNAT test. After all, the test isn’t like the traditional year-end test that’s basically a review of what the child learned during the year.

Will their child’s homework be of any use when it matters the most? Will they encounter materials on the test that they’ve never seen before?

These are legitimate concerns, and they’re why it’s so important to get your child practicing for the NNAT test as soon as you can. There are a number of ways to do this, and you don’t want to get into the mindset of using a set method for too long. Start with games and other lighthearted, interactive materials: online practice, board games, manipulatives like blocks. Then work your way up to the more “traditional” test prep workbooks and worksheets. Your child likely already has a lot of homework – so don’t pile on more “schoolwork” when they might already be feeling overwhelmed.

The good thing about the NNAT is that it’s possible to prepare for it. Despite the parents who say that your child either has it or they don’t, this is not true. There are lots of kids with test-taking anxiety, attention problems, or any other number of issues that make it hard for them to excel on standardized tests like the NNAT even though they’re plenty smart. These kids just need an extra push, and they need for practice to be fun.

 

Is the NNAT Teaching to the Test?

Lots of parents facing the NNAT have the same concern: teachers are increasingly being forced to “teach to the test.”

This usually refers to the assertion that teachers, especially in public school, increasingly have to tailor their curriculum to year-end standards tests that measure how much kids have learned during the school year. But it applies in equal measure to tests like the NNAT, which, like it or not, often determine whether children will make it into the most elite private schools and Gifted programs.

I’ve found that parents who complain about educators “teaching to the test” usually have a few pressing concerns. First and foremost, a low score on a test like this suggests that their child isn’t as smart or well-studied as they may have thought. Second, a low score can mean that their child won’t make it into the school of their dreams. Obviously, this is a very confronting reality for a parent who thought their child was well above average in terms of intelligence and achievement.

Well, here’s my take: one thing I’ve learned as a parent is that you can kick and scream all you want, but eventually you have to accept things the way they are. Regardless of what you think of standardized testing in general, or the NNAT in particular, it’s an integral reality of today’s educational system. So you essentially have two choices: you can bemoan the system and tilt at windmills hoping for change, or you can buckle down and get your child ready for the NNAT test that they’ll need to pass to make it into the school they deserve. The choice is yours.

Don’t run away from educational challenges: instead, make sure your child is equipped to face them and win. Part of that means preparing them for the NNAT test regardless of your personal opinion on its merit.

 

Why Use Online Games to Prepare for the NNAT

Many parents think that preparing for the NNAT is limited to using workbooks and other “traditional” test prep materials. These parents typically worry that these materials will burn their child out or bore them with the process of preparing for the exam.

Of course, workbooks and pen-and-paper materials can provide great preparation for the NNAT. It’s a good idea to have your child work with these materials at least some of the time, especially since the test is often given in a pen-and-paper format so these books provide good practice for the process of actually taking the test.

That said, it’s important to use other, more fun materials to prepare your child for the test. The test prep process can be quite lengthy, and you don’t want your child to get bored or frustrated with the work that’s involved. With that in mind, here are some fun materials you can use to prepare your child while also keeping it light and engaged:

Online games: Believe it or not, there are lots of interactive online games out there that will help your child get ready for the test while feeling like they’re having fun! Many sites have games specifically designed for the NNAT, while others have more general games that nevertheless help your child build the skills they’ll need to do well on the test. Keep in mind there are mobile apps that do the same thing, so be sure to check for those as well.

Board games: Find a board game that builds the skills your child needs to do well on the NNAT. These games will get your child ready for the test in a way that brings the whole family together!

Do-it-yourself puzzles and activities: Build the skills your child needs for the NNAT test using items you find at home, or make your own! This adds an element of creativity into what can be an exhausting process.

There are so many ways to get your child ready for the NNAT test that it’s a waste to limit yourself to workbooks. Make the process fun – while preparing your child for success on the exam!