A-Level results: How to be the emotional support your teen really needs

ok.co.uk:

A-Level results day can be joyous for some – a time to celebrate their hard work and look forward to the next chapter of their life.

For those who don’t get the grades they were expecting or hoping for, however opening the fateful envelope can spark a range of unpleasant emotions – shock, sadness, regret, and even shame. “Receiving your A-Level results, or any result at all, can be a tough moment in one’s journey, with the outcome possibly impacting one’s plans for the future,” says Dr Jeri Tikare, clinical psychologist at Kooth Digital Health. “Bearing this in mind, it’s easy to see how one can be left with tricky feelings if the results do not meet one’s expectations.” If your teen is unhappy with their results, they’re going to need your support in dealing with the disappointment and navigating their next steps.

Psychology and education experts advise on how you can be there for your child on results day and beyond… Be empathetic On results day, it can be helpful to deal with the emotional fallout first, before discussing next steps, such as university or career options. “Make them aware that it is natural and possible to have a mixture of emotions – some of which could include sadness centred around the loss of their dreams of success, anxiety about what the future holds, anger at the self (‘I should have worked harder’), anger at others (‘They did not offer me enough help’), and other emotions,” says Tikare.

Instead of brushing their reactions under the rug, try openly discussing and normalising whatever feelings arise. “We know that repressing our emotions can lead to heightened stress and anxiety,” says Tikare.